Current Temp
93°F 
Pine Ridge Airport, Pine Ridge SD USA
Last updated 6:52 pm |
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South Shore groups lend a helping hand
 As part of a cross-generational
project, the South Shore Charter Public School has adopted Lakota
Kidz as a charitable undertaking. In order to raise funds for the Fuel
Assistance Program, students sold Johnny Cupcakes pins, conducted
ongoing raffles, and joined forces with South Shore Vo-Tech School
to design and print bumper stickers and posters. Besides raising funds,
this Cross Generational Project helped spread awareness of the level
of poverty on the reservation. The publicity generated by the students
provided us with an additional 200 coats donated by Rugged Bear. The
money the students raised covered shipping costs for the coats and further
supported our fuel assistance program. The Cross Generational Project
publicity also inspired two local churches to join in the fund raising and
awareness efforts.
 When the Middle School Youth
Group (MSYG) of the Second Congregational Church of Cohasset adopted
Lakota Kidz as their Fall Community Service Project, their
generosity of spirit proved to be contagious to the rest of the parish. The
MSYG made crafts to sell, conducted raffles and donated funds for our Fuel
Assistance and Head Start programs. Thanks to their enthusiasm, the
Outreach Program at this church has donated additional funds and continues
to list us as a charity they support.
Lakota Kidz would like to
extend a special thanks to these organizations. Their intercultural
curiosity and compassion, creativity, enthusiasm and generosity of spirit
have made a big difference to the lives of many people in Wanblee this
season. Each group will receive the Lakota Kidz Nape Luta
(Helping Hand) award.
Pine Ridge Reservation
If the Lakota Sioux Nation were recognized as a country, it
would be the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, second only to
Haiti.
South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation is home to 40,000 Lakota
Americans, 70% of whom are unemployed. 75% lives below the federal poverty
level.
Many houses in Wanblee, the poorest town on the reservation, have no
heat, insulation, stoves, refrigerators, or water.
Lakota Kidz – a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2004, staffed entirely by volunteers, and funded solely by
private donations and grants – is dedicated to making brutal winters a little warmer, and to supporting Head Start
programs, for the Lakota Sioux living in Wanblee, South Dakota, the poorest town in the poorest county in the nation.
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