First let me give you a quick update on what’s been going on with NAHA this month before we get to the main reason we are sending this email to you. We are very pleased to announce that we are a 4-star charity with Charity Navigator for our 9th year. NAHA is very proud of this rating and has worked very hard to keep our 4-star status with them. Please visit www.charitynavigator.org for more information on our organization.
We have acquired and distributed truckloads of drinks, potatoes, groceries, frozen items and meat along with clothing and other miscellaneous items from our generous donors. We distributed our Wal-Mart truckloads that we acquired from Good360 which consisted of toilet paper, paper towels, bedding items, toys, hygiene products, etc. The Rosebud Reservation contacted us recently to tell us they had used some of the paint we took to them to repaint one of the nursing homes on their Reservation. They repainted the entire inside of it which who knows the last time it was touched up. The elders were so happy about the new paint job because it made it much brighter and cheerful inside. So for something that small to make them that happy is just a remarkable thing to witness. Something so small to us is so big to them. That was just one of many stories that came from the paint donation that we received.
We deliver more than three million pounds of food every year and we’re able to do that only because some of the sources from whom we buy food help us by undercharging. But in order to purchase that food we need funding from compassionate donors like you. NAHA has been able to get very good value for your contributions. I would like to think that is why www.charitynavigator.org has rated us a 4-star charity for 9 years. Last year was a rough year with food prices going up. The cost of fuel for our trucks that deliver the food to the Reservations went up. The cost of incoming food to our distribution center in Black Hawk went up. Every aspect of our costs went up. This year didn’t get any better but we keep going and we’re determined that whether an unfortunate Native American is two months old or ninety years old, nobody will starve. Not on our watch.
Here’s what I hope you will do: If you’ll send just $15 we can use that contribution to get 500 pounds of food at our miraculously low price. That will go a long way. And if you will be even more generous, $30 will get 1,000 pounds of food and so on. Any amount will help so please send whatever you can to NAHA so we can hurry and get food to them before it is too late. PLEASE, PLEASE understand the urgency of this request and act on it now because we do not have any time to waste. Once again, thank you!!!