Save Our Tribal Youth (SOTY) completed our first year as an organization last December.

THANKS to all of our wonderful friends and supporters through Myspace and elsewhere, in the US and around the world, SOTY was able to find sponsors for nearly 100 children on Pine Ridge Reservation.  We also have a couple of elders sponsored now.  We were able to provide several loads of firewood to elders and families, pay for propane and electricity for a couple of households, send much needed relief items (roughly $700 worth) to the Crazy Horse School after the historic blizzard of early November 08, send numerous boxes of supplies and basic needs as well as baby items (diapers, formula, etc) to the Cangleska shelter and to other groups on Pine Ridge; coordinated the donation and shipping of a few hundred pounds of new and gently used clothing, coats, blankets and other items to the shelter, schools and others on Pine Ridge.

Now it's 2009 and we are rolling ahead! Thanks to the help of our supporters and some generous donations of new clothing, blankets, back-packs, etc SOTY just sent out--this week--nearly 30 large boxes of these goods and they are headed for the Kyle Service Center for distribution within that community on Pine Ridge Reservation. 

THANK YOU to all of you who helped make this possible.  While we were not able to personally deliver these items due to a shortfall in funding for the use of a truck to and from CA to SD--we did raise enough funds to ship the items up there via FedEx.  AGAIN--THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE!

As you all know -- winter is still going strong, and it seems that we have an especially cold winter this year.  The months of Feb & March to come are often laiden with much snow and deeply cold temperatures on the plains of South Dakota.  In order to continue to be able to meet emergency calls for firewood or to keep a family from going cold by supplying a few weeks of propane or electricity --- we need YOUR continued help this winter!! 

PLEASE SEE THE CHIP-IN BUTTON ON OUR MYSPACE PAGE and click the button to donate whatever you are able.  We know that times are very hard right now for many, so can you imagine how much worse things are for those whose welfare depends on aid from caring individuals like you.  Every dollar helps so even the smallest of donations do make a difference!  You can also visit our site and use the PayPal button at: www.saveourtribalyouth.com

For 2009, we will continue to build our lists for kids needing sponsor and elders as well.  We plan to expand this program to the Rosebud Reservation this year and hopefully, the Navajo Reservation as well.  Our child sponsors write us daily to tell us how rewarding this program is and to thank us for making it possible for them to give back and help a child to have a better life.  Often, all it takes is a little self involvement and showing a stranger that you care--to make their out look on life so much better.   We hope that you will consider sponsoring in 2009, it could very well be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do in your life!

All of us at SOTY want to thank all our friends and supporters around the world for all they've done to help us help others on Pine Ridge Reservation. With your continued and growing support we can expand our programs to help other reservations.  WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT on behalf of everyone we have helped on Pine Ridge Reservation in the past year.

Please don't forget the Chip-In Button if you are able!

Thank you from ALL of us at SOTY