COVID-19 Response Programs
COVID-19 Response Food and Supplies Project
This project was enacted In March of 2020 because of the seriousness of the COVID-19. It has four fundamental objectives to help and support our wisdom keepers, elders, elderly, homeless, and those with underline health conditions that make them vulnerable to this virus.
1. Provide fresh produce once a week to our wisdom keepers, elders, elderly, homeless, and those with underline health conditions that we will acquire from the San Antonio Produce Terminal. Those of our most vulnerable relatives should not have to leave the house as much as possible and is where we feel this will help them to stay home.
2. Provide medical supplies to our wisdom keepers, elders, elderly, homeless, and those with underline health conditions when and if needed so they do not have to leave the house, or if they do, we want to make sure they have the proper protection when going into the public. We have been sending out elder kits that consist of first aid kits, gloves, N95 masks, sanitizers, and toilet paper to help protect themselves.
3. Provide hygiene kits to our homeless that consist of hand soap, shampoo, shaving cream, toothpaste, toothbrush, chapstick, sunblock, and a washcloth. We also give out small bags of produce when handing out the hygiene kits.
4. Provide our youth with used Chromebooks or tablets if their school does not supply such electronics for them to continue their education at home. This helps with online learning and gives them something to do and a way to stay in touch with others. We feel this is essential as it will help with many issues at home that will accrue out of being quarantined at home.
CLICK HERE FOR: SNN COVID-19 Food AND SUPPLY FORM AND RESOURCE LIST
Zero Waste - Food for the Unhoused Project
Our zero waste COVID-19 related activities of the
"Food for the Unhoused" part of our SNN COVID-19 Response Program (CRP) began July 2nd. We are providing hot meals twice a week to those in need on top of the weekly fresh produce, food, and supplies.
Mission: To gift a cooked meal "LIFE" to those living on the streets or having hard times during this pandemic. To educate about living in harmony with mother earth through recycling, composting food, washing your own plates, giving to receive, sharing time and food, and feeling a sense of community. Masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer will be given to each person, and social distancing will be put in place during the times of serving food.
● Everything will be cooked outside and served outside.
● Tables will be separated with 6 ft distancing.
● We will have a water station for drinking.
● We will be using homemade clay plates, utensils, and cups.
● We will have a water station for washing plates, utensils, and cups.
● Live Music/Song: would prefer 1 to 2 people max.
All togo food containers, cups, and utensils used for this project are biodigradibale
Return to the Earth & Molding It Project
Mission:
This project teaches families the importance of using natural materials in our daily lives so that we can
continue to preserve and maintain our environment, our home, and ourselves.
Specifically, teach families to work with clay, to make earthenware for the home, the
kitchen, the ceremony, and the altars of the home. Educate our youth and remind adults
of life before plastic. To show them the damage caused by the use of plastic through
pictures and other resources. All the time, working with clay, mother earth, and all the elements, water, earth,
wind, and fire to generate awareness, connection, and respect for our environment.
Family members will have the option of creating plates, cups, bowls, or a creative
sculpture of their choice to take home when completing the clay/clay working process.
Intent:
● One class a week for 3 sessions. Each session is 2 hours.
● Each family will take home their creation; Plates and a Tree
of Life
● Stories and Conversations with Veronica Castillo Salas
about working with the Earth, all its elements and the
importance of preservation.
.
About the Artist
Verónica Castillo Salas
I was born to Don Alfonso Castillo Orta and Doña Soledad Martha Hernández
Báez in the town of Izúcar de Matamoros Puebla in 1967 in the center of an
artisan house. My parents had five children, I am the oldest.
I thank the universe for being born in the midst of the intergenerational
family, the creators of the Tree of Life.
At the age of six, my parents allowed us to play with clay. They told us that in
order to learn how to handle clay and become familiar with it, we needed to
play with clay. We soon learned to make simple shapes, such as fruits, balls,
and flowers.
We did this for long periods of time, always after school and before going to
play with our cousins. I loved climbing trees to reach fruit. At the age of twelve
we learned to form the Trees of Life, with my father supervising what we did
with the clay.
As we are a family cooperative, each of us had various tasks when it came to the
creative realization of Trees of Life. My mother taught us to paint the trees.
The three oldest of the children learned to mold and paint, while the youngest
became master painters. As a result, our family obtained numerous national
and international awards and recognitions. My father won the National Science
and Arts Award in 1996. We were also invited to participate in large exhibitions.
I finished elementary, middle, high school and got a degree in accounting. I
only worked in the accounting field for a year. I preferred to design Trees of
Life.
Playing with the elements of life - EARTH, WATER, AIR and FIRE - is special,
and with these elements you can create pieces that give voice, feeling, emotion
and, most importantly, tell the story of families or cultures or societies. they
have disappeared.
For me, what attracts me personally is demonstrating social and cultural
problems by giving voice to our Mother Earth through clay.
I stopped teaching in 2012. It was a difficult decision but one that has allowed
me to use my tools to teach the world that we can save Mother Earth and learn
to treat all living beings with respect.
In 2013, I was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage
Fellowship Award. What a great honor to receive this award. It brought me
great joy but also sadness not being able to share it with my father and teacher,
who died in 2009. However, I have shared it with the Family Cooperative, and
with our daughter Verónica Alfonsina Salas.
PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO THESE PROGRAMS
Please donate secure via PayPal by credit card, check, or with your own PayPal account, you do not need a PayPal account to donate. All donations are very appreciated and all donations are used to help us facilitate our actions and programs.
You can also send a check made out to (Society of Native Nations) the address is:
Society of Native Nations
10730 Potranco Road Suite 122-282
San Antonio, TX 78251
Phone: 210-468-8201
"Society of Native Nations" (SNN) is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (C) (3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
Society of Native Nations - Federal IRS Tax Exemptions Identification Number # 81-0984252