Our Approach

We Put Youth
First

Our focus on youth programs fosters change across age groups and entire communities.

American Indian-Led

Our leadership is committed to preserving the traditions, languages and sanctity of American Indian communities.

We Help Where Needed Most

Rather than coming into a community and announcing what we will do, we listen to what our partners tell us they need.

Billy Mills

Billy Mills, Oglala Lakota (Sioux) is Running Strong’s National Spokesperson. An Olympic gold medalist at the 1964 Olympics, Billy has dedicated his life to serving Native American communities.

Program Spotlight

Organic Food and Gardens 

Our organic gardens and food programs tackle malnutrition by providing healthy meals and fresh produce to Native American children and their families. We help to establish community gardens, household gardens, and communal greenhouse programs while also integrating educational and cultural aspects and how to plant traditional gardens.

Program Spotlight

Clean Water

When Running Strong for American Indian Youth® was formed in 1986, getting clean, safe drinking water to the residents of Pine Ridge was one of our top priorities. Previously, Running Strong satisfied this need by drilling water wells. However, the need for wells declined as the Oglala Sioux Rural Water Supply System was created and water lines were laid providing access to water. This past year through Diné NaabehóTó (the Navajo People’s Water Challenge), Running Strong connected 13 households to water in these communities, providing 92 individuals with access to clean, running water.  

Dreamstarter

When Running Strong for American Indian Youth® was formed in 1986, getting clean, safe drinking water to the residents of Pine Ridge was one of our top priorities. Previously, Running Strong satisfied this need by drilling water wells. However, the need for wells declined as the Oglala Sioux Rural Water Supply System was created and water lines were laid providing access to water.

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Last year, our Organic Food & Garden Program provided 30,600 pounds of food to the Cheyenne Indian Reservation and to families that would otherwise be food insecure.

Sign up for our newsletter to join our mission and 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝟒 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐬 to cook at home! 🙌

www3.thedatabank.com/dpg/475/personal2.asp?formid=RSFoodSovereign&c=20240415095752469692

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#NativeFirstFoods #NativeAmerican #Indigenous #Food #RunningStrong #Recipes #NativeRecipes #IndigenousFoods #IndegnousRecipes #DidYouKnow #Indian #IndianYouth #Pumpkin #Pumpkins #Pumpkinsmoothie #Smoothie
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Last year, our Organic Food & Garden Program provided 30,600 pounds of food to the Cheyenne Indian Reservation and to families that would otherwise be food insecure.

Sign up for our newsletter to join our mission and 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝟒 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐬 to cook at home! 🙌

https://www3.thedatabank.com/dpg/475/personal2.asp?formid=RSFoodSovereign&c=20240415095752469692

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#NativeFirstFoods #NativeAmerican #Indigenous #Food #RunningStrong #Recipes #NativeRecipes #IndigenousFoods #IndegnousRecipes #DidYouKnow #Indian #IndianYouth #Pumpkin #Pumpkins #Pumpkinsmoothie #Smoothie

This year we hope to continue to support SBAG in achieving their goals. These include hosting twelve 1-hour radio programs on the local KILI station that serves the reservation. Additionally, we plan to raise 5,000 greenhouse seedlings for distribution, along with organic seeds spanning fifteen varieties for 120 gardens. We also intend to tractor-till 35 open field gardens and 85 boxed, raised-bed gardens. Moreover, we aim to provide fifty trays of microgreens to households, ensuring year-round nutrition. 🌱🌾

Support from our donors makes everything we do possible. ❤️

Learn how you can help at - runningstrong.harnessgiving.org/campaigns/14266

#nativeamerican #gardens #garden #gardening #native #indigenous #community #americanindianheritage #nativeamericanculture #runningstrong #Donate #dogood #IndigenousYouth #indigenouscommunity #americanindianyouth #plant #planting #vegetables #fruits
... See MoreSee Less

