The capital of the Navajo Nation is located in Window Rock, Arizona, named for its famed natural feature. Photo: Ben FrantzDale

The Navajo Nation 

Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2022

Office of the Controller completes printing and mailing of CARES Act Hardship Assistance checks for Navajo elders

WINDOW ROCK, Arizona – On Monday, the Navajo Nation Office of the Controller (OOC) completed the processing and mailing of nearly 48,000 CARES Act Hardship Assistance checks for elderly members of the Navajo Nation – four days prior to the targeted goal of Feb. 4. OOC staff members worked through the weekend to expedite the processing of the checks. Many elders have already received the $342 check in the mail while other recipients can expect to receive theirs in the coming days.

“On behalf of the Navajo people, we extend our appreciation to all of the hard-working staff members within the Office of the Controller. They sacrificed time away from their families to dedicate long hours to helping our Navajo elders. With CARES Act Hardship checks in the mail, we encourage our people to take time to talk with your parents and grandparents and encourage them not to overcrowd post offices, banks, and border towns. Please caution them about the Omicron variant and encourage them to wear two masks in public, practice social distancing, and to wash their hands often,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.

The Office of the Controller will continue contacting elderly recipients that have issues related to incomplete or incorrect mailing addresses and other matters that may cause delays in delivery. 

“We are hopeful that our elders will use the funds for food, water, fire wood, PPEs, utility expenses, and other essential items to help overcome this COVID-19 pandemic. We have Navajo businesses and entrepreneurs who can provide many of these items and services. Please support them by promoting the ‘Buy Navajo, Buy Local’ initiative,” said Vice President Myron Lizer. 

The next step for the Office of the Controller will be to prioritize the 48,000 Navajo elders for the distribution of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Hardship Assistance in the amount of $2,000 per recipient. Without any unexpected setbacks, the Office of the Controller plans to issue and mail the ARPA Hardship Assistance checks for nearly 48,000 elders by the end of next week. Due to federal guidelines and financial reporting requirements, the office was unable to combine the CARES Act and ARPA Hardship Assistance into one check for elders.

OOC continues to process over 16,000 changes of address requests that were received in the month of January. The Office of the President and Vice President is also temporarily re-assigning staff members from the Executive Branch to assist with data entry. Once the changes of addresses are completed, the office will focus on processing the $2,000 checks for the remaining adults, and $600 checks for minors. 

For more information regarding ARPA Hardship Assistance, a Frequently Asked Questions document is available at: https://www.opvp.navajo-nsn.gov/News-Media/Latest-News. Additional information and forms are also available online at https://www.nnooc.org and on the ARPA website at www.navajonationarpa.org.

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