“A lot of people rely on the food pantry,” shared our Program Partner, Louella Y., who uses the Food Pantry service of Native American Aid (NAA), a program of Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA). Louella receives regular deliveries of shelf-stable goods like spaghetti sauce, oatmeal, and canned vegetables through this service. She operates a pantry out of a church in Oglala, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Reservation, where more than 100 people pick up a bag of food each week. Louella informed us, “They really appreciate what they get, especially at the end of the month when they run out of money and don’t have EBT or anything. So, they like canned stuff and self-heating meals.”
One regular beneficiary is 71-year-old Irma R. of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Irma grew up in Oglala but left the reservation at 8 years old after her father passed. She moved around and ended up in Denver, Colorado, for several years, where she found “better job opportunities.” She eventually returned, saying, “I wanted my kids to experience at least part of their lives growing up here.” Irma has a daughter and two sons and now lives with her boys.
Irma’s sons find seasonal work like roofing while she relies on social security. She sells her art for additional income, telling us, “When I run out of toilet paper, gas, or bottled water, then I sell my beadwork.”
Oglala has a population of around 1,400 and a 46% poverty rate. While Irma enjoys her rural community, she wishes the area had more food options. She shared, “Where I live, there are kids that come to the door asking for food.”
There are two small markets in Oglala that Irma said carry higher prices than surrounding communities. For example, Irma told us she paid $3.95 for a loaf of bread at the local market versus $1.65 elsewhere. She explained that her most significant expense is food: “I buy it every month, and what I buy exceeds my electric or phone bill.” Irma estimated a monthly food expense of $300. She deemed herself lucky to have transportation to reach different shopping areas, and occasionally, she’ll travel off-reservation to buy groceries from Walmart.
When asked about her daily inspiration, Irma shared, “I get up and am able to do things. I see people my age who have health problems or can’t walk, and I don’t have to do any of those things, so I’m thankful for that.”
Irma is also thankful for NAA donors, to whom she shared this message: “I want to say thank you. It’s good to know that you can go somewhere and get some food if you need it. It supplements what we have, especially when my grandkids are here, so it’s helpful.”
PWNA will continue to help our reservation-based Program Partners like Louella. By donating to our NAA program today, you can help Elders like Irma keep full plates on their tables.
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