December 5, 2024
Dear Chris and FOPR,
I know I promised this letter days ago but have just now been able to get it written—my apologies. It’s tardiness is not because of lack of appreciation but because much is going on around here. The students, staff, and families extend a heartfelt gratitude for your generous donations of Christmas gifts, school items, clothing, and hygiene products. Your kindness has brought joy and comfort to our elementary school communities, located on the beautiful Klamath River and sacred Yurok ancestral land.
We are deeply moved by your generosity and commitment to supporting our schools and honoring the cultural and community ties that bind us. You remind us all of the power of giving and the strength of collective care.
Thank you for helping us create a brighter holiday season for our students. Your kindness will be remembered long after the holidays have passed.
Wishing you and your loved ones peace, joy, and many blessings this season and always.
Jack Norton Elementary School
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This thank you letter is from First Families Now, for the Christmas gifts donated to Lakota elders this year. Thanks for your support!
November 24, 2024
Chris and Friends of Pine Ridge,
Thank you very much for all the amazing Elder Gifts! We greatly appreciate this drive for our elders. We will be distributing these items on Wednesday, December 11th. We plan to invite all our elders and prepare and serve a meal for them. We will honor them and present their gifts. We will let them know that our amazing Friends of Pine Ridge made this all possible!
This will bring much happiness and joy to our knowledge keepers. Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts for making this possible!
Blessings to you all/
Best,
First Families Now
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This thank you letter is from Etta Shirley, the Principal of the Little Singer Community School for our 2024 Christmas gifts drives for the Navajo school children and the Navajo elders! Thanks to all of you who helped with this one.
November 22, 2024
Good morning Chris,
I am back in my office – I was out for board meetings for two days and so glad to be back. I was in the classrooms for the whole morning, I just want to spend time to thank you and the people who donated to our elders and students. We are storing all the students’ Christmas gifts that will be wrapped during the first week of December. The committee decided to do hot chocolate get together, to wrap the gifts in the evening.
Thank you so much for the wonderful gifts that were sent to the school – the kids will really enjoy them. The elders donations will also be given out during the community Christmas – I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for thinking of our young and old- it means a lot to us. Thank you so much!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving, Christmas and a New Year.
Love, Mrs. Shirley
Principal
Little Singer Community School
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This thank you letter is for our 2024 Christmas gifts drive for the Yurok Elders Nutrition Nutrition Program elders! Thanks to all of you who helped with this one.
November 21, 2024
Chris/FoPPR
Friends of Pineridge Reservation
Re: Elders Nutrition Program Christmas Donations
Aye ye-kwee Chris & Donors,
On behalf of the staff here at the Yurok Tribe Elders Nutrition Program, we would like to express our sincerest gratitude for all of the wonderful donations we have received from you. Our program works hard to ensure our elders are well taken care of and have the essentials needed to live a long and enjoyable life. With over 80 elders on our roster, this task is a challenge to say the least. It is because of generous and determined people like you, we are able to meet this goal. From the new kitchen equipment for cooking meals, hardware tools, bedding sets, hygiene products, clothes, sneakers/slippers, to mobility aids, the donations provided have made a huge difference for our elders. We hope to continue collaborating with you in the future. On behalf of our Yurok Tribe Elders Nutrition team, Wok’klew! (thank you)
Sincerely,
Fawn Beall
Administrative Assistant
Yurok Tribe Title VI Elders Nutrition Program
