Forty-one years ago on March 18, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy spoke the following words at a speech at the University of Kansas in the initial days of his campaign for the 1968 Democratic nomination for the Presidency:

I have seen Indians living on their bare and meager reservations, with no jobs, with an unemployment rate of 80 percent, and with so little hope for the future, so little hope for the future that for young people, for young men and women in their teens, the greatest cause of death amongst them is suicide.

Now, 2010, most South Dakota reservations experience the same rate of unemployment, the same bare and meager existence, the same crises of hope in the populations of their young.

When the weather turns catastrophic, people die. To see how you can help, please read further (and thank you to all who have already contributed in any and every way).

For the past 10 days Kossacks have donated time, money, supplies and clothing to SD reservations. Our most significant accomplishment is bypassing charitable organizations, calling the power companies and grocery stores directly and donating money to fill someone's empty propane tank or empty refrigerator instantly. In fact, DharmaFarmer has adopted a family for the winter and will pay their heating costs going forward.

Below are links we have gathered to donate money and clothing to some of our reservations.

Please recommend this diary to give more families a chance to receive help.

NEWS: (my summary) The worst of the disasters, Cheyenne River in South Dakota, should get Federal relief this week. Some power has been restored and some water is flowing but into broken pipes. The occupants of those homes must stay in the shelters. Cheyenne River is requesting only monetary donations now since mailing packages may hinder larger relief efforts now. However, the ongoing poverty conditions on other reservations continue with families who need help heating their homes and feeding their families. ARTIC BLAST HAS ARRIVED WIND CHILL VALUES OF 25 TO 35 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED TODAY A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND COLD TEMPERATURES CAN CAUSE FROSTBITE IN JUST 20 MINUTES. IF YOU GO OUTSIDE...COVER ALL PARTS OF YOUR BODY...ESPECIALLY YOUR HEAD... FACE... AND HANDS. Please provide news links in the comments and I will add.

I have received many emails from lurkers and non-members of Daily Kos who have donated money and supplies. In addition to that our current total from the comments is: $11,124 in roughly one week.

However, I believe our efforts are more expansive in that MANY folk have shared our diaries with their respective networks.

We've also had a number of Kossacks volunteer to be a part of a new team (currently un-named) that will focus on a continuing diary series on the current conditions of our poorest reservations and discuss proactive and preventative measures that could be taken to prevent similar disasters next winter.

Those volunteers currently are:

KentuckyKat

exmearden

SarahLee

cacamp

Deep Harm

Kimberley

Aji

TiaRachel

Bill in MD

4Freedom

No Way Lack of Brain

Lexalou

Soothsayer

Zenox

Kitsap River

tlemon

Richard Cranium

swampus

ParkRanger

bablhous

translatorpro

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Below are updated links organized by reservation:

Rosebud Reservation Power: No online donation links at this time for Rosebud, we'll put one up as soon as available. St. Francis Energy Co. 605-747-2542 9AM - 5PM MST (Native owned)

Normally a minimum order is $150, but they have set up an account so that people wanting to donate less can and as it accumulates to a minimum order, it will be delivered. Ask for Sherry or Patsy, who can process this type of payment. Credit Cards ok. Sherry, who delivers the propane, worked all day Sunday driving around the out lying areas looking for people who are the most desperate for propane. Cherry Todd Electric 605-856-4416 8AM - 5PM MST MON-FRI

Tell them to direct your donation to LIHEAP.

Ask for Samantha. Credit Cards ok. If you can only donate by check which will be used for future propane deliveries and other necessities send a ck to:

LIHEAP, attn Eileen.

P.O. Box 430

Rosebud, SD 57570 Cks payable to: Rosebud Sioux Tribe LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program)

Monetary Donations: Rosebud Sioux Tribe President's Office

P.O. Box 430

Rosebud, SD 57570 Monetary donations (checks only right now) can be made to help the various emergency programs - from social services to energy to the emergency preparedness program, which may be providing extra food or plowing roads to diabetics and those needing dialysis, etc. Monetary donations can include a note specifying how you would like the funds used.

The tribal chairman's office also accepts clothing donations.

