ANA Founders, Bill and Connie Eastburn
In the fall of 1991, Connie Eastburn and her late husband Bill, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, learned that 17 Navajo men had died of exposure in the alleys and drainage ditches of Gallup, New Mexico, the previous winter. The only thing preventing them from surviving? Proper clothes and blankets. Within a few weeks, the Eastburns had gathered 2 tons of blankets to be shipped to Gallup, for those who needed them most.
This was only the beginning. Since 1991, ANA has greatly expanded its partnerships with Native Americans in the Southwest. Beyond attempting to meet immediate needs, such as blankets, clothing and shelter, ANA has initiated projects designed to help Native Americans help themselves. Since then, ANA has provided goods and services to the reservations it partners with: Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni. Training nurses, helping improve animal health, and equipping children with necessities (food, clothing, and school supplies) to allow them to focus on learning are some of the ways ANA is empowering self-reliance.
ANA partners with many other local organizations including the Community Pantry, University of New Mexico-Gallup, Zuni Optical Services, Doylestown Hospital, Doylestown Presbyterian Church, and many Bureau of Indian Affairs schools.
This was only the beginning. Since 1991, ANA has greatly expanded its partnerships with Native Americans in the Southwest. Beyond attempting to meet immediate needs, such as blankets, clothing and shelter, ANA has initiated projects designed to help Native Americans help themselves. Since then, ANA has provided goods and services to the reservations it partners with: Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni. Training nurses, helping improve animal health, and equipping children with necessities (food, clothing, and school supplies) to allow them to focus on learning are some of the ways ANA is empowering self-reliance.
ANA partners with many other local organizations including the Community Pantry, University of New Mexico-Gallup, Zuni Optical Services, Doylestown Hospital, Doylestown Presbyterian Church, and many Bureau of Indian Affairs schools.