This thank you letter is for our Halloween Drive from the Principal of Jack Norton Elementary School and Weitchpec Yurok Magnet Elementary Schools, both 1-room rural schools on the Yurok Rez!November 15, 2024Dear Chris and FOPR,Our Halloween “Trunk-or-Treat” was the best ever this year due to the efforts of your generosity. We brought down the Weitchpec Elementary School K-3 students to JNES and celebrated Halloween together. My K-3 graders were matched up with older students for reading buddies. We had an assembly with sack races, tug of war, and basketball game with older students wearing blow up Sumo Wrestling outfits—the community and students laughed hard. The Sumo Wrestlers stretched and warmed up to the “Village People” YMCA—it was great. I gave away an Apple iPad (donated by the Yurok Tribe) to a student that improved the most on the CAASPP Test. The beautiful Halloween decorations so generously donated by you surrounded my costumed students as they paraded the halls and participated in the day’s activities.The highlight of the day for my students was “Trunk or Treating” the candy YOU donated to my schools. We had kids that didn’t even attend my schools show up with their parents excited about the events. A staff member gave a fire dance demonstration too and the kids loved that. All of your generous donations combined with my terrific staff made for the best event we have had in four years. Thank you.My teacher at WES is doing fantastic and appreciates all of the clothes donated for her needy students and trinkets for her student store. We are working on attendance and the Hot Wheels, bouncy balls, and toys make for a rewarding experience for students with great attendance each Friday. Students also earn Condor Cash for good behavior and purchase donated items each Friday. Thank you.I want the donors to know that your donations are truly helping students move towards the behaviors we are trying to attain. Now my students seek extrinsic rewards but I know that they will be able to transfer to being motivated by intrinsic rewards someday. Our greatest need in KTJUSD are human resources—Hoopa Elementary School had to shut down two days this week due to staff shortages which posed safety problems. You donors are appreciated—thank you so much!Have a wonderful Holiday Season!Sincerely,Jason L. Henderson, Principal
Jack Norton Elementary School
Weitchpec Yurok Magnet Elementary School
This thank you letter is from the Yurok Elder Advocacy Program for our Bingo Prizes for Yurok elders. If you’d like to help more elders, click here for the ongoing food drive. Thanks for your continued support everyone!
strengthen connections among our elders and provide information about various tribal and community services.
Yurok Tribal Court
Yurok Elder Advocacy Program
Investigative Social Worker
This thank you letter is from the Yurok Tribe Client Services Dept. for the fans, sun hats, electrolyte packets, umbrellas and more in the recent donation drive for Yurok elders. If you’d like to help more elders, click here for the ongoing food drive. Thanks for your continued support of the Yurok elders everyone!
September 12, 2024
Dear Chris,
Thank you SO MUCH to you and all the donors who have generously donated and supported our Yurok Elders. The cooling supplies have been distributed throughout our community and the contributions were received with gratitude and joy. Your program has been such a blessing. It has given me a truly unbelievable opportunity to help Elders in the community stay healthy and safe during this hot summer. Every Elder who received an item understood that it was a gift from your gracious donors.
Your dedication and that of all the donors continues to amaze me and my Team. You have my respect and gratitude for all your hard work and selfless dedication to serving our community.
Wok-hlew’Cindy Green
Elder Services Representative
This thank you letter is from the Elder Nutrition Program on the Yurok Reservation for the ongoing food drive. Thanks for your continued support of the elders everyone!
August 27, 2024
Hello Chris!
Our team here at the Elders Nutrition Program wanted to express our deepest gratitude for always keeping our elders in mind when making such generous donations to our program. The elders we service are always so happy and extremely grateful for all the gifts and food items you have sent their way over the past couple years. Your generosity, along with all the other donors always brightened our elders’ day and has truly improved their quality of life.
Every week when we get to see them, they are always filled with excitement to see the next gift/care package they will receive. No matter what it is that the donors are sending, our elders are always happy to receive it, from the lovely coat and boot drive that keeps them warm during the winter months, the household items to help make their lives easier while residing in such isolated areas, to the non-perishable food items that helps ensure they always have food in their pantry, without your contributions all of these things would not be possible.
Thank you so much for all that you do Chris!
Sincerely,
Laura, Ricardo, & Fawn
Here’s a list of donated items receive that have been distributed out to elders so far: Food Items: Canned goods (pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, peas, spinach, corn, tuna, salmon, chicken, peaches, oranges, pineapples, apples, & fruit cocktail)
-Cheerios cereal, instant & old fashion oatmeal, crackers, pasta noodles, parmesan cheese, tortillas, coffee/tea, peanut butter/jelly, mayonnaise, trail mix, almonds, dried fruit, dried beans/lentils, brown & white rice, Rice-a-roni/Pasta-roni, oil, flour, sugar, baking soda/powder, seasonings, onion/ garlic powder, salt, pepper, and powdered milk.
