The Coyotes announced the return of their Estrella of the Month program, recognizing one Latino business each month throughout the season. This marks the third season of the initiative, and the team took it one step further, as this year’s recipients were also participants in the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Dream Builder program.
That program helps women small business owners develop a strong plan over a 13-week period, highlighting one of the fastest-growing segments within Arizona’s small business community. Each business owner will be honored at Mullett Arena this upcoming season.
“We are very proud of the Estrellas, and the amazing female entrepreneurs that put everything they’ve got out there and become successful. They deserve to be highlighted, and it’s a true testament to the female power, and to the Hispanic power that’s been growing in Arizona,” Alexis Meruelo, chair of the Arizona Coyotes Foundation Board of Directors, said. “It's really important, because it’s not just about hockey, it’s about our community. It means a lot. It makes us so proud, and also excited, because they get their chance to shine, and that’s the power of sports, to amplify the work that they’re doing.”
The team also announced the expansion of its Los Howlitos learn-to-play program, in which the sport of hockey is introduced and taught to local Hispanic children in an after school program. The program kicks off on Sept. 15 with six clinics at Academia del Pueblo and runs through October.
Last season the team hosted 230 Raise the Pack clinics, including 63 community clinics in underserved communities, which impacted over 7,000 Arizona youth. That initiative, along with the partnership with Dignity Health, pairs perfectly with the Coyotes Foundation’s Health and Wellness pillar of service, and Julie Riley, Chief Administrative Officer and VP of Service Line Operations for Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, said the organization is excited to partner with the team for another season.
Dignity Health is also the official healthcare provider of the Arizona Coyotes, providing medical care for Coyotes players throughout the 2023-24 season.
“It’s an honor to be part of this partnership because we have very similar philosophies,” Riley said. “Dignity Health and the Coyotes embrace our community. We embrace our youth. We try to make a difference each day, so we are honored to be in this partnership.”
Riley said diagnosing and treating major health issues only solves 50 percent of the problem, and Dignity Health is committed to assisting individuals and families far beyond the process that takes place within their centers’ walls.
That, coupled with the team’s desire to elevate health and wellness, aids in addressing health issues on a more holistic level.
“What we’re learning through research and data is that the social determinants of health are what impacts a person’s ability to heal,” Riley said. “We also need to make sure people have a place to sleep, they need food, they need transportation, and they may need childcare. We are looking to make sure we are addressing whole-person care.”
Coyotes defenseman J.J. Moser, who speaks German, French, English, and Spanish, celebrated with local leaders within the Hispanic Community at Friday’s reception.
