AGSL Giving
How you can help
Every penny helps! Send a gift to any of the following with a note saying “Pine Ridge”:
Venmo: @RK-Tillman
PayPal: ruthtillman@gmail.com
Cashapp: $ruthkt
Please supply your email address if you’d like updates on where the money goes.
Thank you all for your ongoing support of the Lakota people!
Background
The Lakota people face serious challenges in Pine Ridge, the reservation where Wounded Knee is located: poverty, food insecurity, lack of adequate heating and housing.
This all hits close to home for me. My mom grew up in poverty and I remember her stories of fishing for protein for their meals. Of making porridge that was more water than rice to stretch their single monthly 50-lb bag of rice per month to feed six, then seven, then eight children. Of earning money and making her own clothes at ten years of age. That wasn’t the life she wanted for me and I was lucky enough to make my way out of our low income life because she came to America. I feel strongly about helping people to survive and thrive, and in particular to the Indigenous people who were here first.
Folks of all ages and sizes need food, good clothes, socks, gloves, hats, coats, blankets, household supplies, propane to heat their water and cook their food, a roof over their heads. We can help with some of those things.
One Spirit is a great organization that we work with to support the Oglala Lakota and they need us to help provide much needed resources.
Our community has come together each year since 2017 to assist families with urgent needs on the Okini. Big and small donations alike are the reason we’re able to still do this work. It’s so important to help folks where we can.
2026
In January, I packed up the first giant donations box of 2026 to ship to the Allen Youth Center: full of clothes and shoes and books for kids. I separately bought a variety of household staples from online clearance sales like manicure sets, kitchen towels, socks, ice gripper spikes for shoes.
In February, I selected the first family to help; C, an adult who had moved back home to help his ailing father since his mother died. We outfitted him with full sets of clothing and boots for his outdoor job along with hygiene supplies. I also started collecting normally expensive items like incontinence underwear where I could get them on clearance for elders on the reservation. We were able to send those along with a collection of community donated clothes.
In March, we helped two families. R’s son had outgrown all his clothes and they’d run out of hygiene supplies; we sent a full wardrobe of several outfits for him and supplies for both of them to keep clean and healthy. A is one of those people you know in the community who would never turn away an animal in need, despite not having much herself. This time they were landed with 7 large dogs and 3 small ones, and two of those dogs had 13 puppies. A local shelter could help a few weeks later but in the meantime, all those hungry mouths had to be fed. We sent as much dog food as we could, along with food for the humans doing the heavy lifting.
Past Giving
2025: We’ve been doing direct aid all year long to help folks through layoffs, furloughs, and general fascist attacks on our rights and our livelihoods. Thankfully, our Lakota Giving regulars have made it possible to continue to help a family every 1-2 months. I’m also trying to help folks on the brink to help them take a step or two back. Welcome to the Fall fundraiser: for hope and help!
2024: Fundraising without a functional Twitter has been much more challenging. I’m super grateful for the regulars who contribute weekly or quarterly or annually, y’all keep this moving!
I’m aiming to help at least 1-2 families per month and if we are able to raise a lump sum in time, do a big shop around the Black Friday sales to send supplies in bulk to the communities out on the reservation.
2023: Annual giving launch: We raised money to send immediate aid for these winter months which will be especially hard after the storm, food, supplies to individual families on the Okini, and (stretch goal!) $6000 to shop Thanksgiving weekend to send the Allen Youth Center supplies again. The end of 2022 was devastating for the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations when the bomb cyclone cut them off from aid: Stranded Native Americans burn clothes for warmth.
Thanksgiving and Native Heritage month launch
2022: In the Fall, we ran a special fall fundraiser to also send support in bulk to the Allen Youth Center on the reservation which serves about 100 families on the reservation: Annual giving launch.
Thanksgiving and Native Heritage month special project launch
Project Wrap and thanks
2021: Annual giving launch
2020: Giving update
2019: Annual giving launch
2018: A small circle of friends pitching in to buy winter clothes for Okini folks
2017: A small circle of friends pitching in to buy holiday gifts from the Holiday Okini
