LAKOTA FRIENDS CIRCLE SPRING NEWSLETTER

Lakota Friends Circle and the partner groups we work with have been very busy this Spring. The Rez is still not back to operating as it was pre-pandemic but organizations are doing their best to serve the clients in need of their services. Our partner groups have been most helpful supplying the daily needs for their clients including seasonal clothing, books, school supplies, toys, toiletry bags, blankets, bedding and towels.

Your monetary donations to LFC have allowed us to purchase diapers, formula, food, winter coats, and appliances. Your generosity funded our scholarship program, provided funds for home repairs and even provided a matching donation for the purchase of a vehicle for Maggie’s House. Your support makes it possible for us to assist organizations on three Indian Reservations in South Dakota – Rosebud, Pine Ridge and Yankton Sioux. Following is an update showing how your donations are helping those in need.

Pine Ridge Reservation

LFC assists two baby programs on Pine Ridge, Bright Start in the village of Pine Ridge and Wild Horse Butte CDC in Martin. In addition to providing diapers, formula and other baby needs, they provide education and health screenings for women during pregnancy and after delivery and medical care for their newborns and other children. The US has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations and we are the only one that is rising. We rank 33 out of 36 among OECD nations for infant mortality with much higher rates for babies born to African American and Native American mothers. Statistics show poor socioeconomic conditions and teen pregnancies contribute to poor outcomes for moms and babies. Health care quality on Reservations is mediocre at best.  Monthly donations to the baby program helps provide formula, baby bottles,  diapers, wipes and diaper cream. Many new moms are teenagers and have no resources available to care for an infant which puts babies at risk for neglect and emotional or physical abuse.

Bright Start

Is located in the town of Pine Ridge and provides regular home visits by a nurse until the child reaches the age of 2 years. Through these home visits the nurse is able to identify any health or developmental issues early when treatment outcomes are most favorable and they can verify medical and immunization appointments are being kept. Our partner groups provide the program with clothing, diaper bags, toiletries, toys and small gifts for moms which provide much needed items but they can also serve as incentives for moms to keep appointments and care for their babies.

Wild Horse Butte CDC

Is located in Martin and provides moms with diapers, formula and other needs at their office. Partner groups also provide the same baby items to this program as they do at Bright Start. They will also begin having a nurse at a nearby location to immunize children and schedule medical appointments at the town clinic. Public Health nurses are no longer making home visits to families across the Rez which puts children at more risk for abuse or neglect because their living situations can’t be evaluated. They’re also more likely to miss medical appointments (due to lack of transportation or funds to buy fuel) and immunizations, but hopefully having a nurse available at a nearby location will make it easier for moms to do everything at one visit. WIC has now reopened so moms can get formula and basic food needs for their babies (if they’re signed up), but they don’t last for the entire month and they will have to visit WHB to see if they can help them make it through until they’re next monthly allotment from WIC. Many moms may start off breastfeeding their babies but most discontinue due to lack of support or if they work or are still in school which makes it much more difficult. The current formula shortage nationwide has made a bad situation worse for many moms but LFC has worked overtime to source supplies for our baby programs, all made possible thanks to your continuing support!

Sacred Shawl Society

LFC also supports Sacred Shawl Society’s women’s shelter in Martin. Our partner groups provide clothing, toys, toiletries, bedding, etc. for their clients and LFC sends recurring monthly shipments of toiletries, toilet paper, laundry detergent, food and many other needs. Baby supplies from WHB are shared with the shelter. From your donations we recently purchased a large freezer for the shelter so food could be purchased in larger quantities and at better prices. The tribe donated buffalo meat from a recent hunt which will be used to help feed their clients or even a community member who may be struggling to feed their family. Higher gas prices means people can’t afford to travel very far to shop so are forced to purchase food at their local convenience stores where prices are high and the food quality is poor. There is a grocery store in the village of Pine Ridge but it’s too far away for those living in the outer districts. Sacred Shawl does some of their shopping at the foodbank in Rapid City (100+ miles round trip) where they can purchase food for 18 cents a pound but the selection is sometimes very limited. They buy perishables locally which LFC has helped with many times.  

Children In Need of Care Foster Home

This organization is really needed on the Rez. Children come to the home with various issues of abuse or neglect through Child Protective Services. Your donations have allowed us to purchase food, snacks, laundry detergent, diapers, formula, toiletries, toilet paper, and cleaning and office supplies. Our partner groups provide seasonal clothing, toys, books, school supplies, etc. LFC provides funds for monthly phone and internet services and propane if needed and food if CPS is late with their monthly allotment for each client. We provide fuel for their vehicles so they can drive children to medical or court appointments, to the hospital or for staff to make the monthly trip to Rapid City for food through a monthly stipend. A monthly stipend is also provided for the purchase of perishables locally so they can limit their fuel expenses. We’re in the process of locating an outdoor shed to store their gardening equipment and outside toys. Hopefully we will see the shade cloth we bought last year to keep the kids out of the sun while playing, properly installed. They also need help purchasing a van but we’re waiting on that until the outside play area has been completed. We’re putting your donations to work by helping provide a safe home to children that can no longer live in theirs.

Maggie’s House 

This organization provides housing for youth 17-24, many homeless from the failed foster care system. The facility was scheduled to open May 1 but 3 staff members had deaths in their families and the new date of June 1 has been further delayed by the resignation of two employees which leaves them with a staff of 2, which isn’t adequate to supervise 12 residents 24/7. Finding employees on the Rez is a problem as it is across most of the country. There are lots of employment opportunities at the moment so competition is high for those needing to fill positions. Children in Need of Care had the same issues at times and is getting employees through the tribal work program and training them on the job. The tribe does pay their salary in exchange for training. Maggie’s House received a homeless housing grant through the federal government’s Covid funds and has been using the money to house the homeless in the local hotel or in local rentals. Housing on the Rez is a big issue due to the shortages.  