Non-food items: men’s & women’s socks+underwear, Kleenex box tissue, hand/dish & bar soap, all sizes of adult diapers, toothpaste/toothbrushes, shampoo/conditioner, first-aid kits, reading glasses, toilet paper, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, detergent, can openers, scissors, knitted items, sewing kit, and thermal sets.
This thank you letter is from the Principal of two very rural one-room elementary schools on the Yurok Reservation. Thanks so much for your help with this school supplies drive! I’ve just kicked off a Halloween drive for the kids, click here to take a look!
August 21, 2024
Dear Chris and FOPRR,
I have brought down a pickup load and four carloads of boxes to my schools from my house. The boxes of donated items were coming in daily over the summer. My three rescue dogs have gotten fat from the daily treats given them by the UPS and FedEx drivers. I almost have all of the donated items delivered.
As of yesterday, we have a new teacher hired at Weitchpec Elementary School. She is a recently retired teacher and looking forward to teaching our K-3 rd graders. I spoke with her yesterday. The State is going to have to give us a waiver though because she has not been retired a year yet.
Thank you donors for coming through again. Your generous donations will make our newly hired teacher have an easier transition to teaching students at Weitchpec Elementary School. The water bottles, paper towels, backpacks, folders, pencils, highlighters, crayons, markers, hand sanitizer, and wipes replenished our supply cabinets—thank you.
As we prepare for another school year, know that your kindness has made a difference at my schools. We remind our students that these items have been donated by some kind people that want to do good in the world and help students. Your generous donations serve as a reminder to my students that there are good people in the world. Hopefully my students will do the same once they are able. Thank you so much for helping our school year begin on a positive note.
Sincerely,
Jason L. Henderson, Principal
Jack Norton Elementary School
Weitchpec Yurok Magnet Elementary School
This thank you letter is from First Families Now for our recent food drive. Big thanks to all who helped with this one!
August 22, 2024
Dear Chris and Friends of Pine Ridge,
Thank you so much for the food that we have received to give out to our families in great need! We have received all quality nonperishable food to give out so that families may have the opportunity to provide nutritious meals. The items were well-received and will last to create many more meals for their families.
This means so much to our families and they are so happy and grateful for all they receive. Thank you all for all you do!
Best,
This thank you letter is from the steward in charge of two Indigenous Little Libraries in the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. Thanks for your book donations!
July 20, 2024
Osiyo Chris and all Donors,
Thank you so much for the books that you sent. The books you have sent have been a glorious blessing. Without your books one of the libraries would nearly stay empty. Even with your generous contributions, it’s a challenge to keep it filled. The library at Claremore Indian Heath Center and Hospital is empty so often. I go every few days and fill it. I am astonished at how fast the books disappear. The amount of foot traffic there is more than huge. I wish I had kept better count of how many books have gone through it already. I know it’s a several hundred at this point. In addition to the original grant books and the books you all are sending, I bought books to supplement.
The CIH is a 60 bed hospital but it also houses clinics for adult and pediatric medicine, dental care, vision care, audiology, podiatry, OB/Gyn, Pharmacy, physical therapy, Emergency care, radiology, lab, diabetes education, and several more clinics. In 2021, there were 119,000 “users” of the facility according to one article I read. Tribes actively participating on the tribal advisory board to the CIH are Alabama/Quassarte Tribal Town, Cherokee Nation, Delaware Tribe of Indians, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Kialegee Tribal Town, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Miami Nation of Oklahoma, Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma, Osage Tribe of Indians, Otta- wa Tribe of Oklahoma, Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma, Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma, Shawnee Tribe, Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, United Keetoowah Band, and Wyandotte Nation. But ALL tribes can receive services there. I check the library every few days and fill it. It is almost always empty. I have visited with a few people who stop to investigate the library or who have been blessed with a book. They express their gratitude. Many tribal members regularly travel several several hours to receive free services at this location. While the majority live within an hour or so, many more do not.
