Sending a "care package" to the Navajo Nation ...

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

We are volunteers with an organization called Adopt A Native Elder, which provides desperately-needed food and other resources to the people of the Navajo Nation. Our elders, Polly and Leo, live on tribal lands in Arizona and we ordinarily support them with food gift certificates on a monthly basis. However, it has come to our attention that the organization (which is physically based in Utah) is unable to travel to / within the Navajo Nation to make its delivery of supplies, and items such as hand sanitizer, cleaning products, toilet paper, soap, etc., are becoming increasingly impossible to find in the few supermarkets available to the elders. Realizing how bare the shelves have been in many of our local grocery stores (and we have seemingly countless options in our area), I can only begin to imagine how decimated supplies are on tribal lands. Many of the elders' children and grandchildren have lost their jobs in the cities due to the pandemic, and they have returned to the reservation, which creates an increased demand on already dwindled supplies. It's heartbreaking.

To that end, I'm thinking of putting together a care package to send to our elders. To the best of my knowledge, they (or one of their children) are still capable of picking up mail from their P.O. box. We are seeing an increase of readily-available items in our area (hand sanitizer is back on the shelves), but in thinking about the size and weight of the items we would want to send (all of the above mentioned, and perhaps a few more TBD), wouldn't shipping costs be very high if we were to DIY such a box? Do you know of any other outlet for sending such a care package? I'm not sure if this is something that could be done through Amazon, or if their prices are still jacked up on certain high-demand items.

I can and will research this, but just thought someone among us may have done something similar and wondered if they can share how it was handled. Thanks.

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just_terrilynn

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

I read online that their Navajo Nation shopping centers are giving out Free shopping kits that include masks and sanitizer. FEMA also sent many essentials that included masks, sanitizer, bedding etc. I think since it’s hard to know what is needed I might explore a gift card to their local Navajo shopping center. You can find those online. However, I’m not 100% clear on what all is at every Navajo Nation shopping center. Some include groceries, gift shops, hair salons, sub shops and basic things for home repair I think.

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User
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks, JT. Via the organization I mentioned, we already send gift certificates for food and supplies on a monthly basis to our elders, so I was really asking how to best ship actual products. Shopping is often relegated to local grocery stores such as Basha's, and the elders must often travel far and from very remote areas to reach a greater retail variety.
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cooper8828
3 years ago
Some of the priority mail boxes available at the post office have a flat rate. "if it fits, it ships." This is how we send items that we don't want to break the bank on shipping.
User thanked cooper8828
busjane
3 years ago
Could you use a USPS flat rate box? The large ones are not huge but there is no restriction on weight.

Once you have the box, you can pay for shipping on-line and schedule a pickup from your front porch.
User thanked busjane
User
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks so much! I had forgotten about the "if it fits it ships" thing. Looks like a large flat rate is $13.95, which is reasonable. I wouldn't be able to send a lot of items, but perhaps some of the smaller bottles of sanitizer, soap, etc.
Bluebell66
3 years ago
I occasionally ship packages via priority mail and they always ask if there is anything “liquid, perishable, or lithium batteries” in it, so I’m not sure if that would work.

I am part of a mask making group in our state and as an offshoot of that, we recently filled a truck full of supplies and a couple of volunteers drove it to the Navajo Nation. It was pretty neat to see how people pitched in to provide the goods for that truck!
User thanked Bluebell66
arcy_gw
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Why are they struggling? Back in the day we lived in NM. The Navajo were a strong presence. We loved everything they offered...hand work/native food/pow wows.!!
User
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Systemic poverty, Arcy. That and centuries of abuse at the hands of the United States government. They are truly forgotten Americans.
Iris S (SC, Zone 7b)
3 years ago
I have broken the bank a couple of times sending supplies to my daughter. Not that I mind. Last time though I ordered a pack of 30 rolls of Charmin at Walmart online. It qualified for free shipping directly to her. Can you do something like that?
User thanked Iris S (SC, Zone 7b)
User
Original Author
3 years ago
That's a great idea, Iris. I'll look into that. Thank you!
blfenton
3 years ago
Thanks for helping out IdaClaire.

Is this the same Navajo Nations that has been particularly hard hit by Covid 19? And Doctors without Borders were dispatched to help.
User
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Yes, blfenton. They have the highest per capita rate of infection in the country. With over 40% living below the poverty level, the outcome is tragic.

Sending a "care package" to the Navajo Nation ...

just_terrilynn

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