PROGRAM INITIATIVE

Disaster Response

Mobilizing Relief, Resources and Supplies Following Disasters

Utilizing the strength gained through Indigenous knowledge of support, sustainability and rebuilding

Disasters do not discriminate against who they affect; however the consequences and impact of a disaster significantly increases when families and communities are already in vulnerable situations and environments.

By leveraging our networks, we mobilize relief, resources and supplies following disasters which affect Indigenous communities in need.

Following the immediate aftermath of a disaster we shift our attention to the recovery of the community by looking forward to the future sustainability of our interventions.

These have included education, capacity building and other sustainable measures which leverage the capacities of the community to support themselves.

OJI:SDA' Sustainable Indigneous Futures - Yaqui Grandmother and grandchildren - COVID pandemic Disaster Response — Disaster response aid is vital in reducing the impact of crises on communities, helps recovery and improves the preparedness for future emergencies. It also demonstrates care, hope, and humanity in our interconnected / interdependent world.

- OJI:SDA’ Sustainable Indigenous Futures

OJI:SDA' Sustainable Indigneous Futures - Truck bed full of food donations - COVID pandemic Disaster Response

Why is the Disaster Response Program Important?

Whilst disasters have an immediate impact on families and communities which require emergency aid relief; they also have the consequence of reversing back development gains which have been made in the past.

Immediate relief (physical and emotional) for vulnerable communities demonstrates to communities that they are not alone on their road to recovery.

As a partner of disaster affected communities, we develop sustainable solutions which leverage the capacities of the community to process the experience they have been through and develop a recovery plan for the future.

We do this by utilizing the strength gained through Indigenous knowledge of support, sustainability and rebuilding that is demonstrated to us by the natural world, such as how a forest thrives in its new growth years after a forest fire.

COVID Pandemic Response

Covid Response Information

In response to the Covid Pandemic we distributed 10,000+ hygiene masks, 260 gallons of sanitizer and medical supplies to Indigenous communities in Mexico and to the Red Cross clinics working in those communities.

We delivered food and food bearing trees to the Seneca Nation and sent out medicinal herb blends to different Indigenous communities across North America (our Plant Care program grew out of this response)