Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA) is a volunteer based, non-profit organization consisting of outdoor enthusiasts who help construct, manage and preserve a non-motorized public backcountry trail from Mexico to Canada along the backbone of America as well as develop an appreciation of and enjoyment in America’s natural lands through education and the opportunity to experience the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. CDTA is a member of the Step Into Cuba Health Alliance and provides volunteers and volunteer project support for building trails to connect the community to outdoor recreation on surrounding public lands.
County of Sandoval, NM
Cuba Independent School District Our mission is to provide a quality education for all students. Part of that mission includes implementation of a school wellness policy which includes staff time to work on safe routes to school, youth engagement, joint-use agreements. Their commitment to school and community health and wellness is reflected in their participation in the Step Into Cuba Health Alliance.
Cuba News
Cuba Soil & Water Conservation District
Mid Region Council of Governments is a multi-county governmental agency that provides planning services in the area of transportation, agriculture, workforce development, employment growth, land use, water, and economic development. They are a member of the Step Into Cuba Health Alliance and provide technical assistance for Highway 550 improvement efforts and safe routes to school initiative.
Nacimiento Heritage Team
Nacimiento Community Foundation is a local 501©3 non-profit founded in 1988 and is a model of collaboration between health providers and the community. NMF was formed to provide a vehicle for health professionals and community leaders to address the health and wellness in the community. NMF recognizes that medical care can only make a partial contribution to this goal; that basic lifestyle changes centered on physical activity are crucial to the health and wellness of a community. As a result, NMF currently sponsors the Step Into Cuba walking program and the Community Garden which focuses on physical activity and healthy eating.
NM Department of Health - Diabetes Prevention and Control Program
The New Mexico Department of Health’s Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP) works to reduce the burden of diabetes on individuals, families, communities, the health care system and the state. DPCP is working with Cuba on a Healthy Communities initiative (funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) that includes supporting the Step into Cuba program in building a healthy environment for walking and physical activity.
NM Department of Transportation, District 6 Our mission is to plan, build, and maintain a quality transportation network which will serve the social and economic interests of our citizens in a productive, cost-effective and innovative manner. To further this mission, NM Department of Transportation is a member of the Step Into Cuba Health Alliance providing technical assistance in development of Safe Routes to Schools Program and support and advocacy relating to safety and improvement of Highway 550.
NM State Forestry Division, Community Forestry Program offers a variety of services for communities. The Program Mission focuses on helping communities develop sustainable green programs and initiatives that help enhance the lives of their citizens. They offer planning support for local program development, technical assistance, training and funding opportunities. The program provides this support to the Step Into Cuba: Healthy Communities Initiative as a member of the Step Into Cuba Alliance.
Presbyterian Medical Services Presbyterian Medical Services (PMS) is the successor to the United Presbyterian Church’s Medical Mission work in the Southwest which began in 1901. In 1969, with church encouragement, a group of area citizens came together to serve on the board of directors for a new entity. Presbyterian Medical Services, a New Mexico-based 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, was formed to ensure continuation of the mission to provide health care services to the underserved communities throughout the southwest. Board of National Missions support to PMS ended in 1973.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Cuba, New Mexico is one of fifty communities across the country that is part of a landmark $33 million program by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic through local initiatives to improve access to affordable healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity for children and families. Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities is the Foundation's single largest investment in community-based solutions to the epidemic. The nine leading sites that were announced in late 2008 are now joined by 41 additional sites. Together, they represent more than half of the states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. More than a third are in the South, the region with the country’s highest prevalence of obesity.
US DOI Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Employees in New Mexico care for 13.4 million acres of public lands. These lands contain nationally significant energy and mineral resources, a great variety of wildlife, and an abundance of recreational opportunities; outstanding national monuments and wilderness areas, unique historic and prehistoric sites and developed recreation sites. BLM is a member of the Step Into Cuba Health Alliance providing support and expertise on trail design standards, trail system planning, and Continental Divide National Scenic Trail spur routing to augment Step Into Cuba Health Alliance initiatives.
U.S. Forest Service sustains the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The phrase, “caring for the land and serving people,” captures the Forest Service mission. The Forest Service is a member of the Step Into Cuba Health Alliance and provides a system of trails that assist in meeting the goals of the Alliance to provide quality walking areas for health and wellness purposes. They are also in the process of developing additional trail systems in closer proximity to the Village of Cuba to further support the Alliance and it’s goals.
U.S. National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA) is the community assistance arm of the National Park Service. RTCA staff provide technical assistance to community groups and local, State, and federal government agencies so they can conserve rivers, preserve open space and develop trails and greenways. Their commitment to their mission is reflected in their participation in the Step Into Cuba Health Alliance; providing staff time to assist with youth engagement, Highway 550 improvements and safe routes to school.
University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center addresses the health promotion and disease prevention needs of New Mexican communities. Their mission, to improve community health and well-being in underserved areas, has led them to choose the Step into Cuba walking program as their core research project. In addition to staff time for project direction and guidance, they bring to Step Into Cuba expertise in the areas of policy development, implementation and advocacy, community coalition building, child pedestrian safety, safe routes to schools and playground safety.
Village Council of Cuba The village of Cuba has a population under 1,000. However, it serves an area with a population approaching 5,000. It is also a favorite stop for travelers on NM 44/US 550, a major highway connecting central New Mexico with the Four Corners region. The village is at the base of the Nacimiento Mountain Range and at the edge of the Navajo Reservation, Jicarilla Reservation and the Jemez Pueblo.
VIVA — Step Into Cuba Village Interventions and Venues for Activity (VIVA). The Prevention Research Center’s Core project (VIVA) is evaluating Step Into Cuba, an intervention designed to increase physical activity through evidence-based strategies. The project will expand our knowledge and understanding of the translation, dissemination and implementation of evidence-based recommendations for increasing physical activity and health disparities, and serve as a model for similar communities throughout the Southwest.
