Emergency Preparedness: We Are Doing This to Make Our Tribe Stronger
For 500 years, Native American tribes have been dealing with unmitigated disasters, in part caused by the federal government and/or colonialism. Disasters like those recently in Turkey have an impact, but climate change is reshaping reservation communities and displacing whole tribes. So, PWNA has focused on emergency preparedness for many years, with the support of organizations like Good360, Boeing, Levi Strauss, Freeport McMoRan and more.
What we have found while doing this work is nothing short of remarkable. There is no timeline for when an emergency will strike or even what it will look like. It could be a wildfire, a flood, or a car wreck, but a community with individuals that are prepared reaps better outcomes. These individuals also create a stronger bond with the youth, the Elders and the tribal leaders, creating a powerful connection to the betterment of their tribe or nation.
Recently, I attended one of our Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) sessions with the White Mountain Apache Tribe in northern Arizona. This two-day training was led by Code4, with tribal members from several nearby communities attending. The participation was electric, the stories abundant and the comradery energized. Even on day two, the participants returned with stories of sharing their learning with those at home, building excitement for the whole family. Through all the discussion, one theme was constant: ‘We are doing this to make our tribe stronger.’
On one of those days, we hosted a meeting with community officials for law enforcement, fire and dam safety too. All shared the same sentiment: ‘We must have an emergency plan for our community to be prepared’ ahead of disaster. When you see a community with a commitment to emergency preparedness at multiple levels (throughout leadership, across generations), you know they will be ready before the next disaster strikes.
Each group recalled impactful emergencies, whether a rodeo incident, a named wildfire or a flood. Being unprepared opened their eyes and sparked the intent to not be caught off guard again. Preparing for a disaster after it strikes is too little too late, but knowing what to do when disaster strikes means saving lives and minimizing the damage. This is what our CERT-trainees do.
Working with Tribal communities to develop their CERT team leaders is an honor and a privilege for PWNA, and we will keep advancing these programs with the support of corporate grants and sponsorships. Whether the disaster event is man-made, natural or accidental, proactive planning is the best way to limit the damage and mitigate the impact (physical, mental or material).
As CEO of PWNA, I am proud to work with so many different tribes to help coalesce their community resources, raise awareness and create a plan that can be implemented locally and shared with others. The mandate for emergency preparedness cannot be overstated, and being a good relative means that readiness and vigilance will be waiting in the wings.
Big Game Day Foods and the Worry of Food Security Collide
Last Sunday, more than 100 million fans and viewers stocked up on their favorite game day foods to watch the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs in “Super Bowl LVII.” The Big Game is the most watched television broadcast in the United States every year, and this year’s fare included geo-based foods like the Philly cheese steak and the Kansas City BBQ, along with traditional game day foods like wings, nachos, pizza, soda and beer. But not all U.S. families were able to participate.
Take the Native Americans living on remote reservations throughout the Southwest and Northern Plains. One in four Native families faces food insecurity, concerned about having enough healthy food to feed everyone in the household. Plus, a HUD report shows that reservation households are eight times more likely to be overcrowded than White households – meaning more mouths to feed.
There’s more to the equation too. The USDA considers many reservation communities to be rural food deserts, devoid of fresh fruits and vegetables and 10 miles or more from the nearest grocery store. For many tribal communities, the nearest grocery store is one hour or more one way. The Navajo Nation, for instance, spans 27,000 square miles but only has 13 grocery stores. Imagine how the cost of fuel today drives up the overall cost of groceries – and then consider who can afford to stock up on game day foods.
This year those Big Game Day foods are higher in cost for everyone. In fact, the National Retail Association predicted families would spend an average of $85 on Big Game Day foods this year, but for families facing low food security, there is often no game day spending at all.
If your team won this year, or even if they didn’t, consider sharing another kind of win by helping us improve food security for Native American Elders, children and families. Game day organizers are making efforts to get the Big Game leftovers to those in need – it is doubtful any of this will make its way to Native American reservations. But all year round, Partnership With Native Americans delivers emergency food, fresh produce, breakfast food, pantry foods and staple foods for nutritious hot meals, and you can make someone’s day by donating here.