I have included some pictures of the libraries. Each library boasts distinctive themes and artwork. The library at the CIH emphasizes the importance of ambition and dreams, featuring imagery of a young girl envisioning her future aspirations. In contrast, the library at Livingston Learning Center offers a whimsical narrative, incorporating beloved characters from Winnie the Pooh alongside elements of Cherokee culture.
The one for CIH has a few themes running through the designs. The first panel displays the message, “Take a book, Leave a book” and features a cute little caterpillar and a large blue book. The back panel which is the largest, features a little girl sitting under a tree reading a blue book while dreaming about what she wants to do when she grows up. The dream manifestations of a ballerina, an artist, an astronaut and a doctor are intertwined in the leaves of the large tree the little girl is sitting under. The tree itself is rooted through a very large book that serves as the foundation under the tree and the little girl. The phrase “Read to Succeed” accompanies an image of the girl grown up, now a healthcare professional, on a third panel. Butterflies throughout symbolize growth and transformation.
The foundation of the library, the table, was painted to match the library and continue the themes. Each side of the table features a stack of books. The names painted into the design of each book cover is the name of a Native American who was or is successful in their field but may not be widely known. The list includes Tanita Peña, Karen Louise Erdrich, Dr. Fred Begay, Mary Golda Ross, John Bennett Herrington, Nancy “Nanye’hi” Ward, Mary Riddle, Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail, Lori Aviso Alvord, Jerry Chris Elliot High Eagle, Jimmie Carrol Fife Stewart, Maria Tallchief, Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, and Nicole Aunapo Mann. It is my hope that people would read the names and look them up on their smart phone to learn about their achievements and hopefully will be inspired to read more about them or just to read and learn in general.
The library in front of the daycare is adorned with beloved characters from Winnie the Pooh, each panel tells a whimsical tale designed to inspire young readers. Featuring a heartwarming scene of Owl reading “Usdi Yona” to Pooh, Tigger, Roo, and Piglet, the library pays homage to Cherokee heritage and the power of language to connect generations. “Usdi Yona” mean Little Bear in Cherokee. Above them is the motto “Read to Succeed”. Another panel showcases Kanga, Roo, and a little girl, extending a warm “Osiyo” to passersby. On a third panel Piglet reads beneath a leafy tree, inviting visitors to “Take a book, Leave a book.” The library’s front door proudly displays a metal plaque with the inscription “Osiyo Usdi Digoliyesgi,” welcoming little readers.
So know that your generous book donations are helping people far and wide. On behalf of all the readers, thank you again for kind generosit
Wado,
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This thank you letter is from the Indigenous Little Free Library at the Solidarity Fridge & Giving Garden in Nevada. Thanks for your book donations!
July 12, 2024
Dear Chris & Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation,
On behalf of The Solidarity Fridge & Giving Garden, I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your generous book donations to our beloved community. Your efforts have directly benefited the families in our community by providing culturally relevant educational resources and fostering an environment of inclusion, empowerment and continuous learning.
The area we work and reside in is greatly underserved, an area that experiences food apartheid and book deserts, and when resources are available, entire families are positively impacted, benefiting our society as a whole. I have witnessed firsthand how your thoughtfulness has brought a wave of joy and curiosity to families. Their faces light up when they find a book that inspires and tugs at something within them, when they sit and get wrapped up in a book that represents our cultures, lived experiences and identities.
We are humbled by and grateful for your kindness. Thank you for your big hearts and for modeling ways to care for one another. May our Creator continue to bless you all.
Tlazocamati,
Victoria & TSF Community
This thank you letter is from the Yurok Tribe Elder Services for the home health products (walkers, canes, grab bars, etc.) we recently donated to the rez. Thanks to all who helped the elders!
