cloudy
Alabama Slammer
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2004
- Posts
- 37,997
Instead of resurrecting the old thread, I'm going to start a new one, since the old one degenerated into flirting. I understand that flirting's fun, but y'all please don't do that here - this is too serious. Please. I'm hoping that by starting it earlier that maybe more will be able to help.
There's a Lakota reservation in the Dakotas called Pine Ridge. The people that live there are desperately poor - in fact, it's the poorest county in the United States. Many of the people there have no running water, no electricity, and one of the leading causes of death for their elderly is freezing to death. It's absolutely appalling that people have to live this way in this day and age.
If you could help at all, it is so appreciated. Every little bit helps. I crochet afghans while I watch television, and I've been sending blankets up that way all year long. It's not much, only a drop in the bucket actually, but I feel compelled to help in whatever way I can.
There's a group of people that have organized the efforts to help at Friends of Pine Ridge. (the small things site is no longer active)
This blurb is straight from one of their pages, and shows just a glimpse of how appalling this situation is:
The Pine Ridge Reservation is considered the poorest in the country. Located south of the Badlands, with its depleted soil, scarce natural resources and harsh climate, 35,000 Americans are forced to live.
This is a vast, nearly treeless land far from industry, cities and resources. Jobs are scarce and often far away. Transportation is a problem.
* The average yearly income is $3,600
* The unemployment rate is 85%.
* Diabetes affects 33% of the population, including children and elderly.
* The average life expectancy is second lowest in the world: 48 for males and 56 for females.
* Freezing is a leading cause of death.
Native Americans have enriched our nation throughout history. The first settlers would not have survived without their help. As a group they have more U.S. military veterans per capita than any other ethnic group in our country.
They are survivors of a profound holocaust that occurred right here in the land of freedom.
In the midst of all this desperation, there is hope.
There's a Lakota reservation in the Dakotas called Pine Ridge. The people that live there are desperately poor - in fact, it's the poorest county in the United States. Many of the people there have no running water, no electricity, and one of the leading causes of death for their elderly is freezing to death. It's absolutely appalling that people have to live this way in this day and age.
If you could help at all, it is so appreciated. Every little bit helps. I crochet afghans while I watch television, and I've been sending blankets up that way all year long. It's not much, only a drop in the bucket actually, but I feel compelled to help in whatever way I can.
There's a group of people that have organized the efforts to help at Friends of Pine Ridge. (the small things site is no longer active)
This blurb is straight from one of their pages, and shows just a glimpse of how appalling this situation is:
The Pine Ridge Reservation is considered the poorest in the country. Located south of the Badlands, with its depleted soil, scarce natural resources and harsh climate, 35,000 Americans are forced to live.
This is a vast, nearly treeless land far from industry, cities and resources. Jobs are scarce and often far away. Transportation is a problem.
* The average yearly income is $3,600
* The unemployment rate is 85%.
* Diabetes affects 33% of the population, including children and elderly.
* The average life expectancy is second lowest in the world: 48 for males and 56 for females.
* Freezing is a leading cause of death.
Native Americans have enriched our nation throughout history. The first settlers would not have survived without their help. As a group they have more U.S. military veterans per capita than any other ethnic group in our country.
They are survivors of a profound holocaust that occurred right here in the land of freedom.
In the midst of all this desperation, there is hope.
.I got some together and will launder and pack them over the weekend. I do work trying to get books for disadvantaged schools from undisadvantaged, for lack of a better word, schools in more affluent areas. It doesn't always work out as planned because there is a real problem getting the books into these areas because it is just too unsafe for a single white woman to go there with a truckful of books alone and the deal I worked out was to get the books I had to promise not to take them there myself. As a result, I think I still have 2 science programs and laungauge arts series for grades 1 through 6, 200-400 books in each. I have to check first to be sure they are still there. If so I'll contact the person listed and see if they can be used by the reservation. I'm not sure about shipping though, books are heavy it may not be cost effective. Shipping to the military in Iraq is tax deductible but this I don't know about.
