March – Baby/Toddler Project

Mar11

Well this blog is a little late (11 days but who’s counting, lol!), believe it or not we do try for the first of the month but sometimes get sidetracked with other requests and the blog gets delayed. Fortunately our forgiving members are used to our tardiness and are already sending diapers and supplies to the areas we serve. Some of our members have a special calling for anything baby related and concentrate mostly on them throughout the year. We’re frequently asked if donations are tax deductible and the answer is some are and some aren’t. The information is under each donation area and we’ve suggested how you can still get a deduction even though some programs don’t qualify. We’ve also tried to answer other frequent questions about how your donations help and which areas serve babies. Keep the questions coming and we’ll do our best to answer them. Some of this information was in our last couple of blogs but we’re repeating for new visitors, others may want to skip down to the list of needs.

Gather Our Children Home

Is an emergency foster care home in Oglala, SD on Pine Ridge Reservation serving children 0-12 years of age. The mission statement from their website “The creation of Wakanyeja Gluwitayan Otipi is a project of concerned elders and grandmothers who are citizens of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. It is a domestic nonprofit incorporated under the laws of the State of South Dakota. The purpose of the children’s home is to provide an immediate safe environment until a caring, safe and suitable foster or relative home becomes available for children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. The home is entirely based upon Lakota traditional child and family child raising practices”.

Children are admitted to the home after child protective services removes them from their abusive or unsafe homes. Sometimes the hospital may release children directly to the home after an injury or in the case of newborns occasionally soon after delivery if the mother is physically, emotionally, or financially unable to care for her baby or has a substance abuse problem. The facility can currently care for 15 children although they have stretched the number to 16 for critical cases which puts a stress on their small staff. Although the foster home is about the same size as the average home on the Rez (which may house more than 20 people), they are required to follow SD safety rules and codes such as maintaining fire exits, extinguishers, and smoke alarms, maintaining insurance and practicing food safety rules all of which adds to the cost of operating a safe home for children on a shoe string budget.

Children staying at the home for more than a few days attend the local elementary school. Babies tend to have a longer stay unless they’re only there for respite care. Most children arrive at the home with just the clothes on their backs so are given clothing, shoes, toiletries and toys (if they have them) but most important, they’re provided with a safe, loving and nurturing home environment provided by the dedicated staff. When children leave the facility they take clothing and other things they were given when arriving so stock at the home needs constant replenishing.

Director, Barbara Dull Knife, is currently working on finding funding to build a new 40 bed home. She has already donated a tract of land she owns for the project but now needs to raise funding through a capital campaign and writing grants before construction can begin. They do receive some help from the tribe, the rest comes from non profits such as ours. Children cannot be placed in foster homes off the Rez and many who could be foster parents are unwilling to apply because they’re worried CPS may find drugs or alcohol, both illegal substances on the Rez, in their homes which is likely since most people have a large number of adults living with them. This organization is a 501(c)(3) and all donations qualify for a charitable tax deduction.

Sacred Shawl Society – Martin SD

Operates a shelter for women suffering from domestic/sexual abuse and their children. Clients and their children arrive at the shelter with just the clothes they’re wearing and sometimes without shoes. Every organization on the Rez operates on an extremely tight budget including Sacred Shawl. Kimmie says without our donations of clothing, toiletries, shoes, toys, school supplies, etc. they simply couldn’t provide anything to incoming clients other than counseling and a safe place to stay. She has also provided clothing and other items to the Martin Head Start which serves toddlers 3-5 years. Our group recently provided each child with a blanket, book and stuffed animal.

The Martin Clinic has a midwife that sees patients in the Wanblee and Martin areas and girls at Pine Ridge High School. She likes to have baby supplies to use as incentives to encourage women to come in for prenatal care and checkups after delivery. New mothers and babies are followed by a public health nurse for a few weeks after birth to make sure both are doing well and to keep an eye out for postpartum depression which is often seen on the Rez. They’re also counseled on breastfeeding, SIDS guidelines and signed up for WIC and other programs. Having incentives increases the likelihood women will follow through with all the preventive programs available for them and their babies.

Wild Horse Butte CDC What is a CDC? It is a community development corporation or (CDC) and is a not-for-profit organization incorporated to provide programs, offer services and engage in other activities that promote and support community development. CDC’s usually serve a geographic location such as a neighborhood or a town.

Kimmie Clausen, director of Sacred Shawl is also the director of the CDC serving the Martin area. Mothers come by the CDC toward the end of the month looking for help when their baby’s formula has run out. The formula they receive from WIC usually lasts for three weeks so mothers must try to find help until their benefits become available at the beginning of the month. They’re also looking for diapers, clothing and other needs and Kimmie, never letting an opportunity to educate women slip by, gives them tips on child care, parenting, budgeting, etc. and even offers a soft shoulder to cry on if needed. Kimmie is well known across the Rez for the tireless work she does for women and children’s rights so often receives calls from women in other areas who know she will do whatever it takes to help them. All donations to the CDC or Sacred Shawl are eligible for a charitable tax deduction.

Bright Start Program

Targets expectant mothers to improve their health so they in turn give birth to healthy babies. Clients are eligible for the program until their child reaches their third birthday. Mary Mousseau sees her clients weekly in Pine Ridge, Martin and Kyle for the first two weeks after birth and twice a month thereafter. She has between 20-30 clients, many are in their teens and or are first time mothers. Please click on this link to learn more about this program and what they offer.

Having baby supplies, clothing, books, toys and even toiletries and small gifts for the mothers has made Mary’s life so much easier and having the proper resources for babies reduces the likelihood of child abuse in young, inexperienced and frustrated mothers. Mary says her clients are absolutely thrilled to have the proper clothing and supplies for their babies, books they can read to their children and toys for their kids they couldn’t otherwise afford. This is a government program so donations are NOT tax deductible however, cash donations made to Lakota Friends Circle for the purchase of diapers, toiletries, etc. are eligible and a receipt will be emailed to you.

Rosebud Sioux Tribe Maternal and Child Health Program

Located in Mission, South Dakota serves women with high risk pregnancies before and after delivery, more information can be found in a previous blog here. Head nurse, Sandi Wilcox, makes home visits to women before and after delivery providing education, well being checks and making sure they’re enrolled in WIC and getting medical checkups and immunizations for their babies. She does take clients a layette before giving birth and would like to have clothing, toiletries, small gifts for mothers, etc. for future home visits. This is a tribal program so donations are NOT eligible for a charitable tax deduction, however all cash donations to Lakota Friends Circle for the benefit of this program does qualify and a receipt will be emailed to you for your contribution.

