PWNA turns 30! Celebrating our Milestone Anniversary this American Indian Heritage Month

November is American Indian Heritage Month and we’re honoring this month-long observance alongside the celebration of our 30th anniversary as a nonprofit championing hope for Native Americans.

In 1989, PWNA’s founder read an article about the poverty and isolation on the Rosebud Reservation, and our organization was founded shortly after that. Since then, we’ve been an advocate of and ally to Native American communities that are often overlooked and underserved.

We recognize how far we’ve come these past 30 years and are proud of the lives we’ve impacted, including:

• Preventative health care for 3.7 million people
• Relief from food insecurity for 2 million Native Elders, families and children
• Holiday support for 1.2 million people
• Disaster preparedness and emergency response aid for 875,000 people
• Supplies and financial assistance for 835,000 students
• Rescue and rehabilitation for 370,000 animals on reservations

After 30 years, we’re still assisting tribal communities that are facing challenges most Americans will never have to face such as food insecurity, water shortages, limited access to health care and lack of basic utilities such as electricity and running water. Our programs are designed to not only support immediate relief but also to offer long-term solutions toward self-sustaining, community-based initiatives.

Currently, we’re focused on delivering critical resources to communities so that they can continue battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Native Americans are 5.3 times more likely to contract COVID-19, so delivering supplies such as food, clean water and PPE means delivering a fighting chance at stopping the spread of the virus.

Together with our partners, we’ve been able to improve quality of life for Native Americans for three decades now. None of our work would be possible without the generosity of individual donors, funders and in-kind supporters who believe in PWNA’s mission.

All this month, we’ll be celebrating American Indian Heritage Month and this milestone achievement with new content and giveaways. Be sure to check out 30 actions you can take these next 30 days to increase awareness of realities for Native Americans, and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram .