Help to Rebuild Lakota Homes
We are Okiciyapi Tipi.
(say it with me: oh-key-chee yah-pee tee-pee)
Our name literally means 'people helping people build houses' in Lakota. That is precisely our mission here on the Cheyenne River Lakota Reservation, to build and rebuild homes in our community.
Since 1994, we have built more than 54 homes around Eagle Butte, South Dakota. We have helped to repair, winterize and fix hundreds more.
Right now, we need your help though. Okiciyapi Tipi is going through a period of revitalization. We're recruiting new groups to come and volunteer, applying for grants to fund new construction on homes and reorganizing ourselves to best serve this community.
This fundraiser is meant to be that spark, jumpstarting a new period in our twenty-two year history.
Our fundraising goal of $2000 goal is divided up into a few crucial pieces.
$1000 for an Audit Fund. To be able to apply for grants, we need a current audit. Audits can cost upwards of $7,000, so this money be the first installment of an audit payment. Paperwork might not sound so glamorous, but this is the reality of working as a non-profit. It makes a huge difference.
Once we have an audit, we'll be eligible for multiple federal, state and tribal grants. Getting through this red tape will ultimately allow us to start to build new homes again.
$500 - Volunteer House Updates. A component of having volunteer groups working here in Eagle Butte is having a clean space for them to stay. The volunteer house needs a few upgrades to be able to host all groups we want to have join us.
We currently have beds and space for groups of up to 15 volunteers. This money will go towards bathroom repairs and buying bedding for all the beds. We also will purchase a used washer and dryer to have in the house, so groups can wash the paint and dust off their work clothes.
$500 - New Group Recruitment. We are making every effort to recruit new groups, since a large part of our current funding comes from groups paying their volunteer fees. Their fees go towards project supplies that the group completes during their time here.
This budget will be spent in an online marketing campaign to find new groups, with carefully targeted Facebook and Google ad campaigns.
Wopila tanka - Thank You!
We need these funds as soon as possible and every little bit helps tremendously. Please share this with your friends or, if you've volunteered with us before, please tell everyone how amazing your time with us was.
With your help, we can have another strong twenty two years ahead of us.
By the way, even if you can't donate, you can consider getting a group of folks together and coming out here to volunteer for a week. We would love to have you. Just contact us and say hello. You can see our recent projects on Facebook , too.