This mother is providing local children with apparel, educational resources, and a connection to their indigenous heritage as part of their community.
In 2012, for Elisia Manuel, one of those pressing phone calls arrived. The situation required immediate attention, involving an infant in need of critical care.
As a case manager stated, "You've got 48 hours, and we need this car seat back." This realization sparked a change in Manuel, pushing her to explore and allocate necessary resources.
Manuel's personal journey as a foster parent and adoptive mom motivated her to initiate nonprofit organization Three Precious Miracles, a volunteer-run association that supports underprivileged Native American youth and their families.
Identifying as Apache and Mexican, Manuel and her husband, Tecumseh, an enrolled member of Gila River Indian Community, obtained foster parent licensing with Tecumseh's tribe in Arizona. This region frequently overrepresents Native American children in the foster care system, simultaneously encountering a shortage of Native American foster parents.
Within six months after becoming a mother to four children younger than two, Manuel recounted her experience as "abundantly blessed."
In an effort to support Native American children and caregivers, Manuel started gathering fundamental supplies such as apparel, diapers, toiletries, and toys before distributing them from their warehouse on Gila River Indian Community.
"If a mom can't afford diapers or a young person requires footwear, then we'll try to cater to their needs if we have the commodities," Manuel explained.
As Manuel extended her involvement within her community, she recognized that help was often needed beyond foster and adoptive families. Today, she assists in addressing these gaps and providing adequate resources to Native American children.
Manuel also encountered caregivers concerned about preserving children's cultural and historical roots.
"In Arizona, we have 22 significant tribes surrounding us," Manuel stated. "Non-Native fostering parents and grandparents elevating children, even group homes, ask, 'How can I establish my kids' cultural connections?'"
Manuel comprehends the significance of family and cultural ties after her own experience.
"I was not aware of my Apache side," she admitted. "When I was in my late 20s, I discovered more. They welcomed me warmly, blessed me greatly, and performed a special ceremony at my house (naming me Beautiful Sunflower). I felt supported and cherished. This is what I want for these kids."
Subsequently, Manuel started a project that enlisted elders to construct tribal quilts for children in foster care. Additionally, her nonprofit facilitates beadwork classes, educational workshops, and parenting courses.
In May, they convened the second powwow, a ritual of blessings, music, drumming, and dancing, which attracted Native American people from all tribes.
For adolescents like 17-year-old Jaycob, who was adopted into a non-Native household at seven, this occasion yields an opportunity to preserve his roots and cultivate self-awareness.
"There are numerous children who resemble me, grappling to find themselves," Jaycob indicated. "This assists them. It motivates me to unearth as much information as I can about myself and my community."
Manuel and her nonprofit cater to more than 800 Native American children and families annually, offering programs and cultural events. Ultimately, she emphasized creating secure, optimistic, and culturally sensitive households for Native American children, regardless of caregivers' backgrounds.
"There are countless Native children engrossed in care. I yearn for kids to visit and relate to their sense of identification and culture being in sight," Manuel expressed passionately. "I genuinely desire children to realize that they'll always be acknowledged, loved, and know their history."
Do you seek involvement? Explore the Three Precious Miracles' website and discover possibilities to help.
To donate to Three Precious Miracles via GoFundMe, click here.
After establishing Three Precious Miracles, Manuel and her team regularly sought ways to better support the community. They realized that providing necessary resources was not enough and decided to involve native elders in their initiatives, such as creating tribal quilts for children in foster care.
With the success of their programs, Manuel's nonprofit was able to assist over 800 Native American children and families annually, fostering a sense of cultural identity and history for many young individuals like 17-year-old Jaycob, who was adopted into a non-native household.
