Indian Country Grassroots Support

SUPPORT, EDUCATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES TOWARDS HEALTH AND SELF-FULFILLMENT, IN ORDER TO REACH FULLY INFORMED ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND HEALTH SECURITY SOLUTIONS

NAVAJO FAMILY VOICES (NFV) HTTPS://NAVAJOFAMILIES.ORG/ -- ICGS IS THE ORGANIZATIONAL HOME FOR NAVAJO FAMILY VOICES, THE FIRST TRIBAL AFFILIATE OF THE GRASSROOTS FAMILY VOICES NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND THE FIRST TRIBAL FAMILY TO FAMILY HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER ON THE NAVAJO NATION, SERVING THE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AS WELL AS SERVICE PROVIDER PROFESSIONALS. THE PROGRAM IS PRIMARILY SUPPORTED BY THE HEALTH RESOURCES & SERVICE ADMINISTRATION OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND PARTNERED WITH CHILDRENS MEDICAL SERVICES. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT HRSA.GOV. RESERVATION COVID SHUTDOWN LIFTED MID-2021, HOWEVER PANDEMIC EFFECTS AND VACCINE CHOICE ON COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES ON THE NAVAJO NATION CONTINUED TO BE A PRIMARY FOCUS OF ALL 2021 ICGS ACTIVITIES. SUPPORT FOR KINSHIP FAMILY SUPPORT SYSTEMS ESPECIALLY IN ISOLATION CONTINUED, AS WELL AS PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR RELIEF EFFORTS WITH OUR STAFF HANDLING HOTLINES AND PHONE WELLNESS INDIVIDUAL CHECK-INS. KINSHIP PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT BY FAMILIES THEMSELVES CONTINUED, WITH FAMILIES CREATING LITERATURE AND VIDEOS ON KINSHIP AND VACCINE USE. WE CONTINUED CULTURAL DIVERSITY TRAININGS FOCUSED ON COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN FAMILIES AND PROVIDERS, WITH PRESENTATIONS AND TRAININGS IN CULTURAL SENSITIVITY, INCLUDING HOW DIN ISSUES IN MEDICINE ARE TO BE APPROACHED, HOW COMMUNICATION IS TO BE MADE, AND HOW FAMILIES THEMSELVES CAN EMPOWER INTERNALLY AND NOT FUNCTION IN ISOLATED AND DISEMPOWERED SILOS IN RELATION TO HEALTH INFORMATION AND HEALTHCARE WITHIN THEIR RURAL FAMILIES.

NORTHERN DIN COVID-19 RELIEF EFFORT (NDCVRE) HTTPS://NDCVRE.ORG/ -- THE NORTHERN DIN COVID-19 RELIEF EFFORT (NDCVRE), FORMED IN 2020, CONTINUED OPERATIONS IN GETTING ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES TO DEPRESSED TRIBAL COMMUNITIES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AS A MUTUAL AID COALITION NETWORK LACKING A FORMAL ENTITY, ICGS STAFF AND PROGRAMS SERVED AS FISCAL SPONSOR. NDCVRE COORDINATED FOOD, WOOD, PPE AND TOY DRIVES AND HOME DELIVERIES IN HUB-AND-SPOKE VOLUNTEER NETWORKS SERVING CHURCHES AND RURAL AREAS, SERVING 20 NORTHERN NAVAJO NATION AGENCY RESERVATION COMMUNITIES, PROVIDING AN AVERAGE 900 FOOD BOXES FOR 18 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS THROUGH MID- MAY; LOCAL PRODUCE PICKUP AND DELIVERIES IN OCTOBER; AND LIMITED RELIEF EFFORT IN INTERVENING MONTHS DUE TO REOPENING OF LOCAL TRIBAL GOVERNMENT.

TOOHNII BINANEEST'A' ATTAAS'EI ALLIANCE, INC. (TOOHBAA) THE SHIPROCK TRIBAL FARMERS FORMALLY BECAME TOOHNII BINANEEST'A' ATTAAS'EI ALLIANCE DBA SHIPROCK TRADITIONAL FARMER COOPERATIVE, WITH ICGS PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR DRAFTING BYLAWS THAT COMPLIED WITH NAVAJO NATION LAW AND ASSERTED TRIBAL CUSTOM. TOOHBAA FOCUSES ON ENSURING HERITAGE FARMING CONTINUES IN THE SHIPROCK REGION AND THAT HERITAGE PRODUCE CAN BE DELIVERED TO BOTH NAVAJO NATION AND PUEBLO COMMUNITIES FOR EMERGENCY DISTRIBUTION. COVID PRODUCE PRIMARILY DELIVERED TO ALAMO AND CHUSKA MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES.

DIN NIHI KEYAH PROJECT (DNKP) HTTPS://DINELANDUSE.ORG/ OUR SMALL TRUST LAND USER PROJECT, DEVELOPED THROUGH ZOOM MEETINGS AND WEBINARS ACROSS SEVERAL YEARS, DEVELOPED A WEBSITE IN 2021 GATHERING INFORMATION FROM TEACHING ELDERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND LAWYERS ON SPECIFIC LAND MANAGEMENT POLICIES, LAWS, CUSTOMS AND ISSUES ON THE RESERVATION FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. THE DIN NIHI KEYAH (OUR LAND) PROJECT HAS BEEN ABLE TO PERFORM THROUGH INSTITUTIONAL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, INCLUDING ONGOING INTERNSHIP PARTNERSHIPS. UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, DIGITAL STORY PROJECT - AS COMMUNITY-BASED FISCAL AGENT, HANDLED SUPPLY PROCUREMENTS AND PROJECT COORDINATOR INVOICES AND REIMBURSEMENTS FOR PANDEMIC-RELATED UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROJECT FOCUSED ON EASTERN AGENCY COMMUNITIES. COMMUNITY SMALL PROJECTS ICGS SUPPORTED A ROAD REPAIR AND SHEEP SHEARING PROJECT NEAR BIG MOUNTAIN ON THE WESTERN AGENCY, AND A TRADITIONAL HEALING, MENTORSHIP, SEED MATRIATION AND WELLNESS PROJECT IN SHIPROCK.