Program areas at Deer Hill Foundation
The Deer Hill Foundation (DHF) awards student scholarships for individuals and groups to participate in wilderness expeditions and cross-cultural service programs. Awards are based on financial need. These experiences promote greater self awareness, cultural sensitivity, and personal empowerment for high potential students who would otherwise be unable to afford program costs. For the largest, three-element program there were 32 students and $104,105 in scholarships. For the two-element program there were 35 students and they were from Ouray, Montezuma and San Miguel counties.
COVIDs impact lessened in 2022 but remained challenging in 2023 in regard to employment, housing, and basic necessities (e.g. food, clothing, transportation). With so many families already living below the poverty line, Native peoples are especially vulnerable. Every family has stories of loss, even death during the pandemic. DHF continues to support Native Host families with food, livestock feed, tools and materials, and clothing.
The Deer Hill Foundation (DHF) supports cross-cultural projects in Navajo, Hopi and Zuni communities in Arizona and New Mexico. DHF provides logistical and technical support as well as tools, materials, and supplies. Native service projects for 13 youth groups, totaling 157 students averaged four days on site for a total of 4397 service hours. Projects included building fence; irrigation; tree planting; community garden; building a shade arbor; planting and tending cornfields; tending and shearing sheep; re-building stone bread oven; and clay whitewash in preparation for Kachina dances in Hopi communities. Conservation service: 3 youth groups, for a total of 145 students participated in conservation projects from 1-3 days in length for a total of 1320 hours. Projects included trail work and signage in partnership with BLM, and general farm work to support the Montezuma Land Conservancy in Cortez, CO.