Mercy Care awards $50,000 grant to Fundamental Needs for Navajo water access project

Staff Writer | Volunteer Zone

Mercy Care has awarded a 2025 Mercy C.A.R.E.S. Community Reinvestment Grant in the amount of $50,000 to Fundamental Needs, a nonprofit organization focused on infrastructure and youth empowerment.

The grant will support The Oasis Project, which addresses the lack of running water in remote Navajo Nation homes while providing paid, hands-on training for local high school students, according to a press release.

“On the Navajo Nation, many families live without the basic comfort of turning on a tap,” said Justice Ramos, executive director of Fundamental Needs. “Showers are a luxury, cooking and cleaning require planning, and water is hauled several times a week. The Oasis Project changes that reality.”

Fundamental Needs installs solar-powered water systems that provide clean, running water to homes for the first time. Each system includes a 550-gallon tank, solar-powered pump, three-stage filtration system and a tankless water heater. The systems are designed to be off-grid and self-sustaining.

Students at schools such as Rock Point Community School participate in the project by learning plumbing and solar energy skills, then earning income by installing the systems in their communities.

“The result is not just running water, but a new generation of skilled workers and passionate youth, proud of what they have built and who they have served,” Mr. Ramos said. To date, the project has installed 184 systems across the Navajo Nation, according to the press release.

“This work isn’t just about infrastructure, it’s about empowerment,” said Trisha Stuart, director of community relations at Mercy Care. “Each system they install, and every student they mentor, is creating lasting change. Our support not only empowers The Oasis Project to reach more families, but to build healthier homes across the Navajo Nation and create lasting pathways for youth to lead in their communities.”

Mercy Care, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary throughout 2025, partners with organizations across Arizona to advance health equity and address social risk factors.

“Through grant funding like this, as well as sponsorships, volunteer efforts and board participation, Mercy Care has invested more than $38 million in community reinvestment projects,” Ms. Stuart said. “These efforts help manage chronic conditions, support mental health and well-being, address housing security and empower recovery from substance use.”