Arizona Gives Day is Not Just for Arizonans

​Arizona Gives Day is Not Just for Arizonans
by Mark Hall

Nearly one hundred Hopi tribal employees and community members came out to support their local non-profits at the first ever Hopi Gives Day event in the Village of Kykotsmovi, Arizona on Friday.   Red Feather and 2 other non-profit organizations, The Hopi Foundation, and Hopi Education Endowment Fund partnered to host the event to raise awareness about their programs and an annual state-wide fundraising competition that we are participating in called Arizona Gives Day. 


“It is exciting to see our Hopi non-profits collaborating to raise awareness and donations, said The Hopi Foundation’s Executive Director, Monica Nuvamsa.   “We can do so much more when we work together”, she added.


The event was held at the Kykotsmovi Community Building and included door prizes, food, music from local musician Ed Kabotie, and information from the 3 non-profits about their programs.   Chairman of the Hopi Tribe, Herman Honanie, was in attendance and sent an email to all tribal government employees that day encouraging them to support their local non-profits who are participating in Arizona Gives Day.


Arizona Gives Day, which falls on April 4th this year, has raised over $7.4 million for Arizona nonprofits since 2013.   Arizona non-profits, which account for 325,000 jobs and nearly 10% of the state’s annual income, are competing for cash prizes totaling $175,000 this year.
“We are grateful to our partners APS, Hopi Cultural Center, Hopi Kokopelli Inn, and Hopi Telecommunications for sponsoring the event,” said HEEF Executive Director LuAnn Leonard.  She continued,  “Non-profits, businesses, and community members all working together is a beautiful thing that strengthens our collective ability to answer the needs of our people.”
While Arizona Gives Day is intended to benefit Arizona non-profits, all Red Feather supporters are encouraged to participate because stronger programs serving Hopis and Navajos in Arizona will allow us to more quickly bring those programs to Tribes in other states.   O
  
Red Feather realizes that many of you recently made gifts during our annual appeal.   If you are able to make a gift at this time, it would be very much appreciated.  If you aren’t, we understand, and ask that you please consider sharing our work with a friend so that they might become involved.  Our strength is dependent upon sharing the load.   You and your friends can make gifts on or before April 4th at azgives.org.    You can always give to Red Feather at www.redfeather.org.   Thank you!
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