Supplies being taken to Navajo and Hopi families. Photo: Vanessa Tulley
Ethel Branch, a former Attorney General of the Navajo Nation, has organized a fundraiser to help Navajo and Hopi families during the COVID-19 crisis.
On GoFundMe, Branch writes:
The Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation are extreme food deserts with only 9 grocery stores on Navajo to serve some 180,000 people and only 1 grocery store on Hopi to serve some 3,000 people. These communities also have high numbers of elderly, diabetic, and cancer-afflicted (i.e., high risk) individuals. These communities could be devastated by coronavirus and COVID-19. We want to help these individuals, especially the elderly and families with children, to gain access to the food and water (1/3 of Navajo residents do not have running water) they will need to weather this pandemic. The need is so great. Navajo regularly has roughly 50% unemployment (most of the residents are elderly or children; those who can work often leave the Nation to find jobs), and Hopi seems very similar though I don’t yet know their stats. Families from both tribes were just hit hard financially by the closing of Navajo Generating Station. Hundreds of jobs were lost, and the tribes themselves have lost revenue that could be used to assist tribal members. Please give if you can. Our goal will be to help the elderly (especially those raising their grandchildren), single parents, and struggling families by helping them buy groceries, water, and health supplies, and by protecting them (and their vulnerable communities) from exposure by engaging volunteers to make the purchases and deliver them to a safe transfer location for the families.
Vanessa Tulley writes in a March 18, 2020, update:
Our first full trailer headed up north earlier this afternoon!
We were able to send a TON of lamb shanks, chicken, eggs, over the counter remedies, basic care items, TOLIET PAPER, produce, pantry items and a few cases of water.
I will continue to make connections and use resources to purchase in bulk and get these items delivered as soon as possible. I understand there is a huge need and my team and I are working as quickly as possible along with the help of some dedicated volunteers.
Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/navajo-amp-hopi-families-covid19-relief