Wanblee Community

Has a daycare center and a Head Start program and often has needs for children in those programs. Jerome and Theresa High Horse, like Kimmie Clausen in Martin, often receive calls from desperate people needing formula, diapers and other needs for their babies and children which they’re happy to help with if they have the supplies. The Wanblee Public Health Nurse is currently on maternity leave but will begin seeing patients again at area clinics and making home visits when she returns to work. She brings baby supplies with her if she has them. Donations for all babies in the Wanblee area should be mailed to Lakota Friends Circle c/o Jerome and Theresa High Horse, address here. If your donation is for the public health nurse please put ATTN: Michelle, Public Health Nurse somewhere on your box, she will pick up her donations from them which makes your donation tax deductible. We have previously worked with Michelle when she was employed at Rosebud Hospital and we’re expecting the same good working relationship now that we had with her previously. We’ll let you know when she has returned to work.

List of Needs

Clothing – Onesies, sleepers, sleep sacks, sweaters, shirts and pants. Most newborns wear 0-3 months but Rosebud’s program also needs NB and preemie since they serve high risk clients. Sizes for all areas needed up to 3T
Socks/booties and hats – Both good projects for knitters and sewers.
Blankets – Warm blankets, afghans, quilts and receiving blankets
Towels – Regular bath towels and washcloths, hooded towels and smaller/softer baby wash cloths especially desirable.
Burp Cloths/Bibs – Both home sewn and ready made. Good projects to whittle down your stash.
Toys – Including small stuffed animals (baby safe – no buttons, strings, loose trims, etc.), teethers, baby books. Other toys up to 2-3 years.
Sheets – to fit Pack and Play’s, they only receive one sheet with the unit.
Diaper Bags – traditional style, tote bags and back packs for younger moms.
Toiletries for Baby – Including baby wash, cotton swabs, diaper cream, thermometers, baby nail clippers, pacifiers.
Toiletries for Mothers – Shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, body wash, sanitary pads/tampons. Small items such as nail polish, hair ties, hair brush, etc. would make a mom feel special.
Diapers and Wipes – Diapers in sizes 3-4 most needed

Items may be home sewn, purchased new or gently used if they meet our donation guidelines. Donation addresses are here. Monetary donations can also be made to Lakota Friends Circle for the purchase of diapers, wipes and toiletries which can provide you with a charitable tax donation. If you prefer to send yourself from an online store please consider purchasing through Amazon Smile and choosing Lakota Friends Circle as your charity. They receive a quarterly check from Amazon that is used to fund our programs on reservations in SD.

Please join our Facebook working group Sew For Kids Volunteers where we discuss ideas and patterns, share sales and pictures of finished projects.

Thanks as always from Sew For Kids!

Package Deliveries and Correspondence

The organizations we assist on the Rez operate on a very small, fixed budget which means one person more than likely handles half a dozen jobs or more. They don’t have staffed offices capable of sending thank you notes or any correspondence other than returning a tax form in your SASE envelope or a stamped, addressed postcard for delivery confirmation. You can find charitable tax forms to fill out on our “Where to Send” page here if they qualify, government programs are NOT tax exempt. Fill out the form and include it with a SASE in the TOP of your box so they can sign and return to you. If you need to know your box arrived please purchase delivery confirmation if shipping via the PO or track your package online if shipping via UPS or FedEx. Including your email may get a reply but we cannot guarantee the person on the receiving end will follow through.

When sending from an online store fill in the “Is this a gift?” information box available on most sites and be sure to add your name. Many of the Rez folks have said many times there is no contact information inside the box. We are trying to work with some of the areas to get a list of weekly shipments received but if they’re busy it will be hit and miss at best.

The program directors are so grateful for all the help you’ve so generously given to their communities and they’re constantly singing your praises whenever we speak to them. We try our best to keep you updated through the blogs and we have multiple board members that make yearly visits to all the areas so we can assure you the programs are operating and using your donations as intended. If you don’t receive your SASE within a month please contact Carol here. We do the best we can to please everyone but there’s only so much we can do, if we stop sending then our mission of helping children and their families has been defeated. Thank you all for your patience and understanding.

Latest Rez News

Mar5

MARTIN, SD

The Sacred Shawl Society’s women’s shelter in Martin has had quite a few admissions lately, the weather has been in the single digits so everyone has been staying inside which makes for more work and stress for everyone. It’s sad there’s a need for the shelter but fortunately there’s a safe place to go on the Reservation for abused women and their children. Shelter director, Kimmie Clausen, is in a fight every day to find money through grants and donations to keep the doors open. This is grant writing season and Kimmie’s been busy looking for funds to operate the shelter which includes employee salaries, food, etc. She’s also applying for grants so she and her staff can teach parenting skills to clients. Most of the women grew up in dysfunctional homes and never learned how to be a parent. Kimmie says without the help of Sew For Kids and For the Children of Pine Ridge Reservation she couldn’t operate her programs effectively. When applying for various grants she states on her application that our groups have contributed at least $30,000 in in kind donations.

They’re currently busy planning summer activities for children at “My Space Youth Center” in Martin. Two popular activities, swimming and gardening, will be returning for sure but they also want to teach kids various skills including traditional crafts and take field trips to cultural sites to learn about Lakota history. They will get some funding from the District and Kimmie has applied for some youth grants as well. They will try to get most of the kids using the center enrolled in a summer food program so they only have to provide snacks and sandwiches. Kids are starving after swimming or playing all day which puts a strain on the food budget at the center during the summer.

Kimmie says it’s been extremely cold this winter and the District has spent $50,000 more this year to keep folks warm, especially the elderly. She has spent over $1800 to heat her own home this season and wonders how the unemployed on the Rez are managing with just the LIHEAP program to help them, which is on the chopping block under the current administration. All the warm clothing you’ve sent has been a blessing for so many and the blanket requests never end. Both are needed to keep warm in unheated homes where bundling up is a necessity.

The Allen Head Start students recently received blankets, books, stuffed animals and warm clothing and accessories thanks to the generosity of SFK and Children of PRR. Word got out about the wonderful blankets and goodies we sent to Martin Head Start and Allen asked Kimmie if she could get some help for their students. We asked, you responded and lots of kids are happy, thanks ladies!!

