Native Americans are 6 times more likely than other groups to live in areas most prone to wildfires. In case of a disaster, having emergency supplies on hand can make a huge impact. Our program partners help their Elders stay ready for the unexpected by distributing Summer Emergency Boxes provided by the Sioux Nation Relief Fund (SNRF), a program of Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA). These boxes are filled with items like paper towels, canned vegetables and laundry detergent.

Our Program Partner Diana distributed 125 summer boxes at the Eagle Butte Elderly Nutrition Center (ENC) in South Dakota. One beneficiary was 76-year-old Aluina of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

Aluina used to eat lunch at the ENC regularly before COVID-19, and the facility recently re-opened to the public. “I did everything I could not to get the virus and I didn’t get it.” Aluina is grateful for the chance to socialize again since she lives alone. “I love company.”

A retired teacher, Aluina lives on a limited income from social security. She lives in one of the poorest counties in the U.S. and says it’s a challenge. She knows that the community needs all the help it can get. “We don’t have that much money to begin with.” This was her first time receiving a summer box, and she plans to use everything, especially the laundry supplies.

To save money shopping, Aluina travels 25 miles out of town where she can find more affordable prices. She usually cooks simple meals for herself, so canned food from the summer box is a big help. “I like to eat healthy, and there’s a lot of things that I can eat here.”

As our Program Partner, Diana says the summer boxes are “nice to be able to get,” adding that many Elders were shocked at the number of things inside. “Our Elders are on a fixed income. The prices in town are outrageous, and a lot of them can’t get out of town to shop, so the boxes really do help.”

You can help Native Elders like Aluina be ready when disaster strikes by donating to SNRF today.

Those living on the reservations face challenges unknown to most Americans, including food insecurity, water shortages, and limited access to healthcare and utilities (electricity, internet). Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA) works to aid these Native communities through programs like the Navajo Relief Fund (NRF) and its Summer Emergency Box service.  

These emergency boxes are delivered to Elders on selected reservations to help them weather the extreme temperatures, power outages and severe storms of summer. 72-year-old Ambrose Smith and 58-year-old Irene Benally of Kayenta, Arizona, received summer boxes, including items such as water, sunscreen, bug spray, nonperishable food and personal protective equipment.

Originally from Kayenta, Ambrose attended an Indian boarding school in Oklahoma and spent his summers back home on the Navajo Reservation. Later, he experienced the city life in Dallas, Texas, but ultimately returned to Kayenta where he and Irene now rent their home. Irene was raised by her grandmother on a farm in nearby Black Mesa where they herded and butchered sheep for a living. She moved to Kayenta 17 years ago after her grandma and parents passed away from cancer.  

Now retired for seven years, Ambrose worked as a security officer for most of his career. He often has difficulty moving around. With a combined social security income of roughly $1,700, Ambrose mentioned their financial concerns. “With our rent, the vehicles and utilities,” he said, “it’s a lot to cover on just social security.” 

Ambrose and Irene have one daughter living in Phoenix and two sons living locally. When not taking walks or watching action movies in his free time, Ambrose is happy to see their grandchildren a few times a month and impress upon them the importance the education. 

To shop for supplies like groceries, laundry detergent or dish soap, Ambrose notes they travel to the nearest Walmart in Farmington, New Mexico – approximately a two-hour drive one way. Ambrose says, “prices at Walmart are good,” but the price of gas alone for shopping is an added expense.  

Grateful for the Summer Emergency Box, Ambrose and Irene said the supplies save them a lot of money out of pocket. Ambrose also sees how the entire community benefits from the Summer Boxes. Extending a sincere “thank you” to donors, he added, “we really appreciate all the help.”

Your donation to NRF can continue providing essential services like the Summer Emergency Boxes for Native families like Ambrose and Irene. 

Chronic health conditions put Native Americans at higher risk for disease, infection, hospitalization, and death. When policies cannot fully meet the needs of Native Americans, community-based programs fill in the gaps to improve the health outcomes in Tribal communities. Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA) collaborates with programs like Gila River Health Care’s Public Health Nursing team to aid underserved Native American Elders. Through PWNA’s Navajo Relief Fund (NRF), our Program Partner, Vanessa, requested our Summer Emergency Box service to provide crucial supplies for 25 Elders in District 3 of the Gila River Indian Reservation.

As a public health nurse, Vanessa has served the district for over two years. Describing the health challenges prevalent in the community, Vanessa told us, “A lot of the patients have diabetes. Almost all of my patients are on dialysis.” To improve access to quality health care for the Native American population, which experiences diabetes at three times the rate of non-Hispanic white individuals, Vanessa and her team regularly conduct home visits to check their vitals, send referrals for specialty services, deliver health education, and monitor blood sugar levels.

One patient served by NRF’s Summer Emergency Box service was 73-year-old Diane in Sacaton, Arizona. Originally from the nearby Goodyear Village, Diane relocated to Sacaton with her husband. Despite being only 15 miles away, she described the move as “really hard” due to the drastically different culture. Since her husband passed, Diane has lived alone and relied on her daughter and caregiver for support, choosing to remain active to maintain her health. Thanks to intervention from her public health nurse, Diane feels like her health is in a better place now than it was before. “They check my levels and make sure I’m okay and get my medication for me. It’s been a great help because I know I’m okay,” she said.

Living on a single monthly income, Diane stretches her budget as much as possible. She told us, “I used to have a grocery budget, but now it’s almost three times what I used to spend! The prices of groceries have gone so high, so I try to make what I have last a long time.”

It is difficult for Diane to get to the grocery store during the summer months or prepare for emergencies. The summer monsoons can lead to particularly dangerous conditions on the reservation. Diane recalled losing power one summer, telling us, “The monsoon tore a bunch of electric poles down. It was bad. The power was out for a week.”

With her Summer Emergency Box loaded with supplies, Diane is relieved and feels more prepared for the upcoming monsoons. To the donors who support NRF, Diane shared, “I’m so grateful for what they do. Without these supplies, I would be struggling. I would be broke at the end of the month because I only get one check each month.”

Donate to NRF today to deliver relief to Elders like Diane during the summer.