NativeAware Beyond the Giving Season
While we have turned the corner of the giving season, that time of year when many Americans consider charitable commitments, support is still needed across Indian Country. On many reservations, Native Americans continue to face challenges like low food security, poverty and health inequities.
Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA) works to mitigate these issues by providing services through eight distinct programs, with an eye to cultural relevance, timeliness, community-based volunteerism and the self-determined needs and goals of its reservation partners. PWNA’s major programs include:
- American Indian Education Fund (AIEF), which supports the educational dreams of Native American youth
- Northern Plains Reservation Aid (NPRA), which aids tribal communities in the Northern Plains
- Southwest Reservation Aid (SWRA), which assists tribal communities in the desert Southwest
- Reservation Animal Rescue (RAR), which helps tribal groups that rescue, rehabilitate and rehome strays and injured animals
Other programs include Native American Aid (NAA), Sioux Nation Relief Fund (SNRF), Navajo Relief Fund (NRF), and Southwest Indian Relief Council (SWIRC). All PWNA programs reinforce self-sufficiency, pride and community.
Your generous donations allowed us to make 1,700 deliveries to more than 350 tribal program partners in 2022, providing vital support for Native American Elders, families and children.
With your help, we can continue addressing long-standing disparities around food and water, education, health care, emergency response, animal welfare and holiday support. We encourage you to make time all year to become more Native Aware and donate here to support the cause.
Celebrating Native Cultures: How to Become More NativeAware All Year
As the movement for diversity, inclusion and social equity continues, we must do more than what’s easy and work to live by these principles beyond flashy moments. Take Native American Heritage Month for instance – it brings lots of attention to Native culture and causes. However, that attention is not sustained. It’s important to become more NativeAware and harness opportunities to impact this underserved population throughout the year.
Pay attention to these moments throughout the year to earn more and make a difference related to Native culture and issues:
- Martin Luther King Day (January): Learn more about how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. advocated for Native American rights American rights and the importance of Native American inclusion in the fight for civil rights.
- President’s Day (February): Explore past Presidents who advocated for Native Americans.
- Memorial Day (May): Learn more about the high rate of Native military service and the impact of the Navajo Code Talkers.
- Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women (May): Get involved to support the MMIW movement and help those seeking missing relatives.
- Back to School (August): Download our boarding schools fact sheet to learn what really happened at these government-run institutions.
- Labor Day (September): Step up to ensure your employer is paying equitable wages to Native labor and closing the Native women’s pay gap.
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October): Participate in events that honor the Indigenous people in your state, rather than celebrating Columbus.
- Thanksgiving (November): The real history of the first Thanksgiving is not taught in U.S. schools. Learn more with our download.
- Native Heritage Month (November): Take time out on Heritage Day (the Friday after Thanksgiving) and throughout November to celebrate Heritage Month and participate in Native cultures.
- Giving Tuesday (November): Whether your favorite cause is food security, education, animal welfare of social justice, kick off the holiday season with a meaningful gift for our First Americans. You can donate here.
- Christmas (December): And remember the Elders and Children as Christmas draws near. Learn more about how you can make a holiday impact. Get your workforce involved too.
Aside from the familiar, stay abreast of cultural opportunities in your area such as powwows, museums, and art exhibits. Try Native American recipes and learn more about the Native American Food Movement. Read Native authors like Tommy Orange and David Truer or watch all-Native shows like “Reservation Dogs.” Tune in to what’s happening with key issues that can impact the tribes, such as pipelines crossing Native lands or the Supreme Court ruling on ICWA this year.
By becoming more #NativeAware, you can be part of the change that fuels social equity for the Native American community and tribes.
President and CEO Joshua Arce Shares 2023 Predictions
As we enter a new year, it’s important to both reflect on the past year as well as look ahead to help us make informed predictions for 2023. In the case of Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA), 2022 brought along opportunities to continue raising awareness around Native issues – some of which will play out throughout 2023.
