WiseChoice Foods, the manufacturer of WisePies Pizza, and Make-A-Wish have partnered for the Holidays to create “Wishpies”- a limited edition frozen dessert pizza that is being sold nationwide at Walmarts. One dollar of the 6.98 dessert – nearly 15%- will go to Make-A-Wish. The dessert will be available until Dec. 24 or until supplies last.
“We felt that it was important to create something that brings awareness to the mission behind Make-A-Wish,” WiseChoice Foods Director of Marketing Danielle Trujillo said.
The treat is comprised of a cinnamon-infused crust, cinnamon-sugar sauce and diced apples. A packet of vanilla icing will also be provided. To promote the frozen desserts and encourage creativity, the groups are holding a “#WishpieChallenge” on social media.
“We want people to get involved by doing the Wishpie challenge. What that means is: Do something fun with it. Decorate it- there’s a vanilla icing packet included in the box- you can drizzle a fun design on top of your pizza with family and friends during the holidays,” Trujillo said. The winner of the challenge can win up to $1,000.
This is not WiseChoice Foods first time teaming up with Make-A-Wish. The groups also hold the WisePies Pizza Run.
“My brother was granted a wish when he was 12-years old while fighting a rare form of cancer. I know firsthand the positive emotional and physical impact a wish can have on a child and the entire support system including family, friends and the medical team. The creation and sale of the limited-edition WishPies is a way this partnership can collectively give back to the community,” said Season Chavez, president of WiseChoice Foods.
MolinaCares and Molina Healthcare of New Mexico have partnered to provide a total of $400,000 in grants to about a dozen local groups to help launch its MolinaCares for Families initiative.
It’s part of an effort to get access to healthcare for families that have trouble obtaining services due to socioeconomic factors, shortages in specialty care providers, living in a rural area, homelessness or mental health issues, according to a news release.
“MolinaCares understands that New Mexicans experience many challenges in securing needed care and resources,” Carolyn Ingram, plan president of Molina Healthcare of New Mexico, told The Paper. “Our goal is to support vulnerable populations by removing various barriers to their access to care. This requires partnerships with a wide range of community-based organizations that have a proven track record of making a positive impact.”
Ingram said grant recipients were chosen based on their track records addressing the most pressing issues affecting New Mexicans’ access to care. Different community-based organizations received different grant amounts based on needs of specific projects and initiatives, she said.
Grant recipients included Casa de Peregrinos, Cooking with Kids, Heading Home, Kitchen Angels, Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe, Many Mothers, MAVEN Project, Native Women Lead, New Mexico Caregivers Coalition and Project SEARCH.
Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless (AHCH) also received a grant from MolinaCares.
“There are at least 16,000 residents in Bernalillo County expected to experience homelessness this year,” Jenny Metzler, AHCH’s CEO, said in the news release. “We are grateful to MolinaCares for this grant and their commitment to serving vulnerable populations and improving health outcomes in our local communities.”