WANBLEE, SD

Jerome High Horse has spent a good part of this winter unloading, sorting and delivering food from trucks coming in from various organizations. He had hoped to make a trip to pick up food from “We Don’t Waste” in Colorado, unfortunately the weather hasn’t cooperated so far but he’s still planning a trip within the next 3 weeks. Lakota Friends Circle provides most of the gas money to pick up food from Rapid City, Colorado, etc. and deliver to people in Wanblee and the outlying areas, all made possible through your generous donations and some from the quarterly check they receive from Amazon Smile.

The Woodchucks have been busy cutting wood again, this is the first time since starting the program they’ve run out of wood before the heating season ended. The weather has been so cold this year they’ve had a hard time keeping up with the demand, some people don’t have money to buy propane so their wood stove is the only heat they have. All the blankets and warm clothing you’ve sent to Wanblee has been a lifesaver for these folks, thank you!

Sadly there is still no resolution to the conflict at the community center the High Horse’s built with the Epp’s under Families Working Together which is ironic considering “working together” is in the name of their group. So Jerome and Theresa have gone back to the Kennedy Hall for their activities and are currently paying the utilities. They’re trying to get ownership of the building moved to the Wanblee Community and under tribal jurisdiction in the hopes they will pay the utilities. The freezers we purchased and other items will be moved from the community center soon. There is a plan for a community Easter party and SFK may help with food.

The public health nurse in Wanblee we’re planning to help is still on family leave after a difficult delivery, we wish her and her baby a speedy recovery. We’ll let you know when she returns to work and post a list of needs.

Lakota Friends Circle, our “mother” organization is hoping to move 5 mobile homes from Pine Ridge to Wanblee this summer for 5 deserving families. The homes were given to Jerome High Horse for needy families in the Wanblee area and originally came from North Dakota where they were used for workers in the oil industry. They are fully furnished and in excellent condition but will have to be moved from Pine Ridge at a cost of $2000 each. We’re planning a fund raising event soon detailed in a future blog. Many thanks to those already helping with that need.

BRIGHT START PINE RIDGE, SD

Program director and nurse, Mary Mousseau, is very busy with her clients and in weekly contact with Carol reporting on her program and always thanking everyone for generously supporting the babies and mothers she serves across the Rez. She makes home visits to her clients for health checks, education, etc. and before our groups began helping would often come to homes empty handed. Now she has baby supplies, clothing, books, toys and even toiletries and small gifts for the mothers. Women are absolutely thrilled to have the proper clothing and supplies for their babies, books they can read to their children and toys for their kids they couldn’t otherwise afford. Thanks for helping these families and making them feel special!

MARTY INDIAN SCHOOL – MARTY, SD

Students have had quite a few late starts and missed several days of school this winter due to the winter weather. Most school districts would rather cancel classes than risk a bus break down or accident in frigid temps putting their precious cargo in harms way. Hopefully they won’t have too many days to make up at the end of the year.

Room parents from SFK continue to help their classes sending snacks, school and party supplies, etc. The Feather Store is a blessing as students and parents/grandparents can buy things they need for the cost of a few feathers earned by their children for attending school, finishing homework, displaying good sportsmanship, Dakota values, etc. Ramonia S. helped fill the shelves of the feather store with clothing by sending many huge boxes of donations with the help of her friends and family and her savvy shopping skills, thanks Ramonia!

Students celebrated Valentine’s Day in their classrooms by passing out Valentines, eating snacks and playing games. They had another celebration this past Monday for Dr. Seuss’s Read Across America and the second grade teacher (Carol’s class) was making red and white cupcakes for the party. His students read daily in the classroom and he says they plan to have a summer reading program, he’s also in charge of the Boys and Girls Club at the school. Lots of books have gone to individual classrooms and also to the Feather Store where kids can buy books to build their own home library.

GATHER OUR CHILDREN HOME – OGLALA, SD

Is one of the newest areas we serve and came to our attention after Kimmie Clausen recommended them and alerted us to their needs. They’ve had many babies and kids come through the home and could take many more if they had the staff. Founder and Director, Barb Dull Knife, is working with Kimmie to find grants (they need about $200,000) so she can hire more staff and care for more children in need of a safe home. Child Protection Services wants them to apply for a grant with them as well. The home operates with a no frills budget, much like Kimmie’s at Sacred Shawl.

Since Sew For Kids and For the Children of PRR began helping the foster home about a month ago, we’ve provided a full tank of propane, a new DVD player (thanks Margaret H), plug in phones (thanks woolydragon), a new upright freezer, toys, clothing, shoes, sheets, towels, blankets, books, DVD’s, toiletries, food, formula, diapers, school supplies, etc. WOW, the response from everyone for these kids has been simply amazing! Barbara was on her last few gallons of propane when we asked for your help and you responded with enough donations to fill the entire tank! You gave so generously that there was enough money left over to purchase a new freezer that had been on their wish list for some time and there may be enough left to buy the security cameras they need to protect kids and staff or at least pay for part of the cost. Thank You hardly seems adequate for all the kindness you’ve shown but knowing kids are warmer this winter, have adequate clothing and toys to play is really all we need.

ROSEBUD SIOUX TRIBE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH PROGRAM – MISSION, SD

Is a program serving women with high risk pregnancies before and after delivery, more information can be found in our last blog here. Sandi Wilcox, program director, says donations are already arriving and they’re so happy we’re helping them get clothing and supplies for their program. Sandi called Janet S today to acknowledge the arrival of her recent shipment and during conversation said they were completely out of blankets due to the below zero weather they’ve had recently. She also said they serve 30 or more clients, not the 10-15 our previous blog reported, and can use clothing up to 3T and diapers in sizes 3 and 4 most needed. Thank you for the generous and quick response to this new area, please help when you can. All their needs are in the blog link above.

Well that concludes our updates for now. People on the Rez are staying inside and at home during this frigid weather that seems never ending unless they have to go to work, school or medical appointments. Spring should be just around the corner, Jerome High Horse saw his first robin the other day despite the thermometer saying -14, hope that robin made it!

If you don’t like to sew, craft or shop there are still other ways to help. Monetary donations (tax deductible) to Lakota Friends Circle help us provide diapers, toiletries, baby formula, food etc. to our programs, no donation is too small. If you’re a shopper with Amazon, shop through Amazon Smile where a percentage of your purchase (no cost to you) is donated to us by Amazon when you choose Lakota Friends Circle as your charitable organization. We receive a quarterly check from Amazon that we use for food, diapers, etc. for area programs. We’re so grateful for any help for the children and families we serve.

