Urgent Call for Supplies at Pejuta Waste O’Tipi | Good Medicine Lodge as Winter Looms

Rapid City—As the winds begin to shift and the first signs of fall settle over the Black Hills, a quiet but urgent call is rising from the heart of Rapid City. Pejuta Waste O’Tipi | Good Medicine Lodge, the only Native American and Indigenous-led center for unsheltered relatives in the region, is sounding the alarm: supplies are urgently needed, and the time to act is now.

This winter is expected to be long, wet, and bitterly cold, and for many unsheltered relatives—especially those navigating unresolved trauma, grief, and systemic neglect—the season threatens not just hardship, but survival.

A Place of Cultural Care and Community-Led Healing

Pejuta Waste O’Tipi is more than a shelter. It is a culturally grounded, trauma-informed space where unsheltered relatives can find warmth, nourishment, and dignity. Located on the campus of Woyatan at 522 Anamosa Street, the Day Center offers hot meals, basic supplies, and a safe place to rest.

But with cuts to essential services, rising criminalization of homelessness, and an increase in community need, the Lodge is facing a critical shortage of supplies and staff support.

Wambli Ska Society Steps Up

In response, Wambli Ska Society is working closely with Pejuta Waste O’Tipi to provide:

• Transportation for relatives to and from the Day Center

• Hot meals served daily

• Exploration of extended hours, depending on the ability to secure staff and ensure safety for all

This partnership reflects a broader commitment to rematriation economics—a community-centered approach rooted in Indigenous values of kinship, reciprocity, and care.

A History of Loss That Cannot Be Ignored

There is no comprehensive public record that lists the total number of homeless deaths in Rapid City over the years. However, most of us can recall the stories—year after year—of individuals found frozen in and around the city.

These are not statistics; they are relatives, neighbors, and community members whose lives ended in silence and cold. They are human beings, with names, with stories.

As wonderful as the summer weather has been, there is no doubt what lies ahead. The time to prepare is now.

The Gaps Are Growing—And So Is the Need

The Lodge is seeing more relatives than ever before. Many are elders, youth, and individuals with chronic health conditions. The need for winter gear, hygiene items, non-perishable food, and volunteer support is urgent.

Donations Needed:

• Warm clothing (coats, hats, gloves, socks)

• Sleeping bags and blankets

• Hygiene kits (toothbrushes, soap, feminine products)

• Non-perishable food items

• Financial contributions to support staffing and extended hours

How to Help

Community members can drop off donations at Woyatan or contact Wambli Ska Society through their website http://www.wambliska.org and social media channels. Volunteers are also needed to help serve meals, provide transportation, and assist with daily operations.

A Community Response Rooted in Kinship

Pejuta Waste O’Tipi http://www.pejuta.org or 605-205-5092 stands as a beacon of hope and resistance in Rapid City. It reminds us that healing begins with showing up—for each other, for our relatives, and for the land that holds us all.

This fall, as the cold begins to creep in, let us not turn away. Let us turn toward each other.

The post Urgent Call for Supplies at Pejuta Waste O’Tipi | Good Medicine Lodge as Winter Looms first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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