Helping People to Keep Working
We believe in the power of hard work, and we celebrate those who rise each day determined to provide for their families, even when the odds are stacked high.
On many reservations, simply finding work is a victory. Keeping it? That’s where the real challenge begins. Jobs can be hours away, requiring daily 1 to 2 hour commutes. And for many, that means relying on someone else’s car, praying their old tires hold up, or hoping their phone stays connected so they don’t miss a shift.
That’s where our Compassion Fund comes in.
When the paycheck isn’t enough to keep someone working, we step in to help them keep going. Over the past 17 years we have:
- Covered cell phone bills so people could stay in contact with their jobs.
- Replaced tires or helped with vehicle repairs that stood between workers and their paycheck.
- We have helped to tow broken down vehicles to mechanic shops when Justin or our team is unable to do repairs themselves
- We’ve even provided entire vehicles when old ones have finally given out.
This isn’t just aid, it’s empowerment. You will often hear Justin and I say, we don’t want to hand out fish, we want to supply fishing poles. It’s an old saying but it’s so applicable in this kind of ministry. Most natives don’t want hand outs, they just need friendship and meaningful support. Love and kindness shown in practical ways that really help them get on their feet and stay there. With this “fishing pole, not the fish” philosophy: we’re helping those who are already doing the work continue to succeed. And every once in a while, when needed, we’ll just throw them a life vest. That’s okay too.
We invest in individuals and whole families. We believe in their strength. And when they need a little help, we offer it with compassion and in a dignified way.
We believe that this is what family does. This is what godly compassion looks like.