Clothing is passed out to those who come into the offices in need or through the tribal social services office. Clothing: White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc

291 N. Main

P.O. Box 227

Mission, SD 57555

605-856-2317

Paypal link at www.wbcws.org

Pine Ridge Reservation Power: Lakota Plains Propane Company 605-867-5199 8AM - 4:30PM MST MON-FRI

Takes major credit and debit cards

Minimum ordering $120 for one weeks worth of propane

Tell them you want to donate to a Lakota family on their list. Lacreek Electric Company at 800-655-9324 or 605-685-6581 7AM - 4:30PM MST MON-FRI

You need to have a name of a family when you call. Please email KentuckyKat, (kentuckykatonkos AT gmail DOT com) she has the list of names from Autumn and you can be matched with a family. Clothing Donation: (Clothing must be clean or it will be thrown away!) Lakota Oyate Wakanyeja Owicakiyape

East Highway 18

IHS Compound, Box 604

Pine Ridge, SD 57770. See changingwinds.org for addresses of other agencies participating in the Winter Warmth Drive for the people of Pine Ridge. Special thanks to Autumn Two Bulls who has been our contact from Pine Ridge. Autumn is completely a first responder volunteer, she is not getting paid nor profiting from this effort. She knows her people well and has driven all over this vast reservation which is nearly the size of Connecticut to check on families in need and collect their names for the power companies. She is currently working on plans to bring solar energy to the Pine Ridge Reservation, and also the construction this summer of an entirely green homeless shelter -- projects that, when completed, will serve as a model for other reservations.

CHEYENNE RIVER RESERVATION FINANCIAL DONATIONS: The Tribe has depleted its emergency budget with the two blizzards that already hit the reservation since December. Donate ONLINE to Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe WIRE DONATIONS TO:

Cheyenne River Sioux 2010 Disaster Account Direct to: United Bkrs Bloomington ABA # 091 001 322

Beneficiary Bank: Account Number 250 3373

State Bank of Eagle Butte

Eagle Butte, SD 57625

Final Credit: Account Holder @ UBB Customers Bank

Account Holder: CRST 2010 Disaster, Account Number 103173 MAIL CHECK DONATIONS TO:

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe/2010 Disaster Account

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman's Office

Attn: Ice Storm Emergency Fund

PO Box 590

2001 Main Street (Tribal Offices)

Eagle Butte, SD 57625 CHEYENNNE RIVER SIOUX CONTACTS:

Robin Le Beau, Chairman's Assistant c (610) 568-2101

Joe Brings Plenty, Tribal Chairman c (605) 365-6548

CRST Emergency Coordination Center (605) 964-7711 (7712) CRST 2010 Disaster Relief Press Release, Background, Assessment and Public Service Announcement for local residents. Slide show of power line damage there.

Umbrella Groups You can double your donation and use a credit card. The (Archibald & Edyth) Bush Foundation is matching gifts to relieve suffering on SD Indian reservations following an ice storm that will leave many without heat, electricity and food for weeks. The Foundation will give up to $25,000 in 1 for 1 matching dollars. The Minneapolis based foundation announced today that it will match gifts to Native Americans in Philanthropy which has created a special fund to assist the Cheyenne River Tribe of the Lakota Nation. You can donate here thru Native Americans in Philanthropy Progress: $3,766 Jan. 31st

$7,866 Feb. 1st noon PST

$11,200 Feb. 2nd AM

$13,040 Feb. 4th 10:58 AM PST

$15,330 Feb. 4th 02:38 PM PST

$16,745 Feb. 5th 11:12 AM PST

$18,930 Feb. 7th 11:37 PM PST raised to date Razoo's and GiveMN's funding partners will cover all transaction fees (Network for Good credit card fee rate is 4.75%) to ensure that 100% of the donations go to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. UPDATE FEB. 3rd 2:00 PM PST:

The (Archibald & Edyth) Bush Foundation has added another $25,000 in matching funds thru the South Dakota Community Foundation Progress: $665 Feb. 3rd

$985 Feb. 4th 11:00 AM PST

$1,135 Feb. 4th 2:40 PM PST

$1,224 Feb. 5th 11:12 AM PST

$1,919 Feb. 7th 11:37 PM PST raised to date The Native American Heritage Association (NAHA) (NAHA) is a very reputable organization with a 4 star rating from Charity Navigator, so if you're looking for a way that you can donate online, and want to be sure your donation is going to a legitimate charity, this would be the organization to send your donation to. NAHA provides food, clothing, heating assistance, etc., to the people on several South Dakota reservations. The Native American Advocacy Program (NAAP)

302 East 2nd Street

P.O. Box 527

Winner, South Dakota 57580-0527

Phone: (605) 842-3977 (Not so much for emergencies, but they help our tribal members with disabilities.) Native American Rights Fund "Our Mission: preservation of tribal existence, protection of tribal natural resources, promotion of Native American human rights, accountability of governments to Native Americans, development of Indian law and educating the public about Indian rights, laws, and issues."



Web Contact Page

E-Mail: pereira@narf.org

1712 N St. NW

Washington, DC 20036

Phone: 202-785-4166

Fax: 202-822-0068



Be sure to run all other donation sites through Charity Navigator to make sure they are reputable. There are many scams, old and new out there.

Please see Aji's diary for links to contact information for state and local officials. For a list of federal agency contacts, go here; for a list of national media contacts and a template for a letter to the editor, gohere.