For the past two months SFK members have been sewing and purchasing summer clothing for the areas we serve although we haven’t received a lot of requests yet due to the snow and cold still lingering on the Rez. When summer does arrive it’s usually hot and dry so being properly dressed makes the heat much more tolerable. Many homes on the Rez do not have fans and even fewer have air conditioning. Those most affected by extreme weather are elders, babies and toddlers and those with health problems. Some of the homes do not have running water so they must travel to a water source to fill up jugs for drinking water. Refillable water bottles would be a good thing to add to any boxes you’re sending.
We have some ideas listed below of things you can send for the kids to enjoy their summer. School will soon be out, so kids will be attending summer school and/or summer programs around the Rez such as horse or dog camps and community day activities where they will most likely receive breakfast and lunch. Parents struggle to stretch their food stamps enough to keep food on the table during the summer when children are home and eating more due to all their extra activity. Parents love these programs that keep their children occupied in constructive activities and provide nutritious food for them.
Here are some ideas for the May project
- Toiletries – Shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, bar soap, body wash, sanitary supplies for girls, hand sanitizer, baby wash and lotion, sunscreen.
- Towels/washcloths – Bath size, new or gently used are welcome.
- Tote Bags – Hand sewn or purchased are needed for Bright Start, RST Maternal and Child Health, and Gather Our Children Home. They are used as activity bags for kids, care bags for those in crisis, and diaper bags. People receiving donations in a nice, cloth bag instead of a plastic grocery bag are bound to feel a little better about themselves.
- Summer Toys – Balls, jump ropes, sand box toys, sidewalk chalk, art supplies, coloring books, DVD’s, books, journals, swimsuits and goggles.
- Teen Gifts – Teens are often overlooked (especially boys) until Christmas rolls around. Let’s make them feel special by sending small gifts to our programs serving teens and young adults. Small “fidget” games, sports balls, frisbees, magazines, books, baseball caps, flip flops, wallet, after shave, card games, art supplies, etc. for boys. Hair ties, nail polish, makeup, perfume, comb/brush, jewelry, art and craft supplies for girls.
- Linens – Sheets, pillows and pillowcases, light blankets or quilts. Up to queen size.
- First Aid – Anti-itch lotion such as calamine, benadryl or generic, bandages, topical antibiotics. If covid resurfaces in large numbers, masks and hand sanitizer wipes would be welcome.
Some of the programs are not currently operating so we will concentrate on areas that can use these items which are RST Maternal and Child Health and Bright Start baby programs, Red Shirt community (through Reservation Outreach), Gather Our Children Home (foster home), and Marty Indian School (through June). White Buffalo Calf on Rosebud and Wanblee Kids, Youth and Elders can use items as well. Maggie’s House and Wild Horse Butte CDC are on hold until they are open for business. These two areas mainly have the teen population so teen items are not needed now but will be for Christmas gifts so save the list and maybe do some of your shopping this summer. The Youth Center in Martin might reopen this summer so we’ll let you know if that happens. Look here for information about programs we help https://sewforkids.wordpress.com/make-a-difference/organizations-we-help/
Towels and washcloths are always a need as are toiletries, sanitary items, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Towels can also be used at the swimming pool or the beach. We will make sure kids at the school, through our room parent program, receive a towel and some toiletries before they leave for the summer. We do provide monthly shipments of toiletries, formula, diapers and wipes for the baby programs and for the foster home. If you would like to support this program and save the cost and trouble of sending your own, you can make a monthly or one time donation to Lakota Friends Circle here.
Tote bags are always needed as they can be used for shopping, a picnic lunch, for kids leaving the foster home, book bags, for nurses to fill with your donations when visiting their clients, etc. We want to encourage people to use reusable bags instead of one-use plastic bags which end up in the landfill or wrapped around trees or littering the roadside. We usually ask for warm blankets but during summer months lightweight blankets and sheets are needed. Babies use light receiving blankets or a lightweight sleep sack. A new pillow with a pretty pillowcase would be a delight for children and adults and continues to be one of the most popular gifts.
The visiting nurses from Bright Start and RST Maternal and Child Health are requesting sun hats and sunscreen (zinc or titanium oxide for babies and young children) and adults. Sun hats are quick to make (free patterns on Pinterest) and a good way to use up larger scraps in your stash or you can purchase them. A few of the mothers in the Bright Start program want to try their hand at gardening this summer. We’re always enthused about anyone wanting to grow their own food so Lakota Friends Circle will purchase a tomato and maybe a pepper plant in a container for them. They need donations of small hand tools, gloves and seeds of bush beans, zucchini, cucumbers and chard. They will also need a sun hat and sunscreen as well.
Children of all ages love balls – soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, Nerf type balls, bouncy balls, etc. Sand toys for the baby programs are a good choice but older toddlers and young children love them too – trucks, pails and shovels, etc. More good choices are play dishes, jump ropes, frisbees, horseshoes, bean bag toss, sidewalk chalk, etc. Books for all ages, coloring books, crayons/colored pencils, puzzles, puzzle books, card games, board games, journals and art supplies are all good for those quiet times in the afternoon when it’s too hot to do anything outside or you just need to take a break.Making a craft bag to keep items together is a good idea as well. They can be handed out to moms or kids. Adding a few books is always a good idea to encourage reading. Many homes have DVD players as TV reception is lousy on the Rez so movies are fun too. Kids do need athletic type shoes, flip flops and sports sandals in sizes to fit toddler through adult. Some areas have swimming pools so swimsuits and goggles are welcome. Wanblee has a pool at the school as does Pine Ridge, but we’re not sure if they’re open during the summer, the public pool in Martin should be open. Gently used swimsuits can be found at thrift stores and garage sales. Toddlers using a kiddie pool can wear shorts and long sleeve T-shirts to protect from sunburn along with their hat. Sunglasses would be good for everyone from toddlers to adults to protect young eyes from developing future cataracts.
Thanks to everyone for making donations to the programs we support or monetary gifts to LFC to purchase baby needs and toiletries. Every item you send or dollar you contribute will help children and their families to have a safe, enjoyable summer vacation! Mailing addresses can be found here.
