Underserved Indigenous communities like the Rough Rock Chapter on the Navajo Nation face numerous challenges. This geographically isolated Chapter lies at the foot of Dziłíjiin, the Diné name for Black Mesa in Northeastern Arizona. Many community members often travel on a poorly maintained highway to the nearest town for grocery shopping, a task that’s not always easy for households with unreliable transportation and narrow budgets. In fact, nearly a quarter of the population of Rough Rock lives below the poverty line, about double the national average.

These challenges can be dire as Elders prepare for winter, which brings bitterly cold temperatures to the Navajo Nation. To offset these challenges, Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA) delivers Winter Emergency Boxes to Tribal senior centers through our Southwest Reservation Aid® (SWRA) program.

Queenie J., our Program Partner who runs the Rough Rock Senior Center, utilized our Winter Emergency Box service to bring emergency supplies to 50 Elders in her community to prepare for the winter. Elders received boxes filled with nonperishable food, emergency supplies, a warm blanket, and more.

Queenie shared that many Elders live on the mountain, traveling by dirt road to visit the center. Landslides and poor road conditions leading to impassable roads make mobility around the area challenging. In addition, a lack of staffing in the community means that many senior centers, including the one in Rough Rock, are understaffed, requiring the current employees to take on multiple roles. With a staff of only three people, Queenie and her team prepare meals for over 40 Elders each day, including ten homebound Elders to whom they deliver meals.

One Elder, 75-year-old Genevieve B., shared that thanks to her new Winter Box, she has supplies in an emergency this winter. Since there are no local stores in Rough Rock, Genevieve often travels 35 miles one way to the nearest store in Chinle. However, due to the high prices in many reservation-based stores, she sometimes drives 120 miles one way to Gallup, New Mexico, where the prices are cheaper.

Originally from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, Genevieve, who is Oglala Lakota, relocated to the Navajo Nation when she married her Navajo husband. She worked many odd jobs throughout her life, but one role that stood out to her was as a therapy aid for a youth drug treatment program, her last job before she retired. She now stays active in the community, serving as the Secretary-Treasurer for the Rough Rock Senior Council.

Another Elder, Lynda T., was excited to receive her Winter Box, acknowledging the need for assistance in the community. She shared, “We need a lot of help. I appreciate all of the stuff that PWNA donates to us.” Lynda serves on the Senior Council alongside Genevieve as the Vice President. Together, she and the other council volunteers host fundraising events for the senior center so they can budget for activities and outings.

Having worked as an educator, Lynda was proud to participate in the American Indian Language Development Institute, where she collaborated with other Native educators to revitalize and preserve their indigenous languages. However, one of her proudest moments was when she was honored as Shimá Sáni, or Grandmother of the Year, for the Chinle Agency.

Queenie, Genevieve, and Lynda, send their heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the Elders of Rough Rock to the donors who helped us provide Winter Emergency Boxes to the community. Donate to SWRA today.