Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund teams up with Bashas’ Diné Markets to distribute personal protective equipment kits

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Basha’s Diné Markets and the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund teamed up to bring direct relief to families as cases continue to skyrocket and the Nation is experiencing uncontrolled spread of the virus in 55 communities.

“We are happy to partner with Bashas’ Diné Markets and Sovereign Partners to help protect Navajo and Hopi community members by providing them with kinship PPE kits that each include 50-count, 3-ply masks, 75-count Clorox wipes, and 8-oz. of sanitizer,” said Ethel Branch, interim executive director of the Navajo & Hopi Families Relief Fund.

Branch said the relief fund as has been providing direct relief for the last eight months to more than 39,000 Navajo and Hopi households.

“We understand how difficult it is for Navajo and Hopi community members to access these PPE items,” Branch said. “It is important to us to be able to help our relatives gain access to these items that will protect them against COVID-19. We are so grateful to our donors for making this happen. We welcome the opportunity for additional donations so that we can continue providing this service. Thank you to all the volunteers, Bashas’ Diné staff, and donors who make this partnership possible.”

In early November, volunteers handed out more than 5,000 personal protective equipment kits to Navajo and Hopi families at Bashas’ Diné Markets in Chinle, Kayenta and Tuba City.

The first distribution event, held during a five-day period, was so successful that additional distributions are now planned to take place during the next three months, and more grocery store locations on the Navajo Nation will participate.

“We want to help protect Navajo and Hopi families, and do our part to help flatten the COVID-19 curve on the Navajo Nation,” said Johnny Basha, vice president of Special Projects for Bashas’ Family of Stores, the family-owned grocer that operates Bashas' Diné supermarkets.

Basha confirmed that after seeing how successful the PPE distribution was, they decided to expand its partnership with the Navajo & Hopi Families Covid-19 Relief Fund by adding additional distribution evens and locations.

The next distribution events will be held at Bashas’ Diné Market locations in Crownpoint, Window Rock, Dilkon and Pinon from Dec. 1 through Dec. 4 (or until supply is exhausted).

Volunteers will distribute personal protective equipment kits from 7:30-11:30 a.m. on each of these days.

During the upcoming distributions, volunteers will have a table stationed near the grocery store exit(s), distributing one personal protective equipment kit to each family. Volunteers and staff will be socially distanced on either end of the table and follow all COVID-19 safety protocols, including wearable masks.

Donations can be made to the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund at https://bit.ly/3lxQl2k or writing a check to Nonprofit Fiscal Services (their fiscal sponsor) and put “Navajo/Hopi Relief” in the memo line. Mail it to: 623 East 2100 South, Suite B1, Salt Lake City, UT, 84106.

Information provided by Bashas