“That was a magical moment for her, when Heart of America came and installed the solar, and then we left the lights on all night … She read a book, and then she painted all night.” 
- Misty Romero, mother of Audrina Romero, discussing the impact of the solar panel and having access to light had on her daughter's ability to engage in learning after the sun went down.

COMMUNITY FOCUS

Native American Education Efforts

When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered classrooms across the United States, more than 46,000 Navajo children were displaced from the classroom to the home. While distance learning was hard on families across the country, for those in Indigenous communities, where access to resources like power and running water is not necessarily a given, the disparities were unimaginable. 


Through the help of corporate and community partners across the country, Heart of America was able to support distance learning for over 10,000 students and families through a multi-phased effort that focused on the critical resources like basic school supplies, art materials, and solar-powered lanterns to enable learning after dark.


Today, our impact has expanded to installing solar panels in homes to ensure families can charge their school-issued Chromebooks and devices as well as read stories once the sun goes down.


Our current and near-term priorities in Navajo Nation and other Indigenous communities across the country is focused on ensuring students have access to the resources they need to thrive in school and beyond. These efforts include installing solar panels in homes across Navajo Nation so children can have light to do their homework at night and a place to charge their school-issued laptops; providing family learning kits including age-appropriate books and educational games so learning can continue at home among multiple generations. Outside of home, HOA is also committed to building state-of-the-art education environments in schools like STEAM Labs and Peace & Meditation Centers and creating vibrant community spaces such as public libraries, recreation centers, play and sport facilities so that learning can advance via a strong continuum of home, school and community locations outside of the school day.


We are appreciative of the partnerships we have created with many Indigenous communities as we continue to expand our work.


Please make a donation to help provide more resources to students and families in Indigenous communities across the southwest.


Donate to our Native American Initiatives

Project Recap

  • Education Packs: Over 12,000 distributed
  • Solar Panel, Battery, and Light Kits: 140+ (15 refrigeration units)
  • Wellness space in White Horse HS
  • STEAM Lab and Parent Resource area at Red Mesa
  • Playground on Vancouver Island

Spaces to Grow, Episode 102: Mylo Fowler

Heart of America's first-ever Native American Communities Liaison Mylo Fowler is a highly respected professional photographer and humanitarian. He joins Jill to share stories from his childhood and some of the challenges Native American students face every day but especially while distance learning. A lack of electricity and running water remain pervasive in parts of the reservation. Jill and Mylo discus the actions Mylo has taken to improve life for Navajo people as they turn the corner on COVID-19. Mylo shares wisdom from his childhood and how he's now modeling giving for his young children.

Thank you to our corporate partners and individual donors across North America!

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