Thanks to Dr Erich Bloodaxe, RN for writing the inaugural diary of the drive.
Can you believe it's already August?! That means school is right around the corner....and once again the Okicyap food pantry is going to be distributing school supplies to the kids in Isabel, SD, on the Cheyenne River Reservation. Last fall, the drive was so successful that Okiciyap was able to provide all of the children in Isabel with supplies, as well as some from neighboring communities. Their parents could never have done this. We'd like to be able to let them do it again this year.
UPDATE: In addition to the material donations you'll see below, these diaries have netted $217 in donations. Thank you so much everyone. This way if we come up short on anything, they can just go out and buy it.
Thanks to your generous support, Okiciyap is a really successful project. There have been so many donations that earlier this year they got a small grant from the tribe to build a storage room onto the pantry. The pantry now receives regular shipments of food from Feeding South Dakota, and some food and but mostly other items such as shampoo, soap, and toothpaste, from National Relief Charities. On the third Friday and Saturday of each month they have "pantry day," when people can come and pick up the food they need. People in need of emergency food supplies can also call the pantry and the volunteers will open it for them.
For the current school supplies drive, here is information on the students and what they need
Population from Isabel and neighboring schools we're helping:
50 middle and high school students
90 K-6 students
Supplies needed:
5 and 3 subject notebooks
Backpacks or Messenger bag
Markers
Crayons
Scissors
Pens & Pencils
Folders
Binders/Trapper Keepers
Calculators/Scientific & Regular
Glue Sticks and Regular Glue
Pencil Boxes or bags
Erasers
Pencil sharpeners
colored pencils
Rulers
Compass & Protractors
Boys and girls socks & undies (all sizes)
Thanks to the first diary, we now have the following (awesome)
2 of: Dixon Ticonderoga My First Tri-Write Triangular #2 Pencils, Primary Size, Wood-Cased, Black Writing, 36-Count 72 primary school pencils
2 of: Dixon Ticonderoga Woodcase Pencils, HB #2, Yellow Barrel, 96 per Pack 192 standard pencils kids of all ages always need pencils, and this are just plain yellow pencils so if you see bright colorful pencils on sale, grab some!
6 of: TOPS 3-Subject Spiral Notebooks, College Rule, 10.5 x 8 Inches, 120 Sheets/Book, Covers May Vary, 6-Pack 36 3-subject notebooks
6 of: TOPS 3-Subject Spiral Notebooks, College Rule, 10.5 x 8 Inches, 120 Sheets/Book, Covers May Vary, 6-Pack 36 3-subject notebooks
UPDATE 2: We now have a pledge for some undies and socks. Thanks!
UPDATE 3: We now have a pledge for these items:
18 pink erasers
24 bright colored 12" rulers
25 pocket folders with brads
6 packs of 24 ct. Crayons
UPDATE 4: We now have pledges for these items:
12 packs of crayons
48 scientific calendars
1000 assorted colorful advertising and school #2 pencils with erasers
96 solar&battery-powered regular calculators in assorted colors
UPDATE 4: one of the donors is on a roll...added this:
48 5-subject wired notebooks
Keep it coming everybody! This is a great start.
(notice the books!)
Some online sources for school supplies:
Amazon
Overstock.com
eBags
Discount School Supply
Costco
BagsinBulk (backpacks)
Made-in-America by Union Workers source for backpackschool supplies
Don't forget about ebay! Asam has donated a large quantity of calculators and other items because they are cheap and easy to get on ebay. Thanks for both the donation and the suggestion!
Your local big box stores have bargains:
J.C. Penney
Target
Walmart
Kohls
Staples
The Okiciyap address is:
Okiciyap
PO Box 172
Isabel SD 57633
If you are using a shipping service that requires a street address, use this one:
Okiciyap, c/o Cindy Taylor
506 N. Madison Ave
Isabel, S.D. 57633
(This is Cindy's house. I don't know why, but sometimes this address comes up as "not found" for some shippers. She does receive packages here, so keep trying. The packages will definitely get lost if they are delivered to the pantry because there are no full time staff there).
If you have any questions, you can call or email the pantry director, Emily Penick Taylor:
505-328-4357
emilytaylor.penick@yahoo.com
Want to just get out your credit card and donate something without shopping?
Click here: Donate
Okiciyap is organizing Isabel's pow wow this year in honor of Georgia Little Shield, founder of Okiciyap as well as the Isabel pow wow, and founding director of Pretty Bird Woman House. Navajo and I are going and will report back to this awesome community. Thank you so much for your generosity.
P.S. We need people to do diaries for this drive. If you have time, we'd really appreciate a diary as a contribution. I know many are tapped out right now, so a diary is a great way to help in lieu of buying something. Thank you.