Pine Ridge NOTE Change of Address for sending supplies - formerly blankets for Pine R

[dr-mom]

Hi

This Spring I made a trip to the Pine Ridge Indian reservation ) I worked for ten years in Haiti, and I had heard that conditions were as bad as in Haiti - but I thought no way - this is the United States. I have to tell I was appalled. The temperature was about 20 and homes had no water, no electricity, no heat, no beds, often windows were missing. I know it is summer, but the perfect time to start thinking about winter.

I was really torn by the babies, infants, with nothing but extra old newspapers sometimes to keep them warm, and the toddlers, no socks, or socks and shoes that had been passed down from 4 or 5 older siblings and had holes on the bottoms. Ok enough I know. But I wanted to tell you I am returning to Pine Ridge late August and am planning to take a cargo van with supplies, and if you might be interested in donating afghans, fleece blankets, ponchos or anything along that line, you can send them to me, by hand delivering I can make sure they are put directly in the hands of those in the most need. For more information on Pine Ridge and the children go to http://www.spirit-rising.org/ it is a non-profit that oversees donations on the reservation. You have more questions for me feel free to contact me at dr-mom@comcast.net

Thanks for listening

Pamela

[rosa]

I'd love to help, the thought of children right here in the US nothaving blankets or beds is horrible, I guess we just don't think of it as happening right here close to us! Plese PM me the address to send afghans and other things to can you use scarfs and ponchos, and hats and mittnes? Maybe you will have to m ake two trips hehe

Rosa

[rosa]

Also do you know anything about sposnoring children? Do they have a program like Save the Children there are something similar?

Rosa

[JesseCat]

You may want to send an e-mail to STITCHESFROMTHE HEART(either .com or .org)...They have ladies all over the country send them baby clothes and afghans to donate to hospitals and have so far sent over 200,000 pieces to premmies and babies in hospitals...They would help enormously....

[SassyThreads]

Here is there websiteIndian Health Service | Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation

I belong to a crochet charity group that will be denoting to them as well. They have so many needs it is overwhelming

[dr-mom]

Originally Posted by JesseCat

You may want to send an e-mail to STITCHESFROMTHE HEART(either .com or .org)...They have ladies all over the country send them baby clothes and afghans to donate to hospitals and have so far sent over 200,000 pieces to premmies and babies in hospitals...They would help enormously....

Thanks Jeanie I will look into that

[Ambersafghans]

"Also do you know anything about sposnoring children? Do they have a program like Save the Children there are something similar?"

Are you talking general sponsoring or in that area? I sponsor a child in Haiti through www.gfa.org. It's $21 a month and a great organization. Worth Checking out.

Amber

[kittencrochet]

Spirit Rising does have a sponsorship program, though different from what you'd norrmally expect. You have a few times during the year (birthday, Christmas, Thanksgiving, start of school, Easter...forget what else) that have mandatory's. You have to send them certain things....like for the start of school....an outfit and new shoes. You have direct contact with the child and their family. I sponsor a boy through them. The particular family I sponsor has an awful time with mold in their house...with asthmatic kids. And they are yet to recieve any help with it.


I really could go on and on about the conditions on the reservations...and not just Pine Ridge. It is so sad to see these people who were once so proud and self-efficient being reduced to the conditions they live in. And the elders....it is heart wrenching to see some of the elders. Yet they struggle on. Alcoholism is a huge problem for Natives. There are no bars on the res...but they set up just outside.

Every year we send money to an organization that supplies food baskets and stoves to the Navajo people. We've also sent blankets, clothes, diapers, etc. One thing they are always in need of on the res is...and you're not going to believe this....sanitary napkins!!!!!! They have a limited supply and are expensive on the res. I've sent countless boxes.

As I'm sure Pamela has seen firsthand, the Res is like a whole other world. Just outside the Res, life seems like in any other place in the country. But life there is totally different. What we have access to everyday is a big thing to them. I'm planning to make a trip out west in the next 2 years and bring lots of stuff with me...blankets, coffee, cigarettes, toiletries, etc.

Pamela, I will be sending you an e-mail. I'll see what I can do about sending out some stuff that I know can definetly be used. Thanks so much for addressing this!

[tween]

Pine Ridge is in MY state, I've been there numerous times, & yes the conditions of both the people & the housing will bring tears to the hardest hearted person. Its unfathomable that this could go on, in the US. Thank you Pamela for bringing this to our attention, & for the awesome offer!!

[dr-mom]

They have a great sponsorship program I sponsor three children. You are assigned the child directly, and you purchase items and send them directly to the family. For instance a school age child you are responsible to help with clothing and school supplies for the first day of school, a care package for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter as well as their birthday, I love directly working with the family as you know what they are getting and you are workging directly with them no one in the organization is a paid employee - Pamela