It's been a while since I have let the Daily Kos community know what's going on with the Pretty Bird Woman House shelter project, partly due to a family health crisis, so I thought I'd give you all a little update (and maybe a break from worrying about the primary).
As many people know, last fall we ran a hugely successful netroots fundraiser for the Pretty Bird Woman House women's shelter, which is on the South Dakota side of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Because of the incredible generosity of this community, as well as the other blogs, including the LiveJournal community, we raised $87,000, which allowed the Pretty Bird Woman House board of directors to buy a new house in McLaughlin, SD, this past winter. For the complete history of all of that, you can go over to the shelter's blog.
So, to pick up from there, in February, Georgia Little Shield, the director, received the keys to the house from the Lutheran Church, the owner of he house.
Even though the house still needed some electrical work, and will eventually need a new furnace (next winter watch for a fundraiser for that), Georgia immediately conducted a workshop for domestic violence advocates at the new house. Talking about hitting the ground running!
She was also pleasantly surprised with a large furniture donation from a casino at a nearby reservation, which was renovating its hotel. Here's what the furniture looks like in the house:
Below is an update that Georgia sent me earlier this month, which I've also posted over at the blog. Some of you might remember that the immediate task was to install a security system and a fence.
With the weather we still have not gotten the fence up. The lines get marked and then it snows. Just last week, on Friday they marked the lines and then it snowed. So we are just waiting for that.
We are sending out thank yous to all that donated but we are doing that with volunteer help so it might take a month to get all out. I would like to once again thank you all that donated with clothes, shelter supplies and cash.
If you look at target.com we have posted a new list with Amnesty International. So if you are wondering what we still need please check out the Target.com site.
We are helping to put on the first ever Reservation-wide workshop for community members. So we are learning from this to make it our mission next year to provide it again. It sure takes a lot to put one like this together we are so lucky that the tribal programs are so willing to help. The CHR (Community Health Representatives) Program, The Suicide Prevention Program, The Tribal Health Program and the Standing Rock Police department are all pitching in.
Pretty Bird Woman House is so pleased that the Native Women's Society of the Great Plains have helped us to put this together, they will be providing the training.
The security system has been installed, again, with the help of donations from the netroots. So, whenever it thaws out enough to get a fence installed, the house will be fully secured.
I want to remind you that, YOU, Kossacks, are a major reason all of this is happening. Without some major financial support from this community, and the cooperation of the Daily Kos administrators, who front paged the fundraiser, this shelter would not have a house right now, and these activities would not be taking place.
Remaining furniture needs
The big furniture donation from that casino was an immense help, so now the only furniture that the shelter really needs is 3 sets of bunk beds for children. I posted a ChipIn on the Pretty Bird Woman House blog for that, and to date we have $1286.01 toward that purchase. (That ChipIn ends this Thursday, in case you want to donate for the beds).
Amnesty International's regional organizing efforts
Amnesty International, (which first brought the problem of sexual violence against Native American Women to the netroots' attention through its report, Maze of Injustice: The Failure to Protect Indigenous Women from Violence), has a regional community organizer, Amanda E. Flott (312-435-6386), who has been organizing a donations drive for the remaining items that the shelter needs, which are:
* Pots, Pans, or Baking Pans.
* Queen Sheets (for the hotel beds!)
* Welcome Mats/ Small Rugs
* Large or small storage bowls or cooking bowls.
* Laundry Detergent
* Bags, Luggage
UPDATE: There is also an ongoing need for women's and children's clothing, as well as toiletries.
She has created an Action Pack for community organizers and college students who want to organize donation drives, so call Amanda at the number above if you would like her to email you a copy of it. You can email her at: AFlott@aiusa.org.
Since Amnesty International is publicizing the new shelter address for the purpose of sending donations, I assume that the shelter staff feels it safe to reveal the address, so here it is: Pretty Bird Woman House, 211 First Ave W., McLaughlin, SD 57642. If you're sending donations, it's easier on the staff for them to go directly to the house (especially if you're like SallyCat, who did a drive that brought in 350 lbs of clothing).
So, that's where we are with this shelter. What an astounding success.
There is also a sister shelter in the area also in need of assistance. Let me know if you are interested in developing a project on that later on in May.