News reports have detailed devastating impacts among Diné people living on the Navajo Nation reservation as a result of COVID19. More than 6,000 cases have been confirmed in a total population of 175,000 (3.43%) compared to 0.056% infection rate among the US population overall. On the day I spoke with the Rt. Rev. David Bailey, Episcopal Bishop of Navajoland, one of his priests was holding a double funeral for two family member living in the same house; two other family members of that household died previously, all from COVID19.
The response to the crisis in the Navajo Nation has been heroic. And yet the Navajo Nation needs our assistance. Most of the Navajo Nation land mass lays within the boundaries of the Southwest Conference. 40% of the people living there have no running water. Two thirds of the Diné people have no electricity. There are only 13 grocery stores on the reservation, a region roughly the size of West Virginia. People must drive up to 100 miles round trip to purchase basic needs if those products are even available. While the temptation is to collect goods and ship them to agencies and ministries, the best way to provide immediate relief is to send monetary donations to vetted agencies and ministries assisting Navajo families. The long term need for not only the Diné people but for all indigenous people is to end the centuries of oppression that systemic racism and colonialism has metered out against them.
Below you will find the contact information for Navajo agencies and our ecumenical partners’ ministries offering assistance to members of the Navajo Nation. A separate pdf is available detailing procedures for assisting with burial expenses for Navajo victims of COVID19.
Navajo Nation Division of Social Service
PO Box 4590, Window Rock, AZ 86515
(p) 928-871-6851 (f) 928-871-7372
The Navajo Nation Division of Social Services is offering burial assistance—click here.
The Grand Canyon Presbytery and Presbytery de Cristo
4141 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018
602-468-3820 pbyoffice@gmail.com
The contact person for Navajo Relief is Presbytery Pastor Brad Monroe
Navajo COVID-19 Command Center, Navajo Dept. of Justice
Post Office Box 2010, Old BIA Club Building
Window Rock, Arizona 86515
(928) 871-6343 Fax: (928)871-6177
coronavirus info coronavirus.info@nndoh.org
Website: https://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19
Contact: Attorney Mel Rodis mrodis@nndoj.org
The Navajo Dept. of Justice Command Center is accepting only undesignated donations. The Tribal Council will allocate funds according to community needs across the Navajo Nation.
The Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church is working through this office to provide water to the reservation anywhere it’s needed. For more information about donating to this project, contact Billie Fidlin, Director of Outreach 602.266.6956 ext. 221.
Four Corners Native American Ministries, Shiprock, NM
Rev. Tweedy Navarrete, Director
Contributions may be sent to:
New Mexico Conference UMC
11816 Lomas Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112
ATTN: Griselda Sandoval, Treasurer
The Episcopal Church In Navajoland
PO Box 720 Farmington, NM 87499
Phone: (505) 327-7549
E-mail:info@ecofnavajoland.org
Rev. Canon Cornelia Eaton is the contact person.
The story from Bishop Bailey is not unique. Conference Minister Edith Guffey (Kansas/Oklahoma) related the story of a Diné college student from Rainbow City, UT, attending Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, KS, who lost five family member to the virus. Rev. Tina Campbell, Chaplain at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, has shared her experience of entire Navajo families being diagnosed with COVID19. Oppression and racism have collided with COVID19 in horrific ways among the Diné people. We have the ability to bring and end to at least some of that suffering. Thank you for your generosity!
First Church Phoenix UCC is partnering with Refugee Aid which makes regular trips to the Navajo Nation with supplies. To help out with this cause, First Church Phoenix will host a Drive-by Donation event on Sunday, June 14 between 9 and 11 a.m. Simply drive through their north parking lot where masked volunteers will accept items from your vehicle. You may remain safely in your car while this happens. Currently they are in need of the following items:
Masks
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Clorox/Handi wipes and spray cleaners
Dish detergent
Laundry detergent