The non-profit Conscious Alliance has opened its second food bank on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The organization additionally has a school backpack program that provides healthy foods to students at the Loneman School. Photo from Facebook
Conscious Alliance opens food bank in Oglala
By Brandon Ecoffey
LCT Editor PINE RIDGE— With hunger rates above the national average and poverty rates through the ceiling, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation has many residents who struggle to provide healthy meals for their families and children. With the help of a newly opened food bank located in Oglala, citizens of the Oglala Lakota Nation have a new tool to employ in the battle against hunger. The food bank that opened on Tuesday, August 25, is located in Oglala and has the capacity to hold over 25,000 pounds of food according to a press release from Conscious Coalition. The food bank builds upon a school take home backpack program that the Boulder, Co, based non-profit runs at the nearby Loneman school. Conscious Alliance has provided over 1.9 million meals to families in the United States and has had a presence on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation since 2002. The organization had planned on expanding upon the pilot backpack program at Loneman that provided backpacks filled with food to 100 percent of the students at Loneman School who free and reduced breakfast and lunch. The new food bank is the second built by Conscious Alliance on the reservation with the first located in the Red Cloud community just west of Pine Ridge Village.
A drum group celebrates the opening of the Food Sovereignty and Youth Empowerment Center on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Photo by Tobin Voggesser / NOCOAST
Much of the food being stored has been contributed by partners of Conscious Alliance in the food industry and includes Justin’s, Boom-Chicka-Pop, KIND Snacks, WhiteWave Foods and Plum Organics. “At Plum Organics, we are committed to delivering nutrient rich, organic food into the hands of little ones in need across America. Our partnership with Conscious Alliance enables us to reach more children through their programs including the opening of the food bank which will have an immediate and long term positive impact within the Pine Ridge community,” said Neil Grimmer, co-founder and CEO of Plum Organics in a press release. To donate to the organization’s efforts you can visit Conscious Alliance’s website at www.consciousalliance.org. (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at editor@lakotacountrytimes.com) Find the award-winning Lakota Country Times on the Internet, Facebook and Twitter. Related Stories:
Lakota Country Times: Program brings healthy food to Pine Ridge (4/16)
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