Current Temp 63°F 
Pine Ridge Airport, Pine Ridge SD USA
Last updated 12:52 am

Sixty-three percent of the population of Wanblee are children living below the poverty level. With an average yearly household income of less than $3,500, most of the families in this town cannot afford to purchase anything but the bare necessities. Our Adopt a Child Program provides a way to touch an individual child and make a difference during the holiday season via a tax-deductible gift donation. We usually request warm winter clothes, but thanks to our friends at Rugged Bear (who donated 200 gorgeous new winter coats to the kids on the reservation), you may see more "fun & game" items on our wish list this year!

The brand new Lakota Kidz Rhode Island Chapter held its first educational fundraiser on Saturday, May 31, at the historic Little Compton, RI, Community Center.

The first Lakota Kidz Trading Post exceeded our expectations, despite torrential rains.

"Our goal was to get some hands-on experience in organizing non profit events," said newly installed Chapter Co-chair Mika Mason Martin, 26. "We would have been happy breaking even."

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.