Restoring Balance: How We’re Working Together to Alleviate PovertyThe poverty facing many reservations today is deeply rooted in a history of colonization and systemic inequity. At The Tipi Raisers, addressing these conditions isn't just about delivering material aid—it's about restoring balance, honoring Indigenous sovereignty, and walking alongside Native partners to meet immediate survival needs while building long-term capabilities. 
In direct partnership with local communities, we are taking action every day to alleviate conditions of poverty across three reservations: Employment & Skill-Building: True empowerment starts from self-sustainability. We create wage-earning opportunities for tribal members, offer skill-building in construction, bison ranching and other fields, and provide Tokala Society stipends so local reservation residents are compensated to directly care for families and elders in need.
Firewood Bank: Directed on the Pine Ridge Reservation by elder Norbert "Nobby" Bell, Keeper of the Firewood, our year-round firewood bank delivers vital heating to over 75 families. The firewood bank is stocked with wood split by students at the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning. In this way, the firewood program doesn't just keep Native families warm - it builds the cross-cultural, intergenerational connections that matter.
Food Boxes & Essential Supplies: Our supporters help us deliver regular food, hygiene, and emergency supply boxes to Indigenous families experiencing food insecurity. Amidst SNAP cuts and challenges in 2025, our community delivered 425 food boxes (over 13,000 pounds of food!) to families across the Pine Ridge Reservation. And this past month, local supporters gathered school supplies for dozens of Lakota students, helping them to start the school year strong.
Home Restoration & Relief: Together with volunteers and local crews, we carry out urgent home repairs—installing roofs, windows, insulation, and wood stoves—while fulfilling critical requests for wheelchairs, mattresses, and urgent relief. From volunteer trip home repairs on the Hopi & Navajo Reservations to full-scale home construction for Lakota families alongside the Dawson School, we're working to address the housing crisis and build a brighter future together.
When we meet these immediate needs together, we do far more than alleviate poverty—we foster mutual trust, honor Indigenous wisdom, and build a path toward true reconciliation. Support this work by donating to our firewood program, sponsoring a critical home repair, collecting needed food & supplies, or joining future volunteer service trips to work side-by-side with our Indigenous partners. In solidarity, The Tipi Raisers Team Share this email with a friend!
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