Partnership With Native Americans, Arizona

Help Transform Food Deserts into Thriving Food Systems

Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA) is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit committed to championing hope for a brighter future for Native Americans living on geographically isolated and impoverished reservations. PWNA is a top-rated nonprofit with BBB accreditation and Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic & Social Council. All year long, we provide goods and services to Tribal programs in underserved reservation communities. More than 90% of our Tribal partners say they are more effective with PWNA support. And with over 35 years of working in Indian Country, we’re very good at providing the right goods in the right way and time for each community.

Food sovereignty is essential to the health and resilience of Native communities, yet many Tribal Nations still face barriers to accessing fresh, healthy food. Across Indian Country, many reservations are considered “food deserts,” where families must travel long distances to buy groceries or fresh produce.

Limited access to nutritious food has contributed to higher rates of diet-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease in Native communities. When fresh food isn’t nearby or affordable, families often rely on processed options that are less healthy and less culturally relevant.

Through community gardens, food plots, and hands-on education, PWNA partners with Tribal communities to help strengthen local food systems. These initiatives provide Native families with the knowledge, tools, and growing spaces they need to cultivate healthy, culturally meaningful food.

So, this Arizona Gives Day, we hope you will join PWNA in supporting food sovereignty. You’re helping transform food deserts into thriving, community-led food systems—creating long-term food security and resilience for generations to come.

More about PWNA: 

Our mission/vision: Serving immediate needs, supporting long-term solutions for strong, self-sufficient Native American communities. Our programs address immediate needs related to food and water, health and wellness, K-12 education, disaster relief, holiday support, and animal welfare. Additionally, PWNA’s long-term solutions are building capacity and developing community leaders who can drive social change for their tribes. Every day, we are changing Native lives. And every year, up to 200,000 Native Americans welcome relief from the day-to-day symptoms of poverty. To learn more about our impact, visit https://nativepartnership.org/reports.

Testimonials

We've known about PWNA for some time but didn't know if we would qualify. But they accepted us immediately. They always come through when we need supplies to make healthy meals for our seniors in and around Walthill. We are so grateful every time we receive a shipment of food or emergency boxes. Their help during COVID was… a light in the darkness, and their staff and even the drivers are kind and caring. What a wonderful nonprofit that we are so fortunate to be working with. – Walthill Senior Center Tribal Partner

Although early in our partnership, we have already seen the tremendous impact PWNA has on the Native American community. Everyone we have worked with at their locations throughout Arizona has been extremely professional, appreciative, and always working toward getting the best supplies and service to the people that need it the most. I take great pride in being a food-related partner with this group that has positively affected the lives of so many. The work they do is unmatched and the care they deliver is greatly revered, especially in these troubling times. - U.S. Foods