Thanks from Sew For Kids!

Rosebud Sioux Tribe Maternal and Child Health Program

Feb28

Sew For Kids was recently contacted by a nurse from Rosebud Sioux Reservation, whom we’d previously helped, asking if our group could supply baby layettes and other needs for women and their newborns enrolled in the “RST Maternal and Child Health” program located in Mission, SD. This is a tribal government program that serves women with high risk pregnancies referred to them by the medical community or other health program. High risk in this case means they may have medical conditions such as diabetes or anemia, are very young or have had no prenatal care. Ideally they try to get women enrolled in the program in their first trimester so they can provide education and follow them on a monthly basis during the rest of their pregnancy through home visits.

The maternity unit is closed at Rosebud Hospital so patients will deliver their babies in Valentine or Chadron, Nebraska or at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD if they have more serious medical issues. After delivery women and babies are followed by a visiting nurse in their homes where they receive health and well being checks, education and referral to other programs and resources if needed. Home visits begin two weeks after delivery and continue on a regular basis until the baby is two years of age when they are turned over to other programs. The program serves about 30 clients a year.

Women are encouraged to breastfeed their babies if possible and are provided a breast pump if they’re working or attending school. Formula companies are not allowed to give samples of formula, diaper bags or anything advertising their products so women leave the hospital with nothing but a few disposable diapers for their babies. The WIC program does provide formula if they qualify, but the supply doesn’t last through the month. Babies can receive WIC up to 5 years of age and occasionally 6 as well as food stamps, but even these two programs combined still don’t meet a family’s needs for the month and non food items such as diapers and wipes can’t be purchased with food stamps.

List of Needs

Clothing – Onesies, sleepers, sleep sacks, sweaters, shirts and pants. Most newborns wear 0-3 months but since this is a high risk group NB and even preemies are needed. Larger sizes will be needed as babies grow so can use up to 2 or 3T.
Socks/booties and hats – Both good projects for knitters and sewers.
Blankets – Warm blankets, afghans, quilts and receiving blankets
Towels – Regular bath towels and washcloths, hooded towels and smaller/softer baby wash cloths especially desirable.
Burp Cloths/Bibs/Nursing Pads – Both home sewn and ready made. Good projects to whittle down your stash.
Toys – Including small stuffed animals (baby safe – no buttons, strings, loose trims, etc.), teethers, baby books. Other toys up to 2 years.
Sheets – to fit Pack and Play’s, they only receive one sheet with the unit.
Diaper Bags – traditional style, tote bags and back packs for younger moms.
Toiletries for Baby – Including baby wash, cotton swabs, diaper cream, thermometers, baby nail clippers, pacifiers.
Toiletries – Shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, body wash, sanitary pads/tampons. Small items such as nail polish, hair ties, hair brush, etc. would make a mom feel special.
Diapers and Wipes – Diapers in sizes 3-4 most needed.

The nurses will put together layettes from the items we send, Sandi Wilcox, program director, says they are so grateful for any help we can give them.

RST is a tribal program and not a 501(c)(3) so your donations are not tax deductible. Donations can be made to Lakota Friends Circle for the purchase of diapers, wipes and toiletries which can provide you with a charitable tax donation. If you prefer to send yourself from an online store please consider purchasing through Amazon Smile and choosing Lakota Friends Circle as your charity. They receive a quarterly check from Amazon that is used to fund our programs on reservations in SD.

Mailing Addresses

USPS

RST Maternal and Child Health Program

c/o Sandi Wilcox

PO Box 1076

Mission , SD 57555

UPS/FedEx

RST Maternal & Child Health Program

c/o Sandi Wilcox

Antelope Community Building

2012 East Two Arrows Ave

Mission, SD 57555

605-856-2990

Sew For Kids is having a baby project in March and we’ll be making many of the items on the list above for RST as well as many other areas we serve. Please join us on our Facebook group Sew For Kids Volunteers. Hope to see you there!

Thanks as always from Sew For Kids

2018 Year In Review

Feb11

Sew For Kids along with partner groups “For the Children of Pine Ridge Reservation“, “Pine Ridge Elders” and “Halfknits” made great strides last year supporting programs in Marty, SD on the Yankton Sioux Reservation and in Martin, Wanblee and Pine Ridge, SD on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Sew For Kids operates under Lakota Friends Circle , a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working with Lakota community members on reservations in South Dakota. In addition to the thousands of dollars spent by members of all partner groups to make or purchase and ship donations to areas across South Dakota we were able to raise $18,775 in cash donations through Lakota Friends Circle that was used to purchase food, fuel, diapers, appliances, a garden tiller, and many other needs listed below. It is truly amazing what a group of generous people can accomplish when they work together all committed to the same goal of helping children and their families.

Wanblee and surrounding communities

Provided funds to purchase fuel for food pickups from food bank in Rapid City, Running Strong and Nation to Nation in Colorado. Food boxes were delivered to families most in need in the community and also for holidays.
Provided fuel for trucks that delivered wood to families in the area that have wood stoves.
Sent warm clothing, accessories and boots to the “Woodchucks”, local men that work hard cutting wood from rancher’s creek beds year round. Their only pay is a hot meal at the end of the day and the knowledge that they’ve helped some of the most vulnerable in their community stay warm.
Sent warm coats, hats, gloves, scarves, socks and blankets for children, elders and their families.
Sent summer and school clothing including shoes, socks, and underwear for children. Girls wait for the beautiful summer dresses to arrive made by members of Sew For Kids.
Purchased a tiller for the community tractor so plots can be prepared for those wanting to grow their own vegetables. More than half of the $2000 raised was provided by a generous donor in honor of her mother’s 97th birthday, another $500 was provided by Brian N who liked our programs and the rest came from donations from SFK and partner groups. Thanks Jan, Brian and everyone who helped with this project. Some people donated vegetable seeds. Healthy veggies are on the way!
Purchased 3 handicap toilets and 6 CO/Smoke detectors for the new community center.
Purchased a new freezer to store food from the food bank and other areas.
Provided food for Easter and Christmas parties and the community clean-up day in Wanblee. Also furnished plastic bags and funds for fuel to take refuse to the dump. They planted flowers to beautify the community, seeds provided by our members.
Won a $1000 Walmart grant through Lakota Friends Circle used for food deliveries and purchasing food for the weekend backpack program at Crazy Horse School.
Sent many books to the library in the community center to be used there or for children to take home to start their own library.
Provided cookware and other supplies for the kitchen in the community center. SFK members made aprons for kid’s cooking classes in “Grandma’s Kitchen”.
Bought lots of new pillows and members made colorful pillowcases for kids along with a pair of pajamas and stuffed animal.
Provided school supplies for back to school in August and again in January, some members made backpacks and pencil cases.
Members made or purchased 40+ blankets for the 5th grade class at Crazy Horse school. Two SFK members, Sharon L and Laurie A, are room parents for this class and provide supplies, books, etc. Thanks ladies!
Wheelchairs for elders provided by Laurie A which she got for free just by asking, Thanks Laurie!
Provided toiletries, sanitary and incontinence supplies and cleaning supplies.
3 sewing machines were donated for future sewing classes at the community center.
Provided sheets and towels for the community center dorms and for local people in need.
Sent over 500 Christmas gifts for Santa to give children at the annual party. Special thanks to Penny N for directing the doll project and to Joan D and her group from H.I.S. who dressed teddy bears, to Children of PRR and all the elves for their many beautiful gifts, teen bags, warm accessories, toys, etc.

