What I Want for Christmas? Help for Native Americans
When my husband asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I pointed out my selection in the Southwest Indian Foundation catalog: a handmade embroidered hoodie and matching drawstring pants. When we called to order it, we slowly discovered that COVID-19 had swept through the desert Southwest reservation areas and large numbers of Indians had died. That realization made me decide to interrupt my Velvet Outfits series in order to let my readers know about this urgent situation. Now, what I want for Christmas is help for Native Americans.
How I Chose What I Want for Christmas
As we called the Southwest Indian Foundation (SWIF) to order from their catalog, the representative said they had the turquoise Southwest Embroidered Hoodie. But the turquoise Embroidered Tassel Pants were on backorder. When I asked how long it would take to get the matching pants she said it wouldn’t be until next year, possibly between January and March. So I asked what was causing the long delay. She answered that it was because of COVID. I pressed a little further to find out how COVID was impacting their deliveries. She said that COVID had spread through the Indian reservation like wildfire and large numbers of the population had died from it, including the artisans who made the clothes.
The Navajo Nation, which runs the operations of the catalog sales, was hit the hardest. Their warehouse is closed down while extreme safety measures are taken. There is just a skeletal crew working on deliveries right now. Since all of the products in their catalog are handmade, it can take a long time for survivors to craft new ones.
I could have ordered something similar from another outlet, but I decided to spend my money where it could benefit the Native Americans. So I will wait to see if and when the drawstring tassel pants arrive. This way, my husband’s Christmas gift to me is not only beautiful handmade artisan clothing but also a philanthropic donation to the needs of the Southwest Indian reservations of the Navajo, Zuni, Hopi and other indigenous peoples of the area.
What Is SWIF’s Mission?
The motto of SWIF is: “where all your purchases help the ‘poorest of the poor’.” The Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization that relies solely on private donations. They receive no federal dollars. Their primary sources of funding are not huge corporate gifts or impersonal grants. Instead, they are donations from individual Americans helping Americans. Assistance is strictly limited to Native Americans – with priority given to the elderly, handicapped, and families with dependent children.
How to Give Help to Native Americans
There are two ways to help Native Americans in the reservations of the Southwest desert:
- Make a purchase from the SWIF gift catalog. Besides Indian fashions, other products available in the catalog are jewelry, native arts and decor, books, CD’s, DVD’s, gifts and much more. Whatever you purchase, 100% of the profits go directly to the Native Americans in the form of a large number of philanthropic programs. (See their charitable projects below in #2.) Sixty-five percent of each purchase is tax deductible.
- Make a donation. Any donation, no matter the amount, is a precious gift. Projects to donate towards include: housing, education/scholarships, food assistance, clothing/blankets, Stove Assistance Program, counseling, water, emergency assistance, Christmas food baskets/stockings, arts and museum. One hundred percent of all donations are tax deductible.
Has this information inspired you to make a purchase or give a donation to the Southwest Indian Foundation? Here’s how:
I am not affiliated with the Southwest Indian Foundation in any way. I just care about what’s happening on the Indian reservations. So I want to support their artisan products and their cause.
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Related posts:
Casual Style, Charitable Action, Christmas, Native Americans
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