Resiliency During COVID-19. What does a Response Fund for Native Girls Look Like?
IMAGEN believes tomorrow’s Native communities will only be healthier and stronger if we invest today in the Native girls who will soon lead and sustain us. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the world while disproportionately affecting Native communities. In response and thanks to the generosity of Mr. Marty Jeiven, $20,000 was allocated to a diverse set of Indian Country entities operating Girl Societies, including neighborhood-based mentors, schools, community arts, trauma-reduction counseling, juvenile justice outreach, domestic violence prevention, and cultural preservation. These operate in 13 U.S. states, including South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Alaska, and New York, and reach girls in remote rural reservations, as well in small and large towns adjacent to reservations. The funds were given out in two rounds, with the second $10,000 being exhausted less than 24 hours after the opportunity was announced. 100% of the resources were distributed to Native entities. IMAGEN did not charge any fees or overhead for administering the fund.
Some organizations focused on buttressing cultural support by sending the girls materials for producing cultural objects, such as moccasins, beading, ceremonial dresses, parfleche bags, and medicine pouches. Additionally, the girls were sent art supplies such as paint, drawing paper, and pencils. Other organizations decided to send holistic wellness kits, focusing on self-care and physical health. The kits included jump ropes, hula hoops, resistance bands, journals, and more.
Photo courtesy of OKC Indian Clinic
The funds were given out in the form of $500 gift cards which have been used to tackle the effects of COVID-19 such as:
Food insecurity
Food parcels assembled by and for girls in food-insecure families
Baby food distributed to teenaged mothers
Gardening supplies and food preservation equipment provided to girl-managed gardens
Financial needs
Emergency cash distributed
Financial assistance to girls in the greatest need, including homeless girls
Hygiene
Hygiene supplies such as hand sanitizer, soap, lice treatment, and oral hygiene products included in wellness packages
Sewing kits for girls to produce PPE for elders, themselves and other relatives
Diapers and baby wipes delivered to teenaged mothers
Feminine hygiene supplies and underwear for girls in deeply remote areas
Ensuring spiritual well-being
Prayer materials such as sage, cedar, sweetgrass and prayer bundles were widely distributed
Virtual prayer and healing circles for girls held weekly
Photo courtesy of Josephine Wagner, a teacher from Browning, MT
