A Walking Miracle 

Food on the table is a basic human right, but many Native American families lack access to fresh, healthy foods for an adequate diet. Rosebud Sioux Elder Goldie, age 76, struggles to feed her family on the Crow Creek Reservation. She relies on the Crow Creek Food Pantry in Fort Thompson, South Dakota, to help feed her three grandchildren and great-grandchild at home.  

Through the Native American Aid® (NAA) program, of Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA) the Crow Creek pantry receives monthly deliveries of staple foods, which they use to help families in need. Goldie’s family looks forward to the end of each month when the pantry opens for a three-day span. She’s grateful for everything, sometimes getting canned vegetables, beef, eggs, and flour. She uses the flour to make skillet bread or fry bread, and when nutritious foods like tomatoes and pears are available, she adds those to their meals.  

Still, Goldie said her family runs out of supplies each month, going without complete meals some days. Her family has no dependable car to travel to a full-service grocery store like the Chamberlain Food Center 30 minutes away. 

Goldie shared, “The food pantry is really helpful to us, and we need it more as time goes by. I have a lot of grandchildren, and I usually have a hard time at the end of the month to feed them. The past year has gotten hard financially without my husband, who passed away.” Goldie receives social security and some energy assistance from LIHEAP, a low-income program. Having raised all her grandkids, up to 20 family members at once, she’s had to utilize government food commodities most of her life.  

Goldie’s granddaughter Nichelle and her 5-year-old son Jai all live together. Nichelle thanks NAA donors for their support: “I appreciate them helping and giving, because there are days that we go hungry.” Goldie says that many families in the community also have a hard time getting food, so the pantry is always a major need. 

Goldie is a walking miracle after receiving a terminal diagnosis in 2018. “I made it this far,” she smiled. But Goldie struggles with her health and gets tired easily. “When I eat, it’s a little bit at a time. I’m always light-headed, so I snack throughout the day to feel better.” 

As of 2021, one in four Native American families are food insecure. Culturally relevant solutions exist for the disparities facing tribes today, but funding has not kept pace to support them. Your support to NAA gives Elders like Goldie and her family a chance.