In February 2020, Dine’ Naazbaa Partnership (DNP) attended a Chapter Veteran meeting where the program lead met a mother of a Navajo Nation veteran. She mentioned her son, Cooper*, a combat Army veteran, who was receiving multiple treatments yet was being denied an increase in his disability status which was currently at 10%. DNP assisted with getting the veteran to the right resources locally to file for an increase. While waiting for the application to go through the process with the VA, DNP provided him wood, food and household necessities through their local collaboration with off reservation organizations, a church and trucking company, which helped ease his current financial strains. Regular follow-up was maintained with Cooper for more than a year until he was finally upgraded by the VA to 100% disability and back paid over $35,000.
The Diné Naazbaa’ Partnership (DNP) is the first community-based program dedicated to empowering the Navajo Nation’s military veterans, their families and caregivers. The program is currently conducting proactive outreach to the estimated 15,000 veterans living in the Navajo Nation to educate them on available resources and connect them with holistic support services.
The program uses the Community Integration Model to elevate the work of local veteran-serving professionals by bridging the gaps that exist between community service providers and national resources.
*Cooper is an alias created to protect the identity of the individual.
With support from caring and passionate donors, America's Warrior Partnership (AWP) continues to advocate on behalf of veterans throughout the country. Please consider making a donation today to AWP. Your generous, tax-deductible contribution will empower veterans, their families, and caregivers with holistic community care.