• Raised: $12703
• Goal: $10000
• Donators: $643

“Our reservation is fragile…we are faced with extinction and the loss of our elders who hold sacred knowledge.”

Native Americans survived massacres, broken treaties, government-imposed assimilation policies and smallpox. Two summers ago our United For Service high school team volunteered on the Blackfeet reservation in northwest Montana. The Blackfeet Nation are a small population and many fear the virus could ravage their vulnerable community.  Since our last visit we have maintained contact with the community and we recently learned about the challenges they face as a result of the pandemic.

Native Americans suffer from disproportionately high rates of diabetes, heart disease, and other underlying health conditions, putting them at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19. Older adults who have a higher risk live with extended family, making it possible for one person to spread coronavirus across generations of family members. A lack of access to clean water on parts of reservations makes the hand washing necessary for curbing the spread difficult. From an economic perspective, the community already suffers from high rates of unemployment and with current casino closures and tourism to Glacier National Park suspended, revenue streams are drying up.

While the Indian Health Service (IHS) provides resources and healthcare to tribes and the CARES Act allocated emergency funding to tribal governments, there have been major delays in the rollout. Money needed to meet urgent needs, such as food and water, as well as funds for crucial supplies, like PPE, are arriving late.

Where will the funds go?

There is currently limited access to personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies on the reservation. As a result of our direct access to the community, your donation to on-the-ground efforts will help get much needed supplies to the reservation. The goal of the UFS team is to purchase at least 9,000 masks, 20,000 disposable gloves, and disinfectant supplies to deliver in July. Thank you for supporting the Blackfeet community! (US donations over $20 are tax-deductible).

-Sana, Junaid, Zayn, Adam, Safa, Yasmeen, Aalia

To learn more about our past service on the reservation visit:

https://www.launchgood.com/project/united_for_service_volunteers__blackfeet_nation#!/