Dear Editor,
My father, a single parent, worked 9 to 5 just to make ends meet for four kids. I remember what that felt like — the worry, the waiting, and the quiet hope that somehow, things would get better.
Today, I see that same struggle across the Navajo and Hopi Nations. Thousands of families and elders depend on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to buy groceries and basic necessities. When those benefits are delayed or halted, the impact is immediate. People are going without — not because they want to, but because the system failed them.
That’s why I’m starting the Navajo-Hopi SNAP Relief Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families and elders across our communities with food and water assistance. Our goal is simple: make sure no one goes hungry while waiting for help.
This fund will go directly toward providing groceries, bottled water, and other essentials to families affected by SNAP disruptions. We’ll also be visiting chapter houses across the Navajo Nation and Hopi lands to deliver relief and learn what each community needs most.
I’m a student at the University of New Mexico studying political science and a former U.S. congressional intern for Rep. Melanie A. Stansbury, D-N.M., and Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. I’ve seen how policy moves slowly, but I also know that community action can move fast. This effort isn’t about politics — it’s about people helping people.
I’m asking for your support. Please follow our Facebook page — Navajo-Hopi SNAP Relief Coalition — to stay updated, volunteer, or spread the word. And if you’re able, please consider donating to help us reach more families in need.
Together, we can make sure that no elder, no child, and no family has to go hungry again.
Ahe’hee’,
Brandan Shakey, Founder, Navajo-Hopi SNAP Relief Coalition
