Almost 30 percent of El Paso County citizens live in areas with limited access to fresh and healthy foods. El Paso is one of 10 cities taking part in the Cities of Service Resilience AmeriCorps program. Through this program, the city is engaging with citizen volunteers to build and sustain resilience in low-income neighborhoods through initiatives like the Garden Grant Program, which creates community gardens and increases access to healthy foods.
El Paso has been a member of the Cities of Service coalition since 2010, when former Mayor John Cook signed the Declaration of Service. Current Mayor Oscar Leeser reaffirmed the city’s commitment to service by signing the Declaration again in 2015.
Mayor Oscar Leeser
Mayor Oscar Leeser assumed office on January 5, 2021. His current term ends on January 7, 2025. He previously served as Mayor of El Paso from 2013 to 2017. After retreating from public life to deal with some personal health issues, he returned in a new run for Mayor, winning the election with 80% of the vote.
Mayor Leeser was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and arrived in El Paso with his family at 9-years-old speaking no English. He is now the owner and operator of the largest Hispanic Hyundai dealership in the nation and is serving his second term as Mayor in one of the most diverse and progressive international border regions in the world. He believes in leading with integrity, transparency, fiscal responsibility, and a no-nonsense business approach to management.