Here are three predictions surrounding Native issues and the actions being taken to address inequities in Native communities:
Policies affecting Native Americans
At the local level, Texas Native Health – a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a successful 50-year history of providing culturally sensitive, community-based services to meet the diverse needs of over 76,000 American Indians/Alaska Natives living in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex – has the opportunity to support Texas Senate Bill 136 in 2023. The bill is to establish the Texas Indian Affairs Commission, which currently doesn’t exist. The commission would consist of tribes and thought leaders in the Native space, giving them a platform to advocate for Native rights at the state level. The bill has the potential to significantly impact Native communities in Texas in a positive way.
At the national level, an ongoing Supreme Court case could potentially have a large impact on Indian Country based on the decision that is set to come out in 2023. Haaland v. Brackeen, a pending Supreme Court of the United States case brought by the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Indiana, and individual plaintiffs, seeks to declare the Indian Child Welfare Act unconstitutional. If the Supreme Court determines that the act is race-based, it could have a larger impact on other issues in Indian Country that deal with gaming, fishing, hunting, and education rights – rights historically guaranteed through treaties.
Education building awareness
While there has been news about the discovery of mass graves of Indigenous children’s bodies stemming from ‘Indian’ boarding schools, there will continue to be news, reports and conversations surrounding U.S. ‘Indian’ boarding schools and the atrocities they created. As the government continues to unfold the traumatic events of the past through investigations in boarding school locations, I predict more reports on mass graves of children’s bodies will surface.
Very little attention has been given to the dismal failure of the boarding school system or the long-lasting impact it has had on Native communities, but as more people are educated on this brutal part of U.S. history through the materials and news that are continuing to surface, they are stepping up to make others #NativeAware. Additionally, if you have watched the Paramount + series “1923” by Taylor Sheridan, you cannot help but cringe at the treatment of Native children at the hands of boarding school leaders of that era. This is not fiction, and there were over 300 boarding schools in the United States affecting every Native American alive today.
Opportunity for more corporate engagement
Only 1 percent of total giving to nonprofits goes to Native nonprofits. While there is clearly a large percentage of giving that is not going toward supporting Native causes, it means Native organizations have a large opportunity when asking for support. It starts with building awareness, which is what PWNA is doing by connecting with CSR and ERG groups of large corporations for widespread discussions about the inequities being faced by Native Americans.
As awareness campaigns continue in 2023, corporations are becoming #NativeAware, which will hopefully lead to increasing that 1 percent.
2022 Year in Review: Most Popular Blogs and Social Posts
As we embark upon the new year, we want to take a moment to reflect on the past year at Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA). 2022 brought many opportunities to continue raising awareness and righting the wrongs affecting Native Americans and people of color. Thankfully, through the continued support of generous donors, PWNA was able to continue delivering services that address long-standing disparities around food and water, education, health care, emergency response, animal welfare and holiday support.
It takes heart and partnership from our tribal partners, collaborators, donors, Board and staff to carry out our mission of serving immediate needs and supporting long-term solutions – not to mention champion hope and a brighter future for Native Americans living in remote tribal communities. We thank each one of you for making this possible.
We would like to share this list of your favorite blogs and social posts from 2022, which rally around racial and social justice, culture, history and hope:
- Native Americans in Film and Music
- It’s National Hot Breakfast Month: What Are You Eating
- The Inflation Reduction Act: Indigenous Communities Need More
- This Weeks #NoteworthyNative is Mangas Coloradas
- Answering the Call When Disaster Strikes on the Reservation
- The Supreme Court Must Protect ICWA to Avoid Added Risk for Native Children
- 2020 Census Native Americans Undercounted: A Need for Real Numbers
- Barboncito Was the #Navajo Head Chief during the Treaty of 1868
- Native American Heritage Month: A Time to Celebrate & Become Native Aware
- Olo for Good donates $150000 for PWNA to Distribute Ancestral Foods
- Reservation Animal Rescue Made Possible by You
- #CrazyHorse Was Known for His Bravery and Prowess in Battle
Happy New Year! Stay tuned all year for the latest updates about our programs and Native thought leadership!
