Focus on COVID-19 emergency response grants
FARMINGTON— Navajo Transitional Energy Company announced the recipients of the Community Benefit Fund. This year, recognizing the hardships caused by Coronavirus on Navajo communities and non-profit organizations, NTEC changed the focus of the fund to the CBF COVID-19 Emergency Response Grant. NTEC awarded 29 grants, with the amount of funding totaling $213,000.
“When COVID-19 began spreading on the Navajo Nation, NTEC immediately took action to provide assistance to the Chapters and organizations that help Navajo people,” said NTEC CEO Clark Moseley. “Converting the CBF to focus on providing emergency response grants is one of the many actions NTEC has taken to help Navajo communities impacted by Coronavirus.”
The CBF COVID-19 Emergency Response Grants are supporting projects that solve local problems for Navajo Chapter Houses and non-profit organizations by creating innovative solutions to address and combat Coronavirus. “I’m impressed with the variety of projects designed to help students, the elderly and Navajo communities,” Cortasha Upshaw, NTEC community affairs coordinator, said.
“Each Chapter House or organization faced unprecedented challenges and found ways to help serve the Navajo people during the health crisis,” Upshaw continued. Projects include purchasing personal protective equipment, offering Wi-Fi services for distance learning, providing students with electronic devices, and installing Plexiglas to promote social distancing.
Since its inception in 2016, NTEC has awarded more than $1,013,000 to 144 organizations as part of the CBF. The awards are normally made at a luncheon, but this year NTEC is recognizing recipients through virtual events on the company’s Facebook page. “While we can’t hold an awards banquet, it is important that every Chapter and organization receive recognition for their thoughtful solutions that impact the Navajo Nation,” Upshaw said.
Here is complete list of the projects that were awarded this year.
San Juan Medical Foundation
Category: Community
• 93% of guests that stay at Connelly Hospitality House (CHH) are Native American. CHH will purchase personal protective equipment to provide services to patients.
Chinle Chapter
Category: Safety/Education
• Purchase PPE for staff and community and provide hot spots/ Wi-Fi -connectivity for student schooling at various locations.
Ts’ah Bii Kin Chapter
Category: Safety
• Purchase signs for the chapter and community to describe preventative measures against COVID-19.
Kin Dah Lichii Olta
Category: Safety
• Purchase Clear Plastic Sneeze Guard Virus Shields to be placed on students’ desktop to block airborne viral droplets.
Kiwanis Club of Farmington - Rio del Sol
Category: Education
• Kiwanis Clothes and Shoes for Kids - approximately 300 elementary children from low-income families – will be receiving clothes and shoes.
For the complete list of grantees, visit Navajo-tec.com.
