San Carlos Apache Reservation

The San Carlos Apache Reservation is one of the poorest Native American communities in the United States, with the median annual household income being approximately $14,000. About 77 percent of the people live under the poverty line. San Carlos was, for a time, even the home to the legendary Apache chief Geronimo.

The Need

Thirty nine percent of families live in substandard housing and 40 percent of the families live in overcrowded conditions. Council members and the San Carlos Housing Authority receive at multiple visits a day from families who have no place to go and are in desperate need of housing. Local community leaders say that it is heartbreaking to tell these families that the waiting list is too long and that there are no homes for them.

Homes on the San Carlos Apache Reservation range from the size and appearance of a garden shed to over 1,300 square feet. Within the walls of these larger homes, as many as 20 people, sometimes up to four families may reside, most waiting for over 15 years for a home of their own. For many, cramped quarters, un-safe living conditions and poverty contribute to a vicious cycle where “home” is not a safe place to reside. The need for adequate housing is urgent. Chuck Hill, a San Carlos Reservation Housing Council representative, local church leader, and a San Carlos Apache said that it is far too common that in a three bedroom home there are four families living there, one family in each bedroom and another in the living room.

Geography & History

The San Carlos Apache Reservation spans Gila, Graham, and Pinal Counties in southeastern Arizona, roaming over a landscape that ranges from alpine meadows to desert. Encompassing 1,834,781 acres, the San Carlos Apache Reservation was established by executive order on November 9, 1871.

The Apaches are descendent of the Athabascan family who migrated to the Southwest in the 10th century. Over time, many bands of Apache were relocated to the reservation from their traditional homelands, which once extended through Arizona and New Mexico.

The San Carlos Apache Nation, which is approximately 90 miles from the Phoenix area, is the third largest reservation in the state of Arizona and with the shocking unemployment rate of more than 75%. This reservation boasts a population of some 16,000 (over half of which are under 18) and is the 10th largest Native American reservation in land area.

The Solution

Amor Ministries will do more in the San Carlos Apache Nation than just make life easier for a family in need; we will open hearts to truly see the grace and love of Jesus through providing tangible objects of security, safety, and stability.

Amor has formed strategic alliances with Tribal governments, participating churches, and the private sector to effectively meet the needs of the poorest families living on the San Carlos Apache Reservation.

Through these partnerships, Amor will seek to alleviate the tangible needs of the poor by sharing the love of Jesus with families through providing homes to families in need.