June 18, 2024
To: Chris/Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation
Dear Chris,
We are so grateful to you for allowing us to participate in your program. The Elders in our community have been very appreciative and thankful for all the medical supplies received. Many have stated they did not even know they needed the items until they started using them. The items have already made big improvements in their mobility and daily routines. Personally, I believe your generosity and the generosity of the people that helped is astounding. I could never have imagined a turnout like this. It has truly shown me that there is still good in the world. Honestly, I just wanted to make sure you knew these items are changing people’s lives for the better. I have really been blown away with the encouragement these items have given to our Elders. Every donation has made such an impact on the community that I am now looking for ways to keep it going, starting with a resource closet for donations of medical supplies such as the ones provided by your generous donors. Thank you for the suggested added supplies, every item has been thoughtfully given out in the community and accepted by thankful Elders who are beyond impressed with your donors and their kindness.
You and your donors have far from fulfilled my wish list. The graciousness and goodwill shown to our Yurok Elders here on the North Coast of California is so appreciated. It warms my heart to know the Yurok Elder Community is being thought of and cared for from afar with such goodwill, kindness, and generosity. I cannot fully express in words how thankful I really am.
With all my respect and gratitude. Thank you, Chris.
Wok-hlew’,
Cindy Green
Yurok Tribe Elder Services Representative
Here’s a thank you letter from American Horse School on Pine Ridge Rez for the recent Graduation Supplies Donation Drive!
June 15, 2024
Dear Friends of Pine Ridge,
Thank you all for your generous contribution to the American Horse School’s 8th-grade graduation supplies. We have received many wonderful decorations to utilize and provide our 8th graders with an amazing set up for their 8th grade graduation. It was stunning and magical! The families were intrigued and are thankful for all we received to decorate and create such a beautiful ceremony!
Thank you all for bringing many smiles and great feelings to enhance our 8th-grade graduation ceremony for American Horse School!
Best,
Alice Phelps, Principal
American Horse School
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This thank you letter is from an Indigenous Little Free Library in Minneapolis, MN. Thanks to all who donated books to them!
May 21, 2024
Dear Chris and Friends of Pine Ridge,
Thank you for your kindness and care in the form of book donations! We feel grateful to be able to share these books and teachings with the Little Earth community. Our Counseling Program is focused on providing holistic, trauma-informed, relationship-based care for residents of Little Earth, a Native preference subsidized housing complex in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Residents have expressed appreciation for the cultural pride, teachings, and connection thse books offer, especially when many titles are not easily accessible. Thank you for creating both small moments of joy when a book is picked up and large moments of mending when an elder reads to a child.
Much appreciation,
Little Earth
Minneapolis, MN
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Here’s a thank you letter from the Oyate Teca Project Youth Center on Pine Ridge Rez for the Prom Clothes Drive. Thanks to all who helped the teens!
April 25, 2024
Hello All,Thank you, for the prom items, the dresses, shoes, accessories, suits, makeup, everything!
You have done an outstanding job for such a short notice, so thank you so much for answering our call for prom items. We gave our entire inventory to another organization a few years ago and thought that we could replenish it, but we were not able to, so what you all sent has been gratefully received. We would like to the continue with the formal attire for the youth next year, we would like to open with a prom fashion show, we have done this in the past and it was a great experience for the youth, we had the girls select a few dresses and made notes about the dress, and described it as they walk the cat walk, it is a great self-esteem booster and two of the girls are now modeling for Native designers.
Those types of experiences are what we try to have here for the youth, because there are no programs for specific event like modeling, event planning, announcing, being a MC, photography, videographer or a designer, some of the other girls were in helping in the back making sure the dresses fit well and made adjustments as needed, without even thinking about all the opportunities being offered here, they didn’t even realize what they were doing until we talked about their experiences, and to put a title to the jobs they were doing gave them a sense of pride in wanting to a better job next time. Programs like these give our kids an opportunity to see if it something they would like to pursue. So thank you for helping us create these types of experiences for the youth.
