Tribal Nations are home to Elders who maintain their cultural traditions and nurture the future generations of Native people. In a time when 1 in 6 seniors across the United States face the threat of hunger and malnourishment, Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA) aims to alleviate this challenge among Native Elders by collaborating with reservation-based Program Partners. Through PWNA’s Southwest Reservation Aid® (SWRA) program, our Program Partners can utilize our Standard Food service. This service directly supports Elderly Nutrition Centers by providing bulk food items like beans, rice, flour, coffee, and other foods that enhance the center’s meal plan, ensuring that they have enough meals for every Elder who visits.

Mike B. with the Pisinemo Senior Center is a long-time Program Partner who uses SWRA’s Standard Food service to provide meals and elevate his engagement with Elders across the Pisinemo District of the Tohono O’odham Nation. By consistently providing meals, activities, and other resources, Mike hopes to encourage Elders across the district to visit the center and stay active.

Julie, the previous director of the senior center, now enjoys her time there as a patron. Having worked a career as a clerical worker in social services, Julie sees the challenges in her community firsthand. With the lack of employment opportunities, transportation, and things for the youth to do, many people turn to substance abuse, which Julie sees as a growing problem across the district. She is grateful for the donors who support the senior center, telling us, “Everybody needs the support because we’re way out here. It comes in handy when we get supplies that we can’t often find.”

67-year-old Carmen C., a retired teacher’s aide, has lived in Pisinemo since 1986. She believes Pisinemo has declined due to the village trading post and snack bar closures, two local businesses that brought the community together. Although Carmen can rely on the senior center to socialize, she worries about others in the community feeling isolated, especially her fellow Elders who don’t visit the center regularly. She told us, “A lot of them are living by themselves. They can come and mingle with other Elders and do fun things. They have choices here, and I know everybody has talents.” Carmen was excited to share her love of art, which was made possible by the senior center.

Frances, another regular visitor from the neighboring village of Wahak Hotrontk, enjoys the friendships she made since coming to the senior center. Without a vehicle of her own, Frances relies on the senior center or the district to provide scheduled transportation, which leaves her traveling at least 45 miles to the nearest town for grocery shopping. “When I was by myself, it was lonely, so I came to the senior center to be around other people,” she told us. Frances also shared, “I’m grateful for the support we get from [PWNA]. It’s things that we need and are sometimes hard to buy because we can’t find them. It’s hard for us to get into town to buy groceries.”

Financial support allows us to continue delivering immediate relief to our reservation-based Program Partners, directly impacting the lives of Elders in underserved communities. Donate to SWRA today to support Native Elders like those at the Pisinemo Senior Center.