Long-time ASR contributor The Hummingbirds held their annual pre-Mother’s Day luncheon at the home of co-founder Jennifer Johnson. Mothers, daughters, aunts, and sisters were out in full force to enjoy mimosas and the delicious pasta bar provided by film kraft services company Mario’s Catering.
This year’s event is the second to support Dig Deep, a non-profit “working to ensure that every American has clean, running water forever”.
Last year’s Hummingbirds’ brunch raised funds for a Navajo community in New Mexico. This year’s brunch is focusing on water access for a Lakota Sioux community on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation, of particular interest to ASR; in 2016 ASR raised funds for the computer lab and library for Pine Ridge Girls School, the first independent girls school on a Native American reservation.
Qualiity of life statistics for our fellow Native American citizens are grim:
- 50 % of the population over 40 has diabetes
- An average of 17 occupants per home
- Up to 85% unemployment
- Lack of grocery stores, banks and hospitals for 50 to 100 miles on the reservations
- 1 in 5 children under the age of18 attempt suicide
ASR Co-founder Andrea spoke with Tawny Valencia, Dig Deep Director for People and Places about possibilities for future collaboration.
Karen Armstrong, another inspirational attendee, is the founder of RunStrong, and The Kevin Armstrong MD Memorial Sports Foundation. Karen’s brother Kevin, a college friend of Jennifer’s husband, was a brilliant philanthropic orthopedic surgeon who died suddenly from a rare heart condition at the age of 39. Karen and her family created the foundation in Kevin’s honor, providing athletic opportunities for at risk children,
Pictured below: Hummingbird Co-founder Jennifer Johnson with Karen Armstrong, RunStrong and The Kevin Armstrong MD Foundation, and Pamela Hecker, friend and fellow philanthropist