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]

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

[dr-mom]

A yarn company has donated yarn to be made into afghans, sweaters, hats, mittens - and anything else that is needed, if you have thought you would like to help but didn't have the yarn and could not afford to do it on your own, please ledt me know and I will got some to you - Pamela

[waterbaby]

Thanks for posting this, and for your efforts. This is a deplorable situation that seems to have to end in sight (so many issues, so many problems, so little assistance from the Powers That Be who are most responsible). Recently I started making cold weather items for future donation which I'll gladly send along and will begin working on more soon. Please PM me your address and let me know the latest date you will need to receive items to be able to take them on your trip.

[dr-mom]

I have now decided to make two trips - the firsst over Labor Day Weekend and the second probably in late Ocotber or early November depending on when it starts snowing here. I am about 13 hours away - but my sister lives half way - so it gives me an place to stay on the way out and the way back. Please send all items to Blankets for Pine Ridge, 6922 East Fish Lake Road, Maple Grove, MN 55369. I have asked Spirit Rising a non-profit to make us part of their effort so all of your work is tax deductible! Pamela

[rosa]

I heard from Pamela that she has been donated yarn specifically for knitting machines - she says it is a thin yarn, I don't know anything about knitting machines or looms, but we must have some people out there how we could get to pitch in if we just spread the word, especially if they are given the yarn, plus we sure don't want her to tell the yarn company no - they may never offer again! Pamela I am committing to five. She ssaid she has five or six people committed - so if we just tell the story I know there are other people out there who care and just don't know how bad things really are, I gave Pamela my regualr email and she sent me a newspaper article about a Pine Ridge family - I was shocked to learn that their are grandpas and grandmas who freeze to death each year, as there is no heat or electiricity and they give their one blanket to the little ones, how can we let this happen right here at home, while we are off fighting the battles of others - ok now I am on s soap box sorry. Rosa

[Sam the Man!]

Pamela Thank you for posting this - I don't know how we canget more people involved. I have been to Pine Ridge as I am originally from SD. When I tell people about the horrible conditions on the reservation I usually get a response like well let their casino pay for it! Well folks not every reservation nas a casino - you really need to live somewhat close to a population base to have a casino! And each reservation is a soverign nation to their own. Look at USSR and how it has broken up into seperate countries well natives are very different people with different relations. I will help all I can I don't often see men on here - but it is time we start caring for others - and take care of the people here at home, people freezing to death in their own homes - and little babies - we can't let that happen. Sam

[quirkyvirgo]

I should be able to do at least 2 blankets. Will any size do?

 

I would also like to know more about "adopting" a child from the reservation like you had mentioned in earlier posts. I didn't see any information on it in the site that you linked, but may have overlooked it.

 

Tandi

[aliassak]

This hits really close to home because of the issues associated with Whiteclay.

 

It's constantly on the news...

[Sam the Man!]

Yes - right now there are over 500 childen waiting to be sponsored.

 

Spirit Rising relies on sponsors for children to help provide clothing that protects from the cold and gifts that provide happy moments at birthdays and Christmas while other means are used to help the family with basic necessities. Life is particularly difficult on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Food and Heat are often in short supply. In this population of 40,000 people, children wear boots for shoes in summer time and summer clothes in the winter. They are often without winter coats and too often also without food. Most families will have periods of time when they are without heat or electricity and, even more difficult, periods when they must go without food. Spirit Rising works to supplement these basic needs. Food stamps or commodities run out and there are no food banks or other food resources for those without income - and those without income are many. After school programs have seen a dramatic rise in the number of children attending their programs to take advantage of the snacks offered. It will be the only food they have for dinner.

 

 

A typical family waiting for sponsors for the children is a mother and son who live without electricity or running water and often find the basics of food and clothing in short supply. Another family is a grandmother who is caring for 4 grandchildren and two teenage daughters. They do have electricity and water but are often without needed food and clothing. While sponsors are certainly not expected to meet urgent family needs, the sponsorship is one part of our holistic approach for helping families be strong for their children. Sponsors help protect the children from the harsh effects of poverty and Spirit Rising makes every effort to help the family meet basic needs.

 

 

We have a waiting list of more than 500 children who live in situations similar to the ones described above. Grandmothers caring for many grandchildren left in their care by parents who have no place to live and no means of supporting the children. Families of 10-20 members who live in 3 bedroom homes that do not have adequate insulation from the cold and that do have extensive black mold problems that leave both children and adults with respiratory problems.

 

 

These are proud and independent people who live their traditional spiritual and cultural beliefs and who live in desperate poverty (yes right here in the US). The sponsors and Spirit Rising are making a difference for the children and families of Pine Ridge.

My husband and I currently sponsor 3 children a set of twins and an infnat boy. The sponsorship is unique in that once you make the committment to sponsor a child you are given the families name and a contact telephone number and you go ahead and call them and determine what their needs are. You responsibility is to send a "care" package 5 times a year, the first day of school, birthday, christmas, easter, and thanksgiving. You decide what to buy, and work in into your budget, and you have control of your monies, it is not just sent off into the netherland to be never heard from again.

For more information write to Spirit-Rising@comcast.net

Pamela

 

[kariholtz]

I will make as many blankets and hats and such as I have time for. I will talk to hubby once our lives settle and we find out about this job he may have about sponsoring a child.

[dr-mom]

My I had messed up on my password and could not get into the site, so I emailed Sam the man and he posed for me - thank you Sam - it is appreciated.

 

I wanted to add that another neat thing about Spirit Rising is that there are no paid staff - not that at some point they might not need that - but once that happens all stipends will be through corporate sponsorships - about a month ago I "got talked into" serving as the sponsorship coordinator and it is a position close to my heart. I pray that we do not lose even one baby or elder this year due to cold! If anyone has any interst in sponsoring a child, you need only take one please feel free to contact me as Spirit-Rising@comcast.net. Again thanks Sam for helping me out - Pamela

[Simone]

I love making baby things - can you use summer things as well? Like onesies, and little dresses, what about booties and slippers for older children, I could go on and on. I will committ to 2 afghans by august and another 2 for the October trip, and yes I want to sponsor a child, maybe I could do a set of siblings, as we are only talking 5 times a year, I will just throw something in the basket each time, I grow grocery shopping, and our target marks sesonal things down early as the summer things fro kids are marked down 50 and 75% right now. Thank you for telling us about this. I had sponsored a couple of children from the over seas programs but after two years had only received one letter, and I know c chunk of what I sent went to pay salaries. Simone

[dr-mom]

The email for http://www.spirit-rising.org/

 

It is spiritrisingsponsorship@comcast.net

 

I am so sorry - I hope you all read this - pamela

[Sam the Man!]

Ok I got the right address will go ahead and contact about sponsorship I will make a committment like Simone for two for now and 2 later and to see if I can find two more people.

 

Sam

[kittencrochet]

my 6 year old son is comitting to making one winter baby hat! I'm so proud of him! I have a Knifty Knitter set and he's been plugging away on it. He's got 2 rows done already. He wanted me to type for him...so here goes.

 

I promise to make a hat for a cute little baby that doesn't have nothing. I promise it will be cuddly soft so they can be snuggly warm in it all winter when it's cold and so they don't freeze. And I can play with yarn with Mommy and have Mommy and me time too so it will be fun.

[dr-mom]

Your mommy did not say your name but it must be something very special and you are a very special young man. That baby hat you make may be the only gift that baby will have every received, and think you will be the one to have given him/her their very first present, do you know how special that is! And I want to give you a big thank you for caring about someone else - what a special gift you must be to you mommy

 

Pamela and all the babies of Pine Ridge!