FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 16, 2020

All Pueblo Council of Governors in Collaboration with the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Announce the Pueblo Relief Fund

(Albuquerque, N.M.) — In an effort to meet the most critical needs of the 20 Pueblo Nations during the COVID-19 crisis, the All Pueblo Council of Governors (APCG) and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC), have established a Pueblo Relief Fund. The initial investment into this fund was made possible by a generous donation of $30,000 by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico.

The donations to the Pueblo Relief Fund will be used to immediately address supply and service needs of the Pueblos in order to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus and lower the infection rate among tribal members. These needs include essential disinfecting supplies, personal protective equipment, and food distribution. APCG and IPCC will use the funds to immediately begin purchasing these essential items and delivering them to the Pueblos for distribution to tribal members.

While many of the Pueblos require the same necessities, individual Pueblos may have unique needs that can also be met through this funding. Pueblo administration offices may request specific emergency supplies by completing an intake form with a list of all their needs. Individuals and organizations wishing to donate to the Pueblo Relief Fund may do so online by visiting PuebloReliefFund.org. This donation will be 100% tax deductible.

“As the Pueblos are being impacted by COVID-19, we, as tribal leaders continue working around the clock advocating for our communities’ needs and resources as it is our responsibility to protect the health and safety of our people. Our tribal communities are very tight knit and we have multigenerational housing within our pueblos, so the immense scale of this pandemic has created intricate challenges in the delivery and expansion of preparedness resources to our tribal members. Now is a time where we have come together to support one another in this crisis and appreciate any support that can be afforded to our communities as we collectively address this emergency.” – Chairman J. Michael Chavarria, All Pueblo Council of Governors

More information can be found at PuebloReliefFund.org

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The All Pueblo Council of Governors represents the leadership of the 20 Pueblos New Mexico and our sister Pueblo Ysleta del Sur in El Paso, Texas. The mission of APCG is to advocate, foster, protect and encourage the social, cultural, and traditional well-being of Pueblo Nations. Through its inherent and sovereign right, APCG promotes the language, health, economic and educational advancement of all Pueblo people.

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is owned and operated by the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. The IPCC serves as a hub for the 19 Pueblos and is an organization that supports the cultural, social, educational, and economic needs of Pueblo communities. The IPCC is a 501(c)(3) organization and will serve as the fiscal agent for The Pueblo Relief Fund.