Kirtland AFB helps Albuquerque neighbors

  • Published
  • By SSgt Enrique Barcelo
  • 377 ABW PA

Members of the Team Kirtland Airmen Committed to Excellence (ACE) Council, met-up to sort through donations made to the Navajo Hope Project on August 13, 2020.

Donations included toys, clothes and food for the Navajo Nation, located in the Northwest corner of New Mexico.
“I realized that my Native American neighbors were in trouble and that it was incumbent of me to organize something. I wasn't sure how I was going to help, but I knew I was going to help,” said Christine Glidden, one of the project leaders for Navajo Hope and an honorary commander at Kirtland Air Force Base. “I was put in touch with several volunteer organizations on base like Airmen Committed to Excellence and the 5/6 group and immediately I had a tremendous demonstration of what can happen when the community joins together.”

According to Glidden, COVID-19 has hit the Navajo Nation exceptionally hard. Many in the community live without common amenities or access to current information and have no way of knowing how severe the virus has impacted them.

“We are just looking to give back to the community” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Monzell Wiggins, President of the ACE Council. “This is a recurring project that we are splitting up with the 5/6 and the Top 3 as well as other private organizations.”

The ACE Council, along with the 5/6 and Top 3, are private organizations run by Airmen of different ranks that volunteer their time to support morale and professional military education to the installation and local community through various efforts.

These groups plan to continue to take the time to sort through the donations, while Navajo Hope will deliver them to chapter houses and even door to door within the Navajo Nation.

If you would like to donate or for more information, Christine Glidden at (505) 610-2531