This year we hope to continue to support SBAG in achieving their goals. These include hosting twelve 1-hour radio programs on the local KILI station that serves the reservation. Additionally, we plan to raise 5,000 greenhouse seedlings for distribution, along with organic seeds spanning fifteen varieties for 120 gardens. We also intend to tractor-till 35 open field gardens and 85 boxed, raised-bed gardens. Moreover, we aim to provide fifty trays of microgreens to households, ensuring year-round nutrition. 🌱🌾

Support from our donors makes everything we do possible. ❤️

Learn how you can help at - https://runningstrong.harnessgiving.org/campaigns/14266

#NativeAmerican #Gardens #Garden #Gardening #Native #Indigenous #Community #AmericanIndianHeritage #NativeAmericanCulture #RunningStrong #Donate #DoGood #IndigenousYouth #IndigenousCommunity #AmericanIndianYouth #Plant #Planting #Vegetables #Fruits

Today's the day! Help hundreds of family get their gardens underway on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation! Today, on Earth Day, each gift will be matched 2X!

runningstrong.harnessgiving.org/campaigns/14266

#NativeAmerican #Gardens #Garden #Gardening #Native #Indigenous #Community #AmericanIndianHeritage #NativeAmericanCulture #RunningStrong #Donate #DoGood #IndigenousYouth #IndigenousCommunity #AmericanIndianYouth #Plant #Planting #Vegetables #Fruits #EarthDay
... See MoreSee Less

Todays the day! Help hundreds of family get their gardens underway on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation!  Today, on Earth Day, each gift will be matched 2X!

https://runningstrong.harnessgiving.org/campaigns/14266

#NativeAmerican #Gardens #Garden #Gardening #Native #Indigenous #Community #AmericanIndianHeritage #NativeAmericanCulture #RunningStrong #Donate #DoGood #IndigenousYouth #IndigenousCommunity #AmericanIndianYouth #Plant #Planting #Vegetables #Fruits #EarthDay

𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞! 👨‍🍳 Get 4 Native Recipes when you sign up for our newsletter.

It's not just a newsletter. It's our journey to get food to Native Americans on reservations who live without consistent access to high quality grocery stores and fresh fruits and vegetables.

www3.thedatabank.com/dpg/475/personal2.asp?formid=RSFoodSovereign&c=20240415095752469692

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#NativeFirstFoods #NativeAmerican #Indigenous #Food #RunningStrong #Recipes #NativeRecipes #IndigenousFoods #IndegnousRecipes #DidYouKnow #Indian #IndianYouth #BeanSalsa #Beans #Salsa
... See MoreSee Less

𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞! 👨‍🍳 Get 4 Native Recipes when you sign up for our newsletter.

Its not just a newsletter. Its our journey to get food to Native Americans on reservations who live without consistent access to high quality grocery stores and fresh fruits and vegetables.

https://www3.thedatabank.com/dpg/475/personal2.asp?formid=RSFoodSovereign&c=20240415095752469692

-

#NativeFirstFoods #NativeAmerican #Indigenous #Food #RunningStrong #Recipes #NativeRecipes #IndigenousFoods #IndegnousRecipes #DidYouKnow #Indian #IndianYouth #BeanSalsa #Beans #Salsa

On Pine Ridge, rates of chronic illness are incredibly high, with incidences of diabetes nine times the national average and around 50% of adults clinically obese. In 2024, SBAG conducted workshops about food preservation and how to use food as “medicine” to prevent diabetes, and promoted healthy lifestyles and overall well-being through gardening and eating nutritious indigenous foods. 🌱🌿

We are dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of Pine Ridge families by providing access to nutritious foods through our gardening program.

Learn how you can help at - indianyouth.org/slim-buttes-agricultural-development-program-helps-green-pine-ridge-with-communit...

#NativeAmerican #Gardens #Garden #Gardening #Native #Indigenous #Community #AmericanIndianHeritage #NativeAmericanCulture #RunningStrong #Donate #DoGood #IndigenousYouