Phoenix Indian Center collecting donations for Navajo Nation

The Phoenix Indian Center is collecting donations for the Navajo Nation until May 15, which has been hit especially hard by COVID-19.

PHOENIX - The Phoenix Indian Center is collecting donations for the Navajo Nation until May 15, which has been hit especially hard by COVID-19.

The nation has instituted a weekend curfew every week for more than a month now to try to flatten the curve.

A Phoenix woman saw the impacts of the virus firsthand.

Lisa Nez is donating to get supplies back to her family in the Navajo Nation. She recently lost her brother to COVID-19.

"[He] just brought joy to everybody, he was the life of the party," said Nez. "Wherever he was, he made people laugh, smile - if you met him you were just drawn to him."

A trailer is already a quarter full at the Phoenix Indian Center on Campbell and Central Avenue. Everything inside - paper towels, water, cleaning supplies - will be driven to the nation.

Navajo Nation has the third largest outbreak of COVID-19 per capita in the US.

MORE: Navajo Nation reports 119 new coronavirus cases

Phoenix resident Michael Dowdy say that's the reason why he came to donate.

"[I] saw on the news this morning there was a need, and we just had a baby and he grew fast and outgrew these, so we just wanted to come and give back," said Dowdy.

With the weekend curfews in place, Navajo Nation residents face even more problems accessing supplies, according to Patti Hibbeler, CEO of the Phoenix Indian Center.

They can’t even go out to get groceries and supplies and materials - hand sanitizer, water," Hibbeler explained. "30 percent of them do not have running water at their homes."

They’ll keep accepting donations every day until the trailers doors are shut May 15.

"You have homes that have absolutely nothing and no ability to go and get what they need in their surroundings," Hibbeler said.