Bright Start

Mary M, Bright Start nurse, works with at risk mothers and their babies 3 months prior to birth and through 3 years of age. Prior to our direct help Mary had to travel to Martin to pick up baby supplies from donations sent to the CDC office which was not always possible. Now we’re sending directly to Mary so she has all the supplies she needs to help her clients during her home visits. Many donors from all partner groups have sent pacifiers, diapers, wipes, diaper bags, carriers, blankets, toiletries, towels, sleep sacks, books, baby toys and plenty of toddler clothing and gifts for older siblings in the family as well. One donor sent an ultrasound, others first aid kits and baby meds. Mary answers womens questions about feeding, breastfeeding and other maternal questions and enrolls them in programs that benefit both mom and baby. She provides emotional support as well and may even serve as a stand in mother to these young women. Our groups of supporters have made a difference in the lives of these young mothers and also to Mary as well as she no longer has to go to her visits empty handed. Having resources and Mary’s mentorship and support helps relieve some of the pressures that come with raising a child. Babies are getting a good start in life and a bright one as well, thank you all!

Marty Indian School

Is located in Marty, South Dakota on the Yankton Sioux Indian Reservation. Sew For Kids members are in their third year of serving as room parents for children in grades K to 5. It seems school budgets are dwindling every year along with teachers salaries so our volunteers are trying to bridge the gap and help provide teachers with needed supplies, teaching aids, books, etc. for their classrooms. “Room Parents” may also provide snacks, party supplies, and birthday and Christmas gifts for their students. Many thanks to Elaine, Julie, Shannon, Becky, the 2 Carol B’s, Janet, Ruthie, Mellisa, Diannah, Penny, Ruth and Christina for all your help!

Our main group helps stock the two Feather Stores at the school by donating toiletries, school supplies, toys, and cleaning/household supplies for one and towels, blankets, clothing, shoes, coats, underwear and socks for the other. Students earn feathers for exhibiting Lakota values and good behavior and may shop in either store along with their parents using earned feathers as currency.

Our entire group supports Paulita D and her sewing classes (grades 3-5) which teaches students, boys and girls, how to make traditional ribbon skirts. Janet S donated 4 sewing machines for the class and brought a replacement machine (lost needle screw) on her visit this year. We have all contributed fabric, thread, lots of ribbon, rotary cutters and boards, irons and ironing boards and anything else Paulita needs. Some students wore the skirts they made to their graduation ceremony last May, boys taking the class gave their skirts to their mothers, sisters or aunties. SFK member Sharon L helped Paulita make skirts for girls and shirts for boys in grades K-5 for their graduation ceremony

Group donations to Lakota Friends Circle provided the school with $500 to buy snacks for students during testing. The school likes to have food on hand to give students arriving late in the morning and missing breakfast and for tucking in the backpacks of students that may not have anything to eat at home.

Two SFK members, Penny N and Janet S, visited the school this fall and brought their stories and pictures back to the group making us all feel we were part of the experience too. Penny N makes two trips a year (she lives in SD) to the school and always brings back marvelous pictures and videos which really makes it special. Thanks Janet S and Penny N!

My Space Youth Center in Martin

Purchased a washer and dryer with funds donated by a man holding a raffle and by a non-profit foundation, both who heard of the need for laundry facilities at the youth center. Kids can now do their laundry once a week and have clean clothes to wear to school.
Provide laundry pods and perishable food such as milk and eggs through SFK monthly donor program.
Swim Bags filled with sunhats, towels, sunscreen, lip balm, flip flops and goggles made by Julie S for kids using the town pool. They loved them, thank you Julie! Many others sent in bathing suits, the kids use the pool until school starts. Thank you!
Provided seeds for the vegetable garden.
Provided books, crafts and school supplies for the center.
Provided hats, mittens, scarves and coats for kids at the youth center and the local school.
Dresses and other summer clothing. Sew For Kids dressmakers made beautiful dresses for the girls, Kimmie saw them all around town last summer, some of them wouldn’t take them off and wore them to bed, thanks ladies!!
Provided sewing machines to use for making traditional dresses for girls coming of age ceremony Isnati.
Provided make up and toiletry gift bags for girls participating in the Isnati ceremony. Thank you Cyrilla, your group and other members of SFK and For the Children of PRR for the wonderful gift bags!

Head Starts in Martin

Provided a blanket, book and stuffed animal for each student. Many of the blankets and stuffies were made by our members, thanks ladies!
Provided mittens, hats and scarves for the students.

Elders in Martin /White Clay

Provided toiletry bags to elders
Provided blankets, shawls, clothing, slippers, etc.
SFK member Cyrilla H and her church group donated 82 Christmas gifts for elders and cosmetic bags for ladies at the shelter. Thanks ladies for your generosity, elders are often forgotten and we know they were thrilled to receive your gifts!

Sacred Shawl Women’s Shelter in Martin

Provided comfort bags for women in crisis, diaper bags, and going home bags for families leaving the shelter.
Provided clothing, shoes, underwear, toiletries, school supplies, toys, books and other needs for women and children.
Provided diapers, wipes and laundry pods for clients in the shelter and at the CDC office. We will expand this to include formula if our donations increase in 2019.
One generous donor provided more than half of the $1000 food budget for a month for the shelter and youth center. Thank you! Angela B.
All groups worked to provide more than 400 Christmas gifts for the community.
Another generous donor donated funds to buy dressers and a bunk bed for the newly finished room above the garage.
Provided pillows, towels, blankets, pillowcases, pots and pans and other household items for use at the shelter and for clients use after leaving the shelter.
Provided craft items, games, puzzles and books for women in the shelter
Provided financial assistance to a shelter employee with cancer to help pay her living expenses while undergoing chemo.

