The Harvest Initiative is bringing volunteers to the Crow Creek Sioux Reservation in South Dakota to help prepare tax returns.

Buffalo County, which includes the reservation, has one of highest rates of low-income taxpayers who seek high-cost refund anticipation loans, The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported. The volunteers will help tribal members avoid losing a large percentage of their returns.

"There are some people who need their money right away," tribal members Ronda Hawk told the paper "They'll pay that big cost, where with this new program, they'll get to keep most of their money."

The Harvest Initiative estimates it will help between 100 and 150 people this tax season. Chairman Brandon Sazue believes the program will benefit a lot more people.

Separately, the tribe is engaged in a battle with the Internal Revenue Service over the sale of tribal land. The IRS said the tribe owes $2.1 million in back employment taxes.

Get the Story:
Nonprofit offering Crow Creek reservation tax help (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 1/12)
Tribe continues fight despite land sale (The Pierre Capital Journal 1/11)

Court Decision:
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe v. IRS (January 6, 2010)

Related Stories:
Opinion: Sale of Crow Creek Sioux land affects all tribes (1/11)
Judge to proceed with trial over Crow Creek auction (1/8)
Crow Creek leader continues protest over land sale (12/18)
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe protests IRS auction of land (12/9)
IRS auctions 7,100 acres of Crow Creek Sioux land (12/4)
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe fails to stop IRS land auction (12/3)