Year-End Giving: Make an Impact Ahead of 2023
For many families, this time of year is filled with presents, movies and hot cocoa by a fire – but on remote reservations, many Native Americans continue to face challenges like hunger, poverty and health inequities. During this time of year where many of you are considering charitable commitments, we hope Indian Country can count on your support.
The challenges facing Tribal communities today are very real. For instance, food is an ongoing and urgent need. A concerning 23% of American Indian families experience food insecurity, and 29% live below the poverty line. Far too many Native Elders struggle daily to get the fresh, nourishing foods they need to stay healthy. The housing crisis on the reservations is equally concerning. A report prepared by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development notes that 40% of reservation homes are inadequate, and an estimated 42,000 to 85,000 Native Americans living in tribal areas are homeless.
Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA) works to mitigate these issues – from distributing food and drinking water to providing winter emergency preparedness boxes and warmth to Elders. While many of us are in the midst of our happy holidays, many Native families aren’t so materially fortunate – so we ask that before looking ahead to 2023, you consider donating to a deserving Native cause.
So far this year, here’s what donations have helped us achieve:
- We delivered 701,325 lbs. of supplies.
- Over 18,000 Individuals received food.
- 218 Elders received groceries through our Breakfast-in-a-Bag service.
- Over 10,000 people in 20 communities received 62,000 lbs. of fresh produce.
- Nearly 13,000 youth in grades K-12 received school supplies, and 170 received college scholarships.
- Nearly 6,200 people in shelters received supplies.
- 4,660 people in Southwest tribal areas received disaster relief.
- Over 3,700 people received emergency food boxes.
- 23,218 lbs. of supplies helped animals, and nearly 1,300 animals were spayed/neutered.
Despite these accomplishments, there is still much to do. Partnership With Native Americans is honored to have a group of generous benefactors that have committed to match every gift, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000 to support the Native Americans we serve. This means your year-end donation will double in value to help communities in need.
So, a friendly reminder, the 2022 calendar year ends at midnight on Saturday, December 31 – the deadline by which your year-end giving must be received to qualify as a 2022 tax-year gift. Before turning a page to the new year, we ask you to please give what you can – donate here.
For Native Americans, being transformational in 2023 starts with you! We thank you for your consideration and support this holiday season.
Where’s the CSR and DEI for Native Americans?
There’s a movement afoot for racial and social equity at the corporate level – or at least it looks that way on the surface. A closer look shows that many big brands are promoting aid for the underserved and checking it off their list. Yet, it seems they are not walking the talk or supporting communities of color in a way that will lead to transformative change. This is certainly true for Native American communities.
When I look at the millions to billions of dollars in revenue being generated by Fortune 500 companies, it is clear many of them are assisting at a minimal level if at all – especially when you weigh the outsized need against their executive bonuses and their capacity to give. What’s more, I feel that many big brands often require that their charitable giving must grow their own initiatives – forcing a square peg into a round hole – rather than simply giving for the sake of helping others.
This leaves me to wonder: where’s the real corporate social responsibility (CSR) and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)? Why are those most in need still being left behind when big brands could make such a huge difference?
The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in a heightened awareness of the challenges faced by people of color. Perhaps for the first time, many Americans came to understand the cost of social inequity and what it looks like. Across Native American communities, social inequity looks like an inadequate healthcare system and high disease rates, overcrowded housing, food and water shortages, lack of internet and other education barriers.
But America has tired of the pandemic, while Native Americans still face these disparities – all created by decades of racial prejudice, institutional and systemic oppression and historical mistreatment of the tribes. And all these factors predispose Native Americans to multiple risk factors now integral to reservation life.
