Sioux Tribe Member Establishes Nonprofit to Benefit the Poorest Reservation in the Nation
Irvine, CA, January 14, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Hidden away in the heart of America lies an entire Native American population living in conditions equivalent to those found in the poorest third world countries. The Oglala Sioux Tribe of Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota has an average annual household income of $3,500, a 90 percent unemployment rate, 70 percent high school dropout rate, a life expectancy of only 47 years for men, and the highest infant mortality rate in the world. Sioux Tribe member, Twila True, founded True Sioux Hope Foundation to facilitate unprecedented, permanent, positive change for the Sioux Tribe in South Dakota by providing much-needed funding for education and infrastructure.
Having spent her formative years on reservations and as a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, True knows first-hand the courage that it takes to become a strong, independent modern American Indian. True is a prominent businesswoman as the co-founder, president and CEO of True Investments, LLC, where she leads a team that acquires, renovates, leases and manages single-family residential properties across 18 markets in the U.S. Now, True is helping her own tribe with True Sioux Hope Foundation, a fundraising vehicle to provide grants and funding to highly vetted organizations that are well-equipped to deliver the life-saving resources needed for the Sioux nation to not only survive, but thrive.
“The people of the Oglala Sioux Tribe are endangered and desperately need support,” said Twila True, founder of True Sioux Hope Foundation. “As a tribe member, I have done the work to identify the needs of the tribe and now need the public’s support to make a difference so that this nation of people no longer has to suffer in silence.”
In order to create new opportunities and save the Sioux Tribe, True has identified three key pillars to make impactful change: sustainability, education and immediate assistance. The foundation’s long-term goal is to foster sustainability on the reservation by building homes and providing education and workforce training. However, immediate needs, such as firewood for the elderly during the bitterly cold winters and life-saving formula for infants, are critical to save the most vulnerable on the reservation. Through these efforts, the strength and spirit of the great Sioux nation can thrive once again with pride and confidence.
The foundation has already identified and vetted its first funding projects, each focusing on one of the three pillars. The efforts include: a school for children on the reservation, a passenger van to transport tribe members to workforce sites, and formula and firewood as an immediate need to save the reservation’s infants and elderly, respectively.
As an introduction to the community, True Sioux Hope Foundation will be holding a welcome reception at Tamarind of London in Newport Coast this spring. In the meantime, to learn more about the foundation, make a donation, or to join in sending the message that True Sioux Hope is on the way, visit www.truesiouxhope.org.
About True Sioux Hope Foundation
The True Sioux Hope Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by Twila True, a Native American and member of the Sioux Tribe. Having spent her formative years on reservations, Twila knows first-hand the courage that it takes to become a strong, independent, modern American Indian. True Sioux Hope Foundation is born from the belief that with a little help, the strength and spirit of the great Sioux nation can thrive once again with pride and confidence. True Sioux Hope Foundation aims to facilitate unprecedented, permanent, positive change for the Sioux Tribe in South Dakota by providing much-needed funding for education and infrastructure. Visit www.truesiouxhope.org to make a donation.