Construction projects. Pre-school screenings. Food delivery.

It's long days of hard work. You'll love it! 

We consult with local Native American community leaders each year to determine which projects will benefit local residents. Our work is always guided by the needs of the children and families who have limited access to medical and social services. Each summer, we complete two week-long trips, as well as shorter trips throughout the year for medical professionals. 

Navajo Nation                                                                                        Gallup, New Mexico

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Our home base for the Summer 2023 trip is Gallup, NM.  We will work on the following projects:

Medical and developmental screenings: The medical screening team includes pediatricians/physicians, registered nurses, pulmonary tech, dentist, several pre-med/dental students as well as adult and high school volunteers. In partnership with Saint Bonaventure, our team hosts Health Fairs providing medical and dental screenings, a hot lunch, food boxes and supplies and craft activities on various remote locations on the Navajo reservation.  

Construction. In partnership with St. Bonaventure, our team provides assistance with home repairs and other vital construction projects as well as renovations to the St Bonaventure School. Many of the Navajo homes need to be rebuilt because of fire damage from the kettle stoves used to heat the homes.

Outreach. We deliver food and water to Navajo families throughout the Eastern communities of the Navajo Nation. Food is donated by the Philoptochos Society at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Albuquerque. Water delivery is provided by appointment through St. Bonaventure Mission and Dig Deep

Food Pantry. Prepare food delivery boxes, work at their gardens, distribute food at the pantry and sort food donations at the Community Pantry in Gallup, NM. 

 

Our home base for the Summer 2015 trip was Gallup, NM.  We worked on 5 projects:

Medical and developmental screenings for 75 pre-school children - a requirement for admission to local Head Start programs. The screening team included a physician, dentist, eye surgeon and four medical students. High school and college students assisted with screenings, and provided a hot lunch and craft activities in each Head Start district (Church Rock, Crownpoint, Thoreau and Window Rock).  

Construction project at a school operated by St. Bonaventure Mission in Thoreau. Our construction staff purchased the building materials and worked in partnership with mission staff to replace a roof.

Installed a floor in a hogan (Navajo house) for a Navajo pastor whose wife is dying of cancer. Put solar panel on a roof of a hogan to provide electricity for the first time to an elderly couple. We purchased all building supplies.

Delivered food and firewood to Navajo families throughout the Eastern communities of the Navaho Nation. Food was donated by the Philoptochos Society at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Albuquerque. Delivered water with Darlene Arviso to families in remote areas. 

Worked in the vegetable gardens at the Community Pantry in Gallup, NM and assisted in serving hot lunches to local residents.