Sincerely,
Rose Fraser
Executive Director
Oyate Teca Project
April 12, 2024
Dear Chris and Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation,
I am sending this out as a big “Thank You” to all who have donated the new Easter and Spring items. The little Jackets also came in handy for the littles who received them. Spring has arrived here in the homelands “Pine Ridge Reservation” and as it happens snow has come and goes away but will probably come again next week! The supplies and Easter things have been given out and is also a “check in” time with the Children.
For those of you who have given monetary donations we give a huge Thank You as well. You may feel the generosity within you for sharing to our program. This helps us provide needs and services to those who are most vulnerable.With Gratitude,
Sincerely and for the Children,
Arlana Bettelyoun, Director
Oglala Lakota Children’s Justice Center
We had an Easter donation drive for OLL Elementary School on Pine Ridge recently. Here’s a thank you for your donations!
April 11, 2024
Dear Friends of Pine Ridge,
On behalf of the entire community at Our Lady of Lourdes, I am writing to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your generous donation of Easter supplies. Your thoughtful contribution brought immense joy and excitement to our celebration.
Thanks to your support, we were able to include some of your donations in small, Easter gift bags to all of our lower elementary students. Due to circumstances out of our control, we had to postpone our Passion Play before the Easter holiday but it has been rescheduled for next week. We are excited to use the rest of the donation supplies to decorate our church for the performance.
Your ongoing commitment to supporting our community is deeply appreciated by everyone here at OLL. It is friends like you, who extend their hands in times of need, that make a significant difference in the lives we are nurturing here. The materials you provided enriched our Easter celebrations and made them memorable for our students and their families.
We are incredibly thankful for your kindness and support. Please know that your contributions are making a real and positive impact. We look forward to continuing this cherished relationship and hope to partner with you in future endeavors that further enrich our community.
Thank you once again for your generosity and for bringing the spirit of Easter to our school. We are truly grateful.
Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School
This letter is from the Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School Principal for the school supplies and Bingo fundraise prizes donations.
April 9, 2024
Dear Chris and Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation,
I hope this message finds you all in great spirits. On behalf of the students, teachers, and community at Winyan Wakan Owayawa – Our Lady of Lourdes, I extend our heartfelt thanks and deepest gratitude for your recent generous donations. Thanks to your kindness, we have received all of the requested donated items! These items are not just utilities for our daily use; they are symbols of the support and care from people like you who believe in our mission and the future of our students.
Please accept our sincerest thanks once again for your generosity and support. Your contributions are making a significant difference in the lives of our students and teachers. We are truly grateful to have Friends of Pine Ridge as part of our extended community.
Wopila tanka eciciyapi,
Tamera Miyasato, Principal
Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School
Here’s a thank you letter from the Principal of Jack Norton Elementary School and Weitchpec Yurok Magnet Elementary School on the Yurok Reservation.
March 26, 2024
Dear Chris and FoPRR:
The constant influx of Valentine’s Day cards, candy, decorations, Easter eggs, and Easter stuff has been great at my two schools. All the items donated to my two schools make school a fun place to go for my students. We have used all the items for parties, games and prizes for the student store where students exchange their “Condor Cash” for the wonderful prizes donated.
This year has once again been made special by the outpouring of love by your donors. We could never purchase the types of prizes or candy your donors send us–our District Office purchasing clerk would never sign off and it’s these prizes that motivate our students to work hard and do well and learn. Thank you.
The good people of Friends of the Pine Ridge have benefitted the students at JNES and WES. The combination of games, books, prizes, clothing, decorations, summer supplies, art supplies, craft supplies, etc. have had a positive effect on my reading scores–we do now have a new reading program too, so that may be a factor. My JNES reading scores for 4-8 grade have risen each year we have been in partnership. Three years ago we had 33% of the 4-8 grade reading at grade level. Now we have 65% of our students reading at grade level! You are part of the success.
We are helping students break through the generational cycle of poverty by teaching them to read and think. Thank you.