Oglala Family in Need

Our groups have helped the 5th grade teacher in Oglala before with books and other things for her class but last year after being evicted from her home, we helped the teacher renovate her grandparents home that had been vacant for years to make it livable for her family of 10. We helped the family get water, electric service, windows and a shower through group donations. We also helped get baby clothes and other needs to a new mother in the family and provided everyone with warm blankets.

Sew For Kids works with many generous and talented members of other groups, without our partnership the list of accomplishments above would be a much shorter list. Many of us are members of multiple groups but we all have the same goal, making life better for children and their families on reservations. Some of these groups have projects all their own and we’d like to tell you about some of them.

For the Children of Pine Ridge Reservation

Veterans – members sent a backpack to each veteran filled with clothing, gloves, hat, socks, toiletries and snacks. One member sent an ongoing donation of fresh fruit throughout the year. The previous year donations were collected for the purchase of a barbecue grill for the men to use.
Bright Start – Many boxes of clothing were sent to Mary M. for her clients and for Christmas each mother received a bag with a quilt, book, stuffed animal, and washcloth for her baby.
Rosebud school – School supplies, hat, scarf, pair of mittens, socks and underwear for 300 children. 200 pairs of boots were sent as well as blankets, and warm clothing.
Youth Center – a few hundred Christmas gifts from dolls to games, and warm hats, mittens and scarves.
Sacred Shawl Society – Many boxes of clothing, hundreds of toys for children and toiletry bags for young girls.
Wanblee – Sheets, towels, warm clothing and hundreds of Christmas gifts from dolls to activity bags.

Halfknits

Is a volunteer group that knits and crochets blankets, hats, scarves, baby sweaters and other items for people in need. We have worked with Kat and her volunteers for years and they’re always ready to meet any request we have whether it’s warm blankets for families, shawls for elders or afghans for students at Marty. Last year they provided over 200 blankets of all sizes and hats and shawls to the areas we serve. Every area on the Rez has been the recipient of their kindness, thanks ladies!

Pine Ridge Elders

Began in 2007 and since then, although small in numbers, their members have sent countless afghans, hats, mittens, sweaters, clothing, diapers, etc and this year was no different. Their members made many beautiful hats, mittens and blankets last year for the women’s shelter in Martin and for the Wanblee community. Many Sew For Kids members began their journey with Pine Ridge Elders and are still members of the group. It would be impossible to list all the goods they’ve sent and monetary donations they’ve made to Pine Ridge through the years. Thank you all for your continued generosity to those in need!

We look forward to working with all our partner groups in 2019 and hope we can reach out to more children and families in need. Sometimes the needs seem overwhelming but we’re up for the challenge of trying to improve conditions on the Rez. We need our partners on the Rez to distribute our donated goods to those that most need them and educate people about and enroll them in government and local programs that can help with food, medical and heating assistance and help them enroll in GED programs if needed. We rely on our partners to alert us about areas in critical need as Kimmie did last month when she told us about the needs at the Oglala foster home. Our groups heard the call and responded with a tank of propane, new freezer and clothing, diapers, bedding and many other needs for the children and babies there.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
― Margaret Mead

Thank you all for a great year! Join us on our Facebook group Sew For Kids Volunteers or make a donation to Lakota Friends Circle to help purchase food, diapers and other urgent needs for areas we serve. For those seeking more information about Native Americans today, please read David Treuer’s new book “The Heart Beat of Wounded Knee”.

Thanks from Sew For Kids

2019 Projects

Jan30

The project list won’t change but there may be additions as we learn of special needs from the areas we help. Work on your favorite project or try something new, we don’t expect members to donate every month, just help when you can. Projects are matched to the season as well as events such as back to school or Christmas parties but as long time members know, it’s perfectly acceptable to be knitting mittens in May or sewing shorts in January. Please review the donation guidelines here and read the blogs for more information about monthly projects and current needs.

January/February “Blankets, Bags and More”

Blankets – Warm blankets/afghans/quilts–Sizes baby/crib through queen and sleeping bags.
Winter Accessories – Warm hats, scarves and mittens/gloves still needed.
Warm Clothing/Coats – Still needed in all areas, baby/toddler sizes only for Bright Start.
Cloth Bags – Needed for the shelter and CDC office in Martin and Mary Mousseau at Bright Start in Pine Ridge. Please read our recent blog for more information.
Valentines – Send boxes of valentines to Marty Indian School and Kimmie in Martin for children’s parties.
School Supplies – Time to restock school supplies at the CDC office in Martin and Marty Indian School.

March “Books, Babies and Pillows”

Books – March is Read Across America month so let’s get kids reading by sending books to all our donation areas. Kimmie says two local Head Start teachers have asked for books saying kids are bored reading the same books over and over. Books for all ages welcome.
Pillows – Most kids don’t have their own pillow and we continually hear they’re thrilled when we send new pillows with colorful pillowcases. All areas would love these.
Babies – Onesies, sleepers, sleep sacks, pacifiers, diaper cream, diapers, both disposables in sizes 3-6 and cloth, formula, diaper bags, toiletries, and all baby needs. Baby clothing sizes 3 to 24 months. Please send to Kimmie in Martin, Barb Dull Knife at the Oglala Foster Home and Mary Mousseau at Bright Start.

April/May “Summer Fun”

Summer Clothing – Sew or purchase summer clothing and sun hats for babies through teens. Shorts, capris, dresses and skirts, light weight pants, leggings, T-shirts, tops, light jackets and summer weight PJ’s in sizes baby to 16/18 or adult size small for all areas.
Underwear – New only for all donation areas in toddler to 16/18 and sports bras.
Shoes – Sandals, flipflops and other summer shoes, all sizes, all areas.
Swim gear – Swim suits, swim goggles, outdoor toys, sun screen and towels. Martin and Wanblee are the only areas with a pool.