Your donations purchased 2 computers for the facility from a donor so clients can do their homework, apply for jobs, grants, etc. and also provided them with a $5000 matching donation to purchase a van so they can transport clients to job interviews, school, services, etc. We also purchased a new freezer for the facility with monies donated from a donor for that purchase. The freezer will not only help Maggie’s clients but also the community. They are getting donated meat from a buffalo hunt that can be used to feed their clients and also people in the community who are struggling with food issues. Last year we were able to purchase several beds, dressers and kitchen appliances from your generosity. Hopefully employees can be found and Maggie’s House can open as planned. It is a wonderful program with a skilled administrator, all they need is the staff to run it.

Ruby’s Homeless Feeding program  

Ruby is an elder on Pine Ridge who helps feed and clothe the homeless.  She prepares meals twice a week in her small kitchen for people in need.   The group For the Children of PRR and Rosebud, who work with LFC and are great supporters of Ruby’s program, recently sent donations to LFC to replace the floor and kitchen cabinets in her trailer that were in much need of repair. The group also donated funds to LFC to purchase propane and pay her electric bills.  The group also regularly  provides funds to LFC to purchase food and toiletries. Ruby recently provided an Easter dinner for the homeless and distributed toiletries to those in need. Ruby was recently honored by the tribe in recognition for all her hard work ministering to the needs of the homeless population.   She is nearing 80 years old and has some health issues so is not sure how much longer she’ll be able to continue, but she vows to keep going as long as she can.

 Rosebud Reservation

RST Maternal and Child Health is a program for high risk pregnancies that monitors women throughout their pregnancy and until their children reach 2 years of age. They provide education, resources and oversight of moms and their babies and toddlers. Each baby is provided a layette through donations from our partner group Sew For Kids. They also provide seasonal clothing, toys, books and other items for babies and their siblings. Your monthly donations to our baby program provides a monthly shipment of diapers, formula, wipes and diaper cream.

White Buffalo Calf Women’s Society 

This organization provides a safe haven for women, their children and men who have been victims of domestic abuse. Our partner groups provide clothing, bedding, toiletry bags, school supplies, books, toys, Christmas gifts and many other needs for their clients and LFC provided monthly shipments of diapers, formula, laundry soap, baby wipes and toiletries.

Rosebud elementary school  

Partner group “For the Children of PRR and Rosebud”  helps this  elementary school’s 300 students. Their members provide clothing, shoes, school supplies and many other items throughout the school year.  In the past few months they’ve sent Valentines, school supplies, Easter gifts and summer clothing.  Every student receives a Christmas package every year as do their teachers. While LFC has not used any of your donations for the school this past Spring, we have helped in the past.

Yankton Sioux Indian Reservation 

We have been helping Marty Indian School for the past 5 years with the help of partner group Sew For Kids. Their members volunteer each year to be room parents for classes K-5 with 2 members being assigned a class to provide school supplies and other needs. They also may receive assistance from the main group if the needs are great and everyone sends clothes, toys, books, school supplies, toiletries, etc. for the school’s Feather Store where students can shop using feathers they’ve earned for exhibiting Dakota values. Recently room parents and SFK members donated a filled toiletry bag and a new bath towel and washcloth for each student as a year end gift. Many homes don’t have towels and toiletries are scarce, depending on the family’s resources, so the students were excited to receive this thoughtful gift.  

Recently at the end of school party kids got soaked in the fun house so they all headed to the Feather Store to get a dry set of clothing. Now the store needs restocking and SFK members are busy working on that task. Food for the party was provided by LFC and also members of Sew For Kid’s Doll Program. Members dress dolls for Christmas gifts every year and some of them sew extra outfits that other members can purchase for a donation to the SFK fund through Lakota Friends Circle.  Thanks ladies! School is over for this year but kids are back for a month of summer school to improve their reading scores that suffered terribly with all the homeschooling during the pandemic. They will have some outings as well so it won’t be all work and no play.

Lakota Friends Circle has been working with the school to get the snack program working better, students are now getting snacks 3 times a week from the school and from LFC the other 2 days.  We’re trying to choose snacks with a higher fat and protein content so kids will feel full longer. Growing minds and bodies need good nutrition to develop fully.  Thanks to everyone that has so generously donated funding to the snack program and/or added snack items to your boxes of donations as well.

Lakota Friends Circle also buys laundry soap, dish soap, lice kits, toiletries and other requested items for the Feather Store. Some students come to school with soiled clothing as they don’t have access to laundry facilities so they’re given a new set of clothes from the Feather Store and the school washes theirs while they study. A member of SFK and her husband donated funds for a 3D printer for the school and one of the teachers has experience using those machines.

Scholarship Fund

This past semester we gave another $1000 scholarship to a deserving student who is studying Civil Engineering in Rapid City at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. We’re hoping more students will become aware of our program and apply. LFC has set aside $5000 for the Fall.

Bombas Socks

One of LFC’s Board members applied for sock donations from the Bombas sock company’s giving back program. They awarded us 3000 pairs of socks, the spring shipment has already been distributed to all the organizations we help and another shipment should be coming in the fall. Socks are always high on the list of needs on the Rez and we are so grateful LFC was awarded this generous gift.

That completes our updates for Spring. We have projects planned for the Fall and are busy working on them now. 

Your donations and support of LFC make all this possible. We thank you for caring about the Lakota and Dakota people in South Dakota and sharing our dream of a better future for their families. If you wish to make a donation to any of the areas we help you can make one here . Because of YOU, we are able to help the program needs of the organizations we assist. Again THANK YOU!