Causes: Human Service Organizations, Human Services

Mission: Through a variety of collaborative and multicultural projects, we strive to alleviate conditions of poverty, honor Indigenous wisdom, reconcile our shared history with the Peoples of the First Nations and empower youth with the leadership skills needed to affect social change in their communities.

Results: In 2019:Through an unprecedented partnership with the Oglala Lakota Housing Authority we provided temporary, FT employment to over 30 tribal members and repaired over 280 homes damaged in a 2018 hailstormDistributed multiple truckloads of needed material and food donationsPartially restored a vandalized youth center in Wounded KneeLaunched Gen7 & facilitated three Gen7 Youth Leadership eventsEstablished our Featured Artist initiativeCut and delivered approximately ten cords of firewoodBrought in over 100 volunteers over four weekends to our annual Race to WinterizeRaised awareness and gained amazing allies through the LakotaRideHosted six return Volunteer Service TripsBrought Lakota cultural presentations to a half dozen schoolsEstablished the Nagi Circle/Calls to Action initiativeEarned a top-rating with Great Nonprofits for five years in a rowIn 2020:-Pivoted operations to a Covid response-Raised over $111,000 to respond to the needs of over 75 families- Provided regular deliveries of food, hygiene products, firewood and needed supplies to families across the communities we serve-Hosted volunteer groups on Pine Ridge to conduct a variety of service projectsIn 2021:- Engaged Gen7 youth leaders in skill-building, service, and reconciliation dialogues as part of the youth summit, summer retreat, volunteer trips, and a training with the Arapahoe County Mounted Patrol. -Provided opportunities for Gen7 youth to build skills through farrier classes and carpentry apprenticeship, and sponsored a youth to attend a horsemanship clinic in Texas-Continued to provide regular food and supplies to 30 core families on Pine Ridge-Worked with Wounded Knee community member to build bike repair shop-Delivered school supplies, food and hygiene supplies to Ute Mountain Ute and Navajo Nations-Supplied a Lakota family who lost their home in a fire with furniture, appliances, clothes and supplies-Maintained a wood bank that has regularly supplied 75 families on Pine Ridge with firewood-Provided holiday gifts and special holiday meal boxes to over 35 families on Pine Ridge as well as the Hopi and Navajo Nations, totaling to over 200 people served-Hosted bi-monthly Lakota language class. This class, in its second year, has over 20 students

Target demographics: We are a community of Native Lakota and non-Natives who believe that the wisdom, culture and traditions of the Lakota People can inform and benefit the Modern World at the same time that the Modern World can assist and support the Lakota People in creating more prosperous and humane living conditions on the reservations.

Direct beneficiaries per year: Provided home construction and renovation work; Shared the Lakota culture and traditions; Endeavored to make progress reconciling our tragic and difficult shared history.

Geographic areas served: Pine Ridge, South Dakota

Programs: Through a variety of collaborative projects, we strive to build alliances and strengthen communities for people both on and off the reservation. Additionally, we seek to provide sustainable employment as well as quality and safe housing for the Lakota People.