June “Bags, Sheets, Towels and a Contest”

School bags/backpacks – Sew drawstring backpacks or purchase backpacks for school. Send to Oglala foster home, Kimmie in Martin and Marty Indian School after the school year begins.
Activity Bags – Make or purchase a tote bag, add a book, stuffed animal, coloring book and crayons or other activity for kids at the shelter in Martin and Oglala foster home.
Cloth Bags – The women’s shelter has an ongoing need for cloth bags, pillowcase size, for clients to use when leaving the shelter, comfort bags for women in crisis and at the CDC office.
Sheets and Towels – Are always needed at the shelter and foster home, new or gently used, check garage sales and thrift stores for bargains.
Sewing Contest – Make a Christmas gift for a child using scraps from your stash. Members from Sew For Kids will vote on their favorite project, with a special prize for the winner (to be determined).

July/August “Back To School”

School Clothes – Sew or purchase pants, shirts, skirts, jackets, hoodies, etc. in sizes 4T to 16/18 or adult S.
Underwear – and sports bras for older girls, sizes 5 to adult S.
Shoes and Socks – Athletic type most popular, anything waterproof desirable as most don’t have boots.
Toiletries – Soap, shampoo and sanitary napkins/tampons.
School Supplies – paper, pens/pencils, markers, crayons, etc.

All areas except Mary Mousseau can use any of the above. Mary works with babies and very young children.

September/October “Winter/Christmas Begins”

Clothing – Sew or purchase winter clothing, pants, sweatshirts, PJ’s, long underwear, heavy socks in sizes infant through adult.
Outerwear – Winter coats, hoodies, snow pants, snowsuits, mittens/gloves, hats, scarves, infant through adult.
Boots – Snow, fashion and work boots, waterproof or heavier shoes above the ankle if possible, toddler through adult.
Blankets – Including quilts, fleece, afghans, and receiving blankets for baby. All sizes needed up to queen.
Christmas Gifts – Start working on gifts.

November/December “Christmas”

Infant/toddler – age appropriate toys such as stuffed animals or soft dolls, puzzles, coloring books and crayons, blocks, soft books, etc.
Kids 3-7 – dolls, trucks, stuffed animals, balls, Legos, crafts, games, stickers, coloring books and crayons/markers, drawing pad, play-doh, pillow with case
Kids 8-12 – sports items, craft bags, art pad and pencils, adult coloring books, hair accessories, pillow with case, board games, diary or journal,
Teens – toiletry bags, make-up bags, purses, duffel bags, books, sports equipment, jewelry, flashlight, tools, baseball caps, pillow with case, PJ’s or pajama pants.
Donate Funds – For propane, food and other emergency needs to Lakota Friends Circle.

We’ll use November to get our gifts purchased or finished and ready to mail after Thanksgiving and before parties start in December. Most of us work on or purchase gifts throughout the year. Keep costs down by shopping seasonal sales and clearance events at your favorite store, shop garage sales, ask your church, club or family members to help with gifts or postage.

We’re often asked what’s the greatest need on the Rez, and we reply, “everything”! The top two are undoubtedly food and propane and we encourage you to donate to programs that help with those needs through Lakota Friends Circle. Our Top Ten list are goods that are always needed and often in short supply. If you want to help and not sure what to send anything from this list works. Winter coats, clothing and boots are seasonal and needed October through April. All areas have some storage if you want to send earlier but if you’re shipping to Marty Indian School wait until the new school year begins in August.

Top Ten List

Blankets – Includes quilts, afghans, in twin, full, queen, toddler and baby sizes. Receiving blankets for babies, single for summer, double for winter.
Sheets and Pillows /pillowcases– Most beds are twin, full or queen, pillows must be new.
Towels – Includes bath, hooded towels for baby/toddlers, washcloths, kitchen towels and dish cloths.
Shoes – Includes sandals and flip flops for summer, heavier shoes and boots for winter, athletic type especially for children in sizes baby through adult.
Socks and Underwear – All sizes baby through adult, new only.
Baby Formula – Powdered, all types.
Toiletries – Includes shampoo, baby wash, deodorant, bar soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, etc.
Diapers – Most requested sizes 3-6 Some areas distribute cloth diapers, inquire before shipping.
Sanitary items – Includes napkins and tampons, some areas distribute reusable menstrual kits, inquire before shipping. Girls will stay home from school if they don’t have supplies. Incontinence products (Depends) for elders sizes L-Xl.
Coats/winter accessories – Winter coats, hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, cowls, etc. Sizes infant through adult.

All donation addresses can be found here

We’re so grateful to all the members of SFK and partner groups, For The Children of Pine Ridge Reservation and Halfknits for their continued support and generous hearts. We look forward to working with you all this year as we strive to improve the lives of children and their families in the areas we serve.

Cloth Bags for the Rez

Jan22

All our donation areas can use cloth bags, home sewn or ready made and just like warm blankets, they’re always needed. We’ve heard people shopping in Rapid City are being charged 10-20 cents for a plastic bag, which is a good incentive to reduce plastic in the environment but not everyone has reusable cloth bags. In addition to grocery shopping in town, tote bags are used to pick up food and clothing in Wanblee, diapers, formula and other baby needs at the CDC office in Martin, carrying clothing and personal items when leaving the shelter and families shopping in the Feather Store at Marty Indian School. All bags should be made of washable, sturdy fabric, lighter weight is fine if tightly woven or lined.

Grocery/tote bags – Finished size should be about the size of a grocery bag or about 14t x 18w. This size is most popular but a smaller tote can be made for kids to carry their treasures…books, toys, shoes, etc.

Diaper Bags – Kimmie Clausen makes up baby bags and gives them to the nurse midwife for her clients and Mary Mousseau from Bright Start fills them with donated items we send and gives them to her clients during home visits. Bags about 18 by 20 or so, outside pockets are handy.

Clothing Bags – Cloth bags are needed to make comfort bags for rape survivors undergoing medical exams at the clinic. All of their clothing and shoes are retained by police for evidence. Kimmie and her crew fill the bags with sweat pants, shirt, underwear, shoes or flip flops, socks and a small toiletry bag with shampoo, conditioner, soap, comb, etc. so women can clean up after the exam and restore their dignity. Drawstring bags should be large enough to hold the above items, with a separate bag for toiletries. The shelter also needs drawstring bags about 18 x 26 or the size of a standard pillowcase for clients to pack their belongings in when leaving the shelter.

Toiletry Bags – Also used for make up bags and to carry menstrual needs especially for teens in school. Kimmie gives make up bags to teens participating in their coming of age ceremony. Women of all ages appreciate filled toiletry bags as not everyone can afford to buy them. Smaller bags/pouches filled with teabags, hot chocolate , dry soup mixes, instant coffee, etc. are nice gifts to give to elders or for nurses to give to moms on their home visits. They also make great Christmas gifts.

