NANA
NANA
Responds to
COVID-19
As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased
throughout the U.S., NANA took a series of actions
to help prevent the spread of the virus and ease its
financial impact to shareholders. NANA continues to
partner with organizations in the region and throughout
Alaska to combat the pandemic, adapting our response
to evolving state and local mandates and daily updates
from national and in-region healthcare agencies.
NANA board declares
emergency dividend
To help offset economic hardships caused by
COVID-19, the NANA board of directors voted to
declare an emergency, early dividend for NANA
shareholders of $2.50 per share.
NANA contributes support for shareholder needs
CLEANING AND SANITATION SUPPLIES DISTRIBUTED
TO REGIONAL HOUSEHOLDS
In April, NANA pledged $100,000 in cleaning and
sanitation supplies for every household in the NANA
region (more than 2,050), to help prevent the spread
of COVID-19. Bleach, paper towels, disposable gloves,
trash bags, soap and hand sanitizer were ordered
and scheduled for a phased delivery to regional
communities. Maniilaq Association and the Northwest
Arctic Borough each contributed $5,000 to purchase
the supplies, while Ryan Air and Bering Air flew the
goods to each community free of charge. The tribe or
city in each community helped organize distribution.
COMMERCIAL GROUP FUNDS IN-REGION
FOOD PROGRAM
NANA’s commercial group of companies committed
$40,000 to a food program coordinated through
Maniilaq Association’s Hardship Mitigation Project,
which provides emergency food and supply boxes
to Elders, individuals with disabilities and those
recovering from substance abuse in the NANA region.
The contribution funds three months of dry food
and laundry supply deliveries to vulnerable groups
throughout the Northwest Arctic Borough in May,
June and July. Special thanks to NANA Construction,
Kuna Engineering, NANA Management Services,
NANA/Lynden Logistics and Paa River Construction,
who collaborated to make the contribution.
FUNDS PLEDGED TO KOTZ RADIO
Each year, NANA and our family of companies come
together to support KOTZ Radio via an annual, twohour
fundraising drive, during which NANA leadership
calls for contributions through an auction and
individual pledges. Due to circumstances surrounding
COVID-19, the 2020 fundraiser was cancelled, as both
NANA and KOTZ closed their doors to the public.
Despite this and because KOTZ remains committed to
providing the latest local news as residents hunker down,
NANA pledged $10,000 to KOTZ, which the commercial
group matched with another $10,000 contribution.
AKIMA RAISES THOUSANDS FOR ELDER CARE KITS
“Part of NANA’s mission is to improve the quality
of life for our people by promoting healthy
communities,” said Linda Lee, NANA’s board
chair. “While we cannot control this virus, we can
contribute in ways that seek to ease its financial
effects.”
The dividend was distributed on April 22, 2020,
and paid through the newly established NRC
Shareholder Trust.
NWALT forms COVID-19 task force
In March, NANA, Maniilaq Association, the
Northwest Arctic Borough and the Northwest
Arctic Borough School District – together as
NWALT (Northwest Arctic Leadership Team) –
established a COVID-19 task force to help prevent
the spread of the virus in the NANA region. The
task force formed four committees, focusing on
incident command, communications, resources,
and health and safety, all of which worked together
to share information as part of a coordinated,
organized and prepared response.
The joint effort emphasizes NWALT’s long history of
cooperation in northwest Alaska, proving that we’re
strongest when we work together. To learn more,
view NWALT’s collaborative video – featuring
leadership from each partner organization – on
NANA’s Facebook page.
a program of Bean’s Cafe
DONATIONS MADE TO THE CHILDREN’S LUNCHBOX
AND COVENANT HOUSE ALASKA
In May, NANA committed $10,000 to The Children’s
Lunchbox, a Bean’s Café program that is working
to ensure no child goes hungry in Anchorage – a
community in which many shareholders live. NANA’s
contribution will provide 1,000 meals to families in
need and is part of a campaign to raise $500,000 to feed
the community’s most vulnerable.
NANA also contributed $5,000 to Covenant House
Alaska, a shelter in Anchorage for youth ages 13-20,
who are facing homelessness and human trafficking.
Covenant House provides services free of charge and is
open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Get social! Even when apart.
Working in collaboration with NWALT to help inform
messaging, NANA developed a social media campaign
to promote original, culturally relevant graphics that
offer quick tips on hunkering down, social distancing
and other best practices for combatting the spread of
COVID-19.
Check out NANA’s social media channels, including
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to like and share!
As part of a fundraiser in response to COVID-19,
Akima employees raised $60,000 to fund care kits
for Elders in the NANA region. The kits include
supplies that help Elders effectively self-monitor for
coronavirus symptoms and will be supplied and
packaged by the Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation
(HANF) and distributed by Maniilaq Association.
Akima employees generously gave more than $18,000
from individual contributions. Additionally, employees
were challenged to submit photos in their new work
environments, whether working at home or wearing
personal protective equipment at the jobsite. For every
picture submitted, Akima leadership donated to the
fundraiser. With 333 photo submissions from across
Akima companies, Akima’s executive team gave a
total of $10,700, and the remainder of the funds were
donated by Akima. Akima is proud to support NANA
shareholders and help keep the region’s Elders safe.
NANA also contributed $15,000 to HANF to supply
Elder care kits through the Alaska Native Tribal
Health Consortium (ANTHC) Alaska Community
Health Aide Program (CHAP) in Anchorage and
Fairbanks – two communities that are home to
many NANA shareholders. Kits equip Elders with
a mask, thermometer, pulse oximeter, monitor
log, vital signs card and brief information sheet.
4 HUNTER | 2020 June