Nearly 1 in 4 Native Americans face food insecurity. While countless families across the United States gather for a warm Thanksgiving meal, many living in geographically isolated reservation communities lack the resources to celebrate. This is where Southwest Reservation Aid® (SWRA), a program of Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA), steps in. Through the Thanksgiving Individual Meal Bag service, SWRA provides Thanksgiving essentials—turkey, corn, potatoes, stuffing, and more—ensuring Elders and families in Tribal communities can enjoy a meaningful holiday meal.

In Pinon, Arizona, a remote community in the heart of the Navajo Nation, our Thanksgiving service made a big impact this year. Our Program Partner, Patsy B., has worked in senior services for eight years and understands Elders’ daily challenges in such an isolated area. To help ease these burdens, SWRA provided the Pinon Senior Center with Thanksgiving meal bags for 50 Elders in the community, allowing them to enjoy the holiday with warmth, food, and fellowship.

The Thanksgiving meal was a blessing for Ethel, a 66-year-old daily visitor at the Pinon Senior Center. Ethel lives with her mom and brother, and the family relies on social security income to pay the bills. Ethel walks to the senior center every morning to spend her day doing arts and crafts, but the holiday season holds a special place in her heart. Thanksgiving is Ethel’s favorite time of the year, and she loves eating a warm meal with her family. Thanks to the Thanksgiving meal bag provided by SWRA, Ethel was able to cook for her family, which made the holiday even more enjoyable. “Thank you for the Thanksgiving meal!” she said with gratitude.

The Pinon Senior Center is more than just a place to pick up meals—it’s a hub for connection and care. Pauline, a cook at the center, began working there through a workforce program and later secured a permanent position. Born and raised in Pinon, Pauline is proud to serve her community. “It’s remote and quiet here, but it’s nice. The only thing I don’t like is the cold—it gets very cold here,” she shared. Pauline hopes to see more activities for the Elders in the future but is grateful for programs like SWRA’s Thanksgiving Individual Meal Bag service, which helps bring the community together.

Another Elder, Sandra, vice president of the newly established Pinon Senior Council, expressed her appreciation for the meal bags. Sandra has been a strong advocate for Elders in her community, especially as they recover from the hardships of the past few years. “You really made our day for us Elders here,” she said. “Most of us have hardships—we go through a lot, like health problems, family struggles, and addiction. For something like this, it really means a lot to me and most of the people here. We want to enjoy a good hot meal, but sometimes we can’t afford it. Sometimes, as Elders, our kids are scattered, so it means a lot to us.”

Sandra also shared an exciting update: “Recently, legislation was signed, and now we’re getting a new building for our senior center.” This new building is part of sweeping legislation signed by the president of the Navajo Nation to build senior centers across the reservation.

Through your generous support, SWRA’s Thanksgiving service continues to make a meaningful difference for families and Elders like Ethel, Sandra, and Pauline. But the need is still great, and your help can ensure that even more Native American communities receive the care they deserve.

Sandra said, “Ahéhee’ (thank you) very much for this support. It means a lot to us. Always remember us out here.” Donate to SWRA today.