Winter Warmth in Native Communities
By Joshua Arce
As we approach the season of giving, the need to remember winter warmth in Native communities is even more urgent. Along with the festive cheer of winter comes the hardship of inadequate heating, housing and winter clothing for Native families. That’s why this Giving Tuesday, Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA) is aiming for winter preparedness! We hope to provide winter warmth for up to 1,500 Native American Elders, families and children.
Essentials like blankets, hats, gloves, and more will help withstand the bitter winters so common in these regions. For example, in the areas served by our Northern Plains Reservation Aid program, winters are long and harsh. Temperatures range from mild to extreme (32 degrees to 10 below). In our Southwest Reservation Aid areas, the lower valleys can dip to freezing or below – despite the desert region.
More Winter Challenges in Tribal Communities
Many more factors add to the challenge of winter warmth in Tribal communities:
- There are as many as 1 in 200 homeless American Indian and Alaska Natives (AIAN) compared with 1 in 1,000 people in the US population overall.
- Native Americans are 1200 times more likely to live in homes with heating issues.
- 1.9% of U.S. households (more than 2.3M) use wood as a primary heating source. But in counties with a high percentage of Tribal communities, that number often exceeds 30% of homes.
The lack of stores and jobs in remote Tribal areas doesn’t help either – this only fuels struggle, not winter warmth. Any help directly supports those who continue to face winters without the necessary resources to stay warm.
Elders like Karen from the Pine Ridge Reservation had to stay with her sister-in-law last winter because her stove “wouldn’t keep the house warm; the furnace wasn’t working.” Navajo Elders like Betty, who herded sheep until her 60s, struggle to cover bills with a social security check of about $700. She told us, “I’m really happy to receive items like these socks.”
Heat Up #WinterWarmth through Giving
With your generous support last year, PWNA provided winter emergency supplies to more than 1,200 people, working with 13 program partners across 9 reservations. This year, with the rising need and growing challenges, donations are more crucial than ever.
Your gift today can protect our Native Elders, families and children from the searing cold by providing the essentials for winter warmth. Join us this #GivingTuesday and help us bring not just warmth but hope, dignity and support to those who face the harshest winter conditions with the fewest resources. Together, we can ensure that winter in Indian Country is a little less harsh this year. Donate here.