School bags and Pencil Cases – Drawstring type with straps is easiest and the style kids like for school bags. Use bright, colorful fabrics for kids kindergarten to middle school, large enough to hold a few books, gym shoes, school supplies, snack etc. Pencil cases are handy to keep backpacks organized and supplies contained so they’re right where they need them.

Please send your finished grocery/tote bags to any of our donation areas, clothing bags (for shelter clients and rape survivors) to Kimmie Clausen in Martin, diaper bags to Mary Mousseau and Kimmie and school bags/pencil cases to all donation areas, addresses are here. Be creative, use up your scraps for the smaller bags, learn a new skill and help others. The need is ongoing and bags can be sent any time, the only exception is no shipments to Marty Indian School during summer break.

Thanks from Sew for Kids.

Emergency Foster Care Home-Oglala SD

Jan15

Kimmie Clausen, Director of the Sacred Shawl Society’s women’s shelter, recently told us of a foster care home run by Barbara Dull Knife in need of help. She said foster care on the Rez is basically nonexistent and children can’t be fostered or adopted off the Rez. Most people don’t want to foster because CPS would have to do a safe home assessment and they worry that one of the many people living in the home may be caught with drug and or alcohol, both illegal on the Rez but widely used nonetheless. Kimmie also said many young mothers don’t want to keep their babies and a few have left them at the hospital. She said some of the single, young mothers coming to the CDC office in Martin looking for help with diapers and formula tell her they no longer want the responsibility of being a parent, some of them have burst into tears telling their story. Kimmie listens and offers comfort but tells them they have a responsibility to keep and care for their baby and that she, along with other organizations, are there to help them with their needs and to give them emotional support.

The Rez desperately needed a safe place to house children removed from abusive or neglectful homes until they could be placed with other family members or a foster or adoptive home. Sometimes police get calls in the middle of the night to remove children from their homes and needed somewhere to take them until a safe home could be found. After retiring from her job at the US Attorney’s office Barbara Dull Knife came back to the Rez to begin her dream of building a safe house for children after reading about the death of an abused Allen boy. You can read more about her story here and here. They strive to keep native children on the Rez as many families whose children were placed in non-native homes had problems getting their children returned after they got their lives back in order with some of them never seeing their children again.

There was already a safe home for children ages 13-18, OST Emergency Youth Center but nothing existed for the 0-12 age group. Barb was able to acquire a building provided by Loneman School in Oglala and she opened Gather our Children Home in the spring of 2017. Barb has donated 5 acres of her own land so an orphanage can be built in the future that will serve as a temporary safe home for 40 children until they’re placed in a permanent home. There are programs trying to work with families to help them with substance abuse and other problems so their children can be returned and the family unit reestablished.

Barbara pays $395 to rent the building and is responsible for all upkeep and repairs. She receives $17.21 per day from the tribe for each child and from that must purchase food, clothing, shoes, diapers, formula, cleaning and office supplies, etc. She has 8 childcare workers, 7 from WIOA and 1 from TANF that are paid $7 an hour from the tribe with Barb giving them an extra $2 an hour from her stipend. Her monthly electric bill is paid by the non-profit Gathering Thunder Foundation who also helps with diapers and other needs but they can only do so much with all the other programs they support so Barb is always looking for more donors to help her kids. Pics of the foster home can be seen here. Seventh Generation has been helping her with the website in hopes more people will learn of their work and needs. Barb is 73 and not very tech savvy but she says she’s great with texts and phone calls! She did get a few small grants and a larger one for $5000 from LDS for food and $10,000 from the tribe for salaries in the past. She’s hoping to get some help from NAHA this year but we know from experiences in Wanblee and Martin they can be hit or miss. Toys that are on the trucks are donated by stores that can’t sell them which means they’re usually broken or missing parts. However sometimes good things do come in such as cleaning supplies or mattresses.

Gather Our Children Home is currently home to 15 children ages 7 to 9 months (he’s been there since 3 months old). They are in need of clothing for children ages 0-12, especially boys, for all seasons. They tend to get children in the ages they have now but still need some clothing to fit the older kids up to 14/16. Shoes are needed and expensive, Barb had to go to Shoe Carnival the other day to buy all the kids shoes which put a huge dent in her budget. Clothing both new and gently used are welcome if they meet our donation guidelines.

Needs

Clothing – Sizes 3/6 months to 14/16 for boys and girls (never enough boys) for winter and summer.
Shoes – all sizes for all seasons
Socks and Underwear
Diapers – sizes 3-6
Formula – powdered
Toiletries – soap, shampoo, baby wash
Toys – for all ages, no battery items please. cars, trucks, dolls, stuffed animals, school supplies, coloring books, crayons, art supplies, scissors, markers, paper, etc. Outside toys balls, jump ropes, etc.
Books – all ages, would like to start a library at the home
Blankets – twin for the bunk beds and toddler sizes, for winter and summer, has plenty baby blankets.
Sheets/pillowcases/pillows – for 5 cribs, 4 sets bunk beds, 1 toddler bed. Ones they have are stained and in sad shape.
Towels/washcloths – bath and hooded for toddlers are nice.
Kitchen items – dish cloths, dish towels, sippy cups, cups, utensils, etc.
Cleaning – laundry pods, cleaning supplies, dish soap

A few things on the wish list are a Santa suit as the kids didn’t get to see him this year. The kids at the home all received gifts as did all previous residents, they consider any child ever living at the home one of their own and will never forget them. Birthday supplies would be good to have on hand too so kids feel special on their day. Larger items on the wish list but no money in the budget for is a bigger freezer, they have 2 small ones but don’t hold very much food and a new dryer to go with the new washer they had to purchase, the old one finally gave out.

We’ll learn more about this organization and their needs as we start helping these children and begin a new relationship with another area on the Rez. Please look at the links throughout the post and learn more about Barbara Dull Knife and the wonderful work she and her crew are doing. They accept monetary donations through their website or you can donate through Lakota Friends Circle for the purchase of bulk diapers, formula, etc.

Please mail your donations to:

FedEx/UPS

Emergency Foster Home

944 Loneman Drive

Oglala, SD 57764

USPS

Emergency Foster Home

PO Box 230

Oglala, SD 57764

Thanks as always from Sew For Kids.