Native American COVID19 Community Relief Fund
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We at Aniwa and The Boa Foundation are raising funds to provide basic needs for our Indigenous relatives in 6 reservations across the United States during this shutdown.
The quarantine has been difficult across the world. It is proving particularly hard for remote communities without access to basic resources, even less job security and a history of neglect from our government.
In many reservations there is only one store, there may not be a hospital, and they have a large population of people with compromised immune systems after decades of contaminated water supplies, lack of access to healthy food, and an aging population.
We are in weekly conversations with our elders in the Oglala Lakota, Hopi, Lenape-Ramapough, Apache, Dine ( Navajo) and Tohono O'odham communities and are keeping current where resources are most needed.
Communities are mobilizing, distributing food and care packages, and we are supporting their initiatives.
Our goal is to raise $33,333. A lot of people depend on this, there are thousands of people that will benefit from this effort and we will post our progress on our Instagram @theboafoundation.
Please keep our First Nations in your hearts at this time, and give generously.
Here are some messages from our elders:
“Our community is uniting in prayer and O’odham songs - and has mobilized to cook food and hand them out for those most in need; butchered 5 cows as of today and handed the meat out; and is providing care packages containing food and basic paper goods to the community. We average serving 200 families per event. So far there have been 5 events, each different, food, meat and care packages. We can use any donations you are able to provide.”
-Austin Nunez, Tohono o’odham
San Xavier Indian Reservation, 1500 residents
“There are many who are immune-compromised in our community of Ringwood, NJ and Hillburn, NY (re: Ford Motor Company polluting our waters back in the ‘70’s w/ their largest Ford Plant in the USA..re: HBO special “Mann vs Ford”) Many of my people still live on this Site. They are in need of the basics ..toiletries, food, water..masks; sanitizer ....The largest community of individuals with compromised health are in Ringwood , NJ the part of the tribe which suffered horribly at the hand of the Ford Motor Company. Oh how I would love to be able to provide some great help for our people."
- Clara Soaring Hawk, Ramapough Lenape
The Lenape Community is spread in clans and bands in Southern NY and Northern NJ
“The worst is to come in a few weeks, it barely made shore on our lands. There are strict laws in place. No commuting, all travel at night is halted and fined $1000. Stores will run short in supplies. The hospital here is not equipped for this. Medicine from the mountains only heals those that practice and believe in it. Our traditional men are at sweat lodges praying for this sickness to pass. We have to continue to be in prayer throughout the globe. Our songs and prayers have great healing many will not understand. There is 1 hospital with 25 beds in a community of 18,000 people. Our hospital will need support. There also is the appreciation of the basics of life that has been greatly under-appreciated. I work in catering, and our food providers have halted all sales until further notice.”
-Twila Casadore, Apache
“Unci Rita, a near 100-year-old elder of the Lakota lives 40 miles from the nearest grocery store and depends upon propane for cooking and heating, which she cannot get.”
-Mona Polacca, Hopi/Havasupai, Tewa elder, Indigenous Council
Navajo Reservation, Largest Reservation in the United States (Arizona, Utah, New Mexico).
Thank you! Stay safe and well!
-Rudy Randa & Vivien Vilela & The Boa and Aniwa Team
Aniwa
https://www.aniwa.co/
About BOA Foundation
https://www.theboafoundation.org/
The Boa Foundation is a nonprofit organization that works in alliance with indigenous communities to preserve and protect sacred land, culture and ancient wisdom
We focus on indigenous-led projects including strategic land buybacks, restoration of native ecosystems, reforestation, cultural exchange and sustainable living solutions.
