Relief to Rosebud Grandmother

At 72, Darlene knows how to stretch a meal.

She lives in Parmelee, South Dakota, where food insecurity is a daily reality for many Elders. Darlene shares her home with eight children, including her granddaughter, whom she is raising. When food runs low and money runs out, help can be hard to find.

“This program really saved me,” she says. “It comes at just the right time when I’m all out of food, and I don’t have any money to buy it.”

Through the Breakfast-in-a-Bag service of our Northern Plains Reservation Aid^® (NPRA) program, Partnership With Native Americans^® (PWNA) teams up with our Program Partner, Wes, on the Rosebud Reservation. Several times a year, Elders can receive nutritious breakfast items, including fruit, eggs, milk, juice, bread, potatoes, cereal, sausage, and oatmeal.

Darlene has received the Breakfast service for the past couple of years.

“I like the oatmeal and the bananas. I love fruit,” she says.

The groceries don’t last long in a household of 10, but they help Darlene prepare a large meal that feeds everyone under her roof.

“We learned to survive that way. Come with what you have,” she says.

Darlene has spent her entire life on the reservation. She attended boarding school in St. Francis and later worked in the court system for 12 years before spending 22 years in construction. Today, she lives on Social Security income.

Her monthly grocery bill ranges from $400 to $500, and rising prices continue to strain her budget. Electricity is another major expense, especially during the summer months when cooling her home can push her bill to nearly $280.

Despite the challenges, Darlene remains deeply connected to her community. Her parents founded a church in Parmelee in the same building where she attended second grade. Her father, a construction worker, helped transform the building into a church, where Darlene now serves in ministry.

“I grew up here and have been here all my life,” says Darlene.

Parmelee has fewer than 600 residents and limited resources. A convenience store recently opened in town, making it easier for residents to buy necessities without having to drive to another community.

“You just can’t afford to go out of town, so that really helps,” says Darlene. “We could use a gas station.”

For Darlene, the breakfast bags provide more than food. They offer relief during difficult times and help her continue caring for the family that depends on her.

Darlene shared a message of gratitude with donors who make the Breakfast service possible: “Whatever help they’ve been giving is really appreciated,” she says.