This is the legacy America has seen fit to bestow on Native American, Black and Latinx people and their communities. It’s also the legacy that big brands and foundations can help change. Unfortunately, less than 1/10 of the 4000 companies traded through the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ staff Native representatives. Yet, there are so many ways these very brands could make an impact:
- Make a multi-year commitment to ensure sustainability of Native grant projects – one and done isn’t enough
- Fund scholarships for minority students who dream of college
- Fund leadership development for emerging community change-makers
- Fund culturally relevant nutrition training and keep food banks stocked
- Help solve big housing and water problems
- Help get internet to every reservation community
- Give for the sake of giving and not to further your own business
- Seek out Native Americans to improve diversity on your Boards and Foundations
The first step is to genuinely care about the plight of Native Americans in this country. Corporations have a long way to go with using their power to truly benefit those who need help the most. As a consumer, I encourage you to ask your favorite brands to do more as outlined above. Start taking CSR and DEI seriously and make our world a better place. If you’re a CEO or senior executive at your company, I encourage you to contact me directly to explore the possibilities in Indian Country!
This Giving Tuesday, Give Smiles for Native Americans
Every year brings Thanksgiving, then Black Friday and then #GivingTuesday – the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Started in 2012, Giving Tuesday is a global day of “doing good” for individuals and organizations. At the very heart of this day is the generosity to unlock social equity and hope around the world, especially in the so often-forgotten Indigenous communities. On this Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29th, PWNA’s focus is on dental care for Native American children and Elders.
So many children under the age of 5 need dental care, and yet few resources exist in Indian Country to support them. In a 2018 survey by the National Indian Health Board, 79% of Tribal leaders, Health and Dental directors said there was a shortage of oral health providers in their community, and 61% said the average wait time for a dental appointment was one to three months.
Native children suffer the most. Did you know tooth decay is the most common health problem among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children? Or that AIAN children in preschool to kindergarten are four times more likely to have untreated tooth decay than Whites?
Who will remember these children?
An oral hygiene study is long overdue for Tribal communities, but we know Elders and adults struggle with oral hygiene too. The last report shows 43% of adults with untreated tooth decay and gum disease that can lead to loss of permanent teeth. The rate is even higher for Pine Ridge.
PWNA’s goal this Giving Tuesday is to provide dental hygiene kits with toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwash for 8,000 Native Americans at $15 per kit, for children and Elders alike.
Will you #GiveSmiles with #PWNA4hope this #GivingTuesday and spread the word? If you do, for every gift made up to $10,000, PWNA’s president and CEO Josh Arce will make a matching gift. Learn more on our landing page.
Don’t miss your chance to donate in the biggest giving day of the year – save the date for #GivingTuesday on Nov. 29th!
Thanksgiving: A Time for Remembering Native Americans
For many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is a bittersweet reminder of the real Thanksgiving story that is often absent from U.S. history books. While Native people love to gather and enjoy their families like the rest of us, they also remember our ancestors and the many elements of their culture that have been lost, appropriated or all but erased from history. Thus, for many, Thanksgiving is a day of mourning for what could have been.
At the same time, this Thanksgiving brings a stark reminder of how the current inflation is severely impacting 69% of Native families. The cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner was already out of reach for many. This year, brings a record-high cost for a traditional Thanksgiving turkey, while turkey breast has jumped 60%, also to record levels, and egg prices have nearly tripled.
For Native American Elders, especially those raising their grandkids, the worry of not having enough food can be even more noticeable during the holidays. Last year, PWNA provided nutritious Thanksgiving meals to over 11,000 people across 13 tribal communities in the Northern Plains and Southwest. With your support, we can provide the joy of a hot, stress-free meal to thousands of Native Americans again this year as they give thanks for their blessings.
The Thanksgiving meal originated around 400 years ago between the pilgrims and Native Americans in present-day Massachusetts. But the story ignores the fact that it was quickly followed by exploitation, policies of genocide and intergenerational trauma that still impacts tribal communities today. As we sit down with our families this year, we must not avoid these uncomfortable truths. It is only by remembering our past and supporting each other that we can share a brighter future that leaves no one behind.
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