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About Us
When Fr. Dunstan Schmidlin started the Southwest Indian Foundation back in 1968, he felt a sense of urgency. With a true Franciscan's love for the land and the harmony for creation, he was deeply troubled by the plight of his Native American brothers and sisters.
Where once these noble Americans had lived close to the earth, they now seemed displaced in their own land and disillusioned with their own dreams. In the relentless march of progress, they had somehow been left behind. They were the forgotten Americans.
We have always strived to maintain the original intentions of our Franciscan founder. First, to recognize the great human potential of each individual; and second, to offer those in need a hand - not a handout.
To our way of thinking, a mere handout destroys a person's dignity and self-initiative. We believe that true charity must emphasize self-help in order to restore pride and independence. SWIF is a non-profit, charitable organization that relies solely on private donations. We receive no federal dollars. Our primary sources of funding are not huge corporate gifts or impersonal grants. Instead, they are individuals like you. Americans helping Americans.
SWIF assistance is strictly limited to Native Americans - with priority given to the elderly, handicapped, and families with dependent children. Along with the Navajo people, we also serve the Zuni, Hopi, and other pueblo tribes of the area.
Our services include: Substantial school grants and individual tuition assistance, homes for battered women and children, home repair and wood stove installation, Christmas food baskets for needy families, alcohol counseling, and emergency assistance in the areas of food, clothing, heating fuel, and temporary shelter. In addition, a few years ago we launched out Indian Craft Catalog to provide a national outlet for Native Americans to sell their precious handmade goods. You are currently viewing the on-line version of this catalog. The profits from this catalog go directly back to the Native Americans themselves in the form of our many philanthropic programs.
So please take a few minutes and look over our extensive catalog. And remember, when you order something from our catalog you are not just buying wonderful and unique gifts - you are actually changing lives!
When Fr. Dunstan Schmidlin started the Southwest Indian Foundation back in 1968, he felt a sense of urgency. With a true Franciscan's love for the land and the harmony for creation, he was deeply troubled by the plight of his Native American brothers and sisters.
Where once these noble Americans had lived close to the earth, they now seemed displaced in their own land and disillusioned with their own dreams. In the relentless march of progress, they had somehow been left behind. They were the forgotten Americans.
We have always strived to maintain the original intentions of our Franciscan founder. First, to recognize the great human potential of each individual; and second, to offer those in need a hand - not a handout.
To our way of thinking, a mere handout destroys a person's dignity and self-initiative. We believe that true charity must emphasize self-help in order to restore pride and independence. SWIF is a non-profit, charitable organization that relies solely on private donations. We receive no federal dollars. Our primary sources of funding are not huge corporate gifts or impersonal grants. Instead, they are individuals like you. Americans helping Americans.
SWIF assistance is strictly limited to Native Americans - with priority given to the elderly, handicapped, and families with dependent children. Along with the Navajo people, we also serve the Zuni, Hopi, and other pueblo tribes of the area.
Our services include: Substantial school grants and individual tuition assistance, homes for battered women and children, home repair and wood stove installation, Christmas food baskets for needy families, alcohol counseling, and emergency assistance in the areas of food, clothing, heating fuel, and temporary shelter. In addition, a few years ago we launched out Indian Craft Catalog to provide a national outlet for Native Americans to sell their precious handmade goods. You are currently viewing the on-line version of this catalog. The profits from this catalog go directly back to the Native Americans themselves in the form of our many philanthropic programs.
So please take a few minutes and look over our extensive catalog. And remember, when you order something from our catalog you are not just buying wonderful and unique gifts - you are actually changing lives!
