Native American Community Board

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Fire Burns Down The Resource Center!

With a heavy heart, I share with you that on December 20, the Native American Community Board’s Resource Center building – the heart and hub of our operations for the Yankton Sioux community – burned to the ground. Thank goodness, no one was hurt.

As you can imagine, we are devastated at the loss of not only our physical office, equipment, documents, community radio studio, and food pantry, but also the archival photographs and taped interviews with tribal elders.

However, the meaningful memories we have built there over the past 36 years remain intact. We are resolved to rebuild and to continue to provide nonstop services as much as possible. We are setting up temporary offices at our Women’s Lodge emergency domestic violence shelter and at an old school building owned by the Yankton Sioux Tribe. We hope to have our community radio station back up and running in early 2022. 

We are faced with the daunting task of literally rebuilding from the ground up. We have some very good insurance, but there will be costs beyond that coverage. We did not have business interruption insurance to pay employee salaries in the event of a disaster. Construction costs and the contents of the building will only be partially covered. 

Over the next six months, we anticipate $250,000 in unexpected expenses to keep our “doors” open and to plan and undertake our next phase. 

 We greatly appreciate any donation at any level you could make. 

You can donate on our Go Fund Me page or:

Our PO Box is still operational and is the best mailing address for us. Checks payable to the Native American Community Board may be sent to PO Box 572, Lake Andes, SD 57356-0572. 

All of us at the Native American Community Board appreciate your good wishes and hope that you and your family have a healthy and happy holiday season.

In solidarity,

Charon Asetoyer
Executive Director
Native American Community Board