Real Salt Lake Provide Navajo Students With Essential Learning Supplies

SANDY, Utah – The RSL Foundation, among others, has partnered with the Navajo Nation to help provide much-needed goods and services to 1,400 students in need of extra help to continue their education from home.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, schools within the Navajo community are now shutdown leaving students struggling. In some households, electricity and school supplies are sparse.

Amazing day two collecting donated items for the Navajo Nation. Today we received over 25,000 gloves, 2,500 face masks and 270 gowns. Tomorrow (last day!) from 12-4pm we’ll be collecting more donations. Thanks Intermountain Ford Group for your donation!#MLSUnites pic.twitter.com/t8CIVQaR9z

— RSL Foundation (@RSLfoundation) April 26, 2020

Starting on April 30th “20 volunteers from Real Salt Lake Foundation, the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, and Utah medical students to assemble kits for Navajo students at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, UT on Thursday, April 30. More than 1,400 students on the reservation, pre-k through grade 12, will receive a grade level learning-from-home kit with books, STEM materials, a solar lantern, art supplies and a coronavirus packet with information, hand sanitizer and two or more masks.”

Then, on May 1st, the kits will be transported to the Navajo reservation.

“The first phase will reach students of eight area schools on the Navajo Reservation and subsequent phases will serve Navajo Nation schools in Arizona and New Mexico as well as members of the Hopi Reservation within the Navajo Reservation. Angel Flight West will continue to support this effort by delivering kits into remote areas of the reservation.”

“Character is made clear during these unprecedented times as unlikely partners step together to respond to the needs on the ground from the Navajo people. Working with Heart of America’s resources and expertise in guided project execution has been critical in this new and changing environment, said Mary VanMinde from the Real Salt Lake Foundation.

Tom Hackett is a Utah and Real Salt Lake Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the It’s Utah’s World Podcast (Utah Football themed) and The Lion’s Den Podcast (Real Salt Lake themed). Follow him on Twitter: @TomCantHackett.