Jason L. Henderson, Principal
Jack Norton Elementary School
Weitchpec Yurok Magnet Elementary School
This thank you letter is from the Principal at Little Singer Community School on the Navajo Nation for our coat drive and Christmas drives for the kids and elders!
March 18, 2024
I just want to thank you for the children’s Christmas gifts we had a huge Christmas tree in the school’s multi-purpose room. All the children brought their parents and we sang songs and some of the classes did presentations. Every child received a gift and all the parents came over to thank the school for giving the students such a great Christmas day.
For the coat drive we had coats that were delivered hanging in the hall and community came by and chose whichever coat they fit into. We also thank you for that, sometimes we get so many people and they cannot fit into what we have so we have to tell them to wait for another donation. They are so greateful for the donations they got.
Little Singer Community School
This thank you letter is from First Families Now for the recent cold weather drive we worked on to help get heat to Lakota families in dire need. Thanks to all who helped!
February 26, 2024
Friends of Pine Ridge,
I want to thank you all for your generous contribution to the Heat Drive for families on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The weather was indeed extreme with arctic blasts occurring often.
With your help, we raised $5,050! We were able to ensure heat for:
5 Families for electricity
These families were in dire need and were so thankful! They couldn’t be happier! It was nice to know that those in dire need were warm during the cold spells. Thanks again for all you do!
First Families Now
This thank you letter is from the Oglala Lakota Children’s Justice Center for our 2023 Christmas drive for the kids. Thanks everyone who sent a gift for a child last Christmas!
February 15, 2024
Dear Friends of Pine Ridge,
This is a letter of thanks for the Christmas gifts and much needed items for the children. These were distributed December 2023. They were shared with other children who are sheltered as well. The children are always so thankful and appreciative for all they received this season. Please know that what you have shared monetarily is so much help to the work and gifts are given and received with a heartwarming message of “we care” and “you matter.”
Respectfully and with gratitude,
Oglala Lakota Children’s Justice Center
This thank you letter is from the Yurok Tribe Boys and Girls Club for the Christmas gifts. Thanks to all of you who so kindly sent one!
January 4, 2024
Chris,
The Boys & Girls Club of the Yurok Tribe would like to extend a huge thank you to Chris and the Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation for the donations and gifts! Thanks to your generous donations we were able to provide holiday gifts for our youth at the Klamath and Ke’pel clubs on the Yurok Reservation. The smiles on the youth’s faces were priceless on the day that they got to unwrap the gifts. The beading kits and books were perfectly timed, and have been put to use with the stormy weather we’ve had on the West Coast. Thank you so much Chris and the Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation!
Wok-hlew’
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This thank you letter is from the first Indigenous Little Free Library book drive we worked on last year, for the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Thanks so much for your help! I’ll be adding the third ILFL shortly.
January 2, 2024
Dear Chris,
FCSD #21 in Fort Washakie, WY is incredibly grateful to you and your generous donors for the book donations to our Little Free Library! Due to the donations, we have been able to provide Indigenous authored books to our students and their families. This is important because access to culturally responsive books provides an opportunity for Indigenous children to see and connect with accurate depictions of Indigenous culture which can peak an interest in reading (Howard, 2021). Huwihu/hohou/thank you for your and the donors’ kindness!
Best,
Dr. Amanda LeClair-Diaz
Tribal Affliation: Eastern Shoshone & Northern Arapaho
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This thank you letter is from the second Indigenous Little Free Library we supported, on the White Earth Nation Reservation!
January 2, 2024
Chris,
Thank you so much for the wonderful books! They will be greatly appreciated by the children of the White Earth Nation! The need is great and this is so helpful:) I am a hygienist at the White Earth Indian Health Service, an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation and the steward of our Indigenous Little Free library. It is so rewarding to see the children happily choosing a book and thanks to you and your “Friends” there is a bountiful selection to choose from.
Miigwetch!
Linda Otto
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If you've received a phone call soliciting donations for "Pine Ridge Reservation" please consider it a scam and do not provide any credit card information.