Words by Smiley Team
Offering a buffer against the pandemic to some of the poorest people in the US, the Bank of America has announced it has channelled more than $13 million to Native American communities hardest hit by Covid-19 in 2020.
The funds include investments into Native American Community Development Financial Institutions as well as donations to organisations helping the country’s indigenous population tackle poor health, hunger and economic inequalities in addition to the pandemic.
The bank also donated personal protection equipment, including masks, gloves and hand sanitiser to these communities throughout the international health crisis.
Leading the initiative, Andrew Plepler, the Bank of America’s head of environmental, social and governance, said: “The economic needs in tribal communities continue to be a challenge that we, as a society, need to address These challenges have been further exacerbated by the coronavirus. There is an urgent need to invest in tribal and native-owned small businesses, healthcare and jobs development, to mitigate some of the enormous economic and health risks these communities currently face.”
From the funding, $10 million went to the Native American Bank, the country’s only national indigenous-owned community development bank. They provide capital for small businesses, affordable housing and community facilities such as schools and healthcare clinics.
The remaining $3.1 million went to nonprofits serving Native American people.
Many Native Americans face a lower life expectancy, barriers in education and unemployment. So the Covid-19 crisis has only exacerbated their need for support. Navajo Nation, the largest land owned by an indigenous tribe in the US, has experienced more cases of the virus on average than nearly anywhere else in the country. At the height of the pandemic, the rate of infection among people living here was more than eight times the rate in New Mexico.
If you are a company or individual hoping to help these communities, you can directly contribute by donation to Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment, an organisation with strong connections to the Navajo community and one of the beneficiaries of the Bank of America. They are offering specialist support to indigenous people throughout the pandemic.
