HEALTH

Coincidentally, the health initiative was launched in early 2020. While the vision for our work is centered around long-term, systemic change, we quickly realized the need to shift to immediate COVID response and relief.

The initiative has worked toward COVID-19 relief, through actions such as distributing sovereignty kits to tribal citizens, which contained cloth face masks created by local entrepreneurs, a thermometer with 100 probe covers, seed packets, gardening tools (such as a shovel, rake, and hoe), bulk dry foods (oatmeal, rice, beans, cranberries and almonds), Lakota coloring books with crayons, an electronic tablet (for participation in online classes), and a gift card to Turtle Creek (a local grocery store). These kits provided not only short-term relief, but also the tools for long-term independence. 

Additionally, the SCDC Health Initiative was awarded funding from the WEND Collective to distribute 500 Health Kits to Elders, alongside resources for further COVID-19 relief programming. These Elder Kits contained a thermometer, Vitamin C gummies, face masks, a $25 gift card to Turtle Creek (a local grocery store), seed packets for gardening, and hand sanitizer. Our SCDC Americorps VISTAs and four high school youth volunteers assembled the kits. 

The Health Initiative, too, partnered with the Tribe’s Elderly Nutrition Program to distribute the kits via contactless delivery across 20 communities. Additionally, over $60,000 in grocery gift cards were distributed to families in need.