6/24/20
Headed down corridor 491 to the Sheep Springs Chapter House, fingers crossed we have a turn out as good as the one at the Sanostee Chapter House. At 6:57 am I enter the Chapter House expecting….hoping…. to see a line of cars…but, there are only….FIVE…..cars! There is so much food to give, and we know there is a need…..I pray the line will grow! Grow it did! By 8 am the line of cars wrapped around the Sheep Springs gas station. Another great turn out!
ECHO, Inc. had the honor of collaborating with the Sheep Springs Chapter House, including their strike team and Navajo Family Voices to provide a robust food distribution in Sheep Springs, New Mexico. This Chapter House drew people from not only Sheep Springs but also the Naschitti, Crystal, Newcomb, Burnham, Two Grey Hills and Tocito and Toadlena communities. What turned out to be another huge success could not have been accomplished without the commitment and drive of all involved. The Sheep Springs Chapter House provided the location for the food distribution as well as the strike team that coordinated traffic control, logistics and security as well as loading food boxes. Navajo Family Voices also joined us and provided volunteers to assist with completing applications and loading boxes. Without this collaborative effort and amazing teamwork this food distribution would not have been possible.
With the help of the above teams, ECHO, Inc. distributed food to 334 families and 144 food filled back packs to school age children. The food distributed equaled 16,704 pounds. That is a lot of food! The volunteers provided 56 hours of their time and were from the Tooh Haltsooi and Naschitti communities. We were honored to have the Sheep Spring Council Members helping as well. It truly takes a village.
People waving from inside the car, cracking their windows to say “thank you”, and honk and stick their hands out the window to wave as they drove away……what an amazing day of serving others!
ECHO, Inc. continues to look for ways to bridge gaps of food insecurity on the Navajo Nation not only during emergency situations but also by identifying and collaborating with Chapter Houses that can act as a hub and provide food programs on a monthly basis to not only their Chapter but surrounding Chapters.
For more information about our services please call the ECHO Food Bank at 505-326-3770.
Nanette Pinckney
ECHO, Inc. CEO
Special thanks to: EvaLita Yazzie, Jerald Yazzie, Lilah Yazzie, Addy Yazzie, Wilfred Yazzie, Brian Yazzie, Terence Suina, Robert Nelson, Earnest Smith, Matthew Johnson, Kevin Begay and Elvira Denison. As well as the ECHO team, Gerald Benally, LaDonna Begay and Maverick Lee. You are ALL rock stars
