Hope on Pine Ridge: How a nonprofit is making a difference

PINE RIDGE, S.D. - A state of emergency has been declared on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, just north of the Nebraska border, following what Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out has described as an “escalating and catastrophic breakdown of law and order.”

In response to the crisis, a nonprofit organization, Pine Ridge Hope, is working on multiple initiatives to address the growing challenges and provide opportunities for young people.

George Dreamer Jr., director of Pine Ridge Hope, said conditions have worsened over the years.

“It’s gotten a lot worse. Before, we used to be able to play outside after dark. People could walk home late at night. Now, kids are shooting kids. Kids are carrying guns as young as ten years old,” Dreamer said.

The extended state of emergency follows a series of tragic events, including a double homicide and the fatal shooting of a juvenile on Christmas Day. 

As violence surges, Pine Ridge Hope is focusing on long-term solutions, including job opportunities and skills training. Jim Clough, a new board member of the organization and owner of Heartland Fire Protection Services in Norfolk, Nebraska, hopes to help get young adults less interested in violence and more focused on positive activities like creating salad dressing and barbecue sauce companies.

“Put a small processing kitchen together at Pine Ridge and get the youth to learn how to process and look for a way to distribute it with local grocery stores and restaurants,” Clough said. “Not only does it give them an income, it teaches them business skills.”

The organization is also working on community support initiatives, including food and clothing distributions. In November, they handed out 150 Thanksgiving meals, and they continue to provide firewood to help families stay warm through the winter months.

But Dreamer and his team know that economic opportunities alone won’t be enough to heal the community. They are also addressing emotional and spiritual struggles. Dreamer’s grandmother had a vision for a Pine Ridge House of Prayer, and after her passing, he is determined to bring it to life.

“It’s in a strategic area right by the jail on the border of Pine Ridge and Whiteclay, so when they get out of jail, they have to walk that road that’s called ‘The Walk of Shame,’” Dreamer said. “We pray that they come to the House of Prayer and never go back to jail.”

While the crisis on Pine Ridge continues, the nonprofit hopes to become a source of hope and change.

“They deserve the help. These are good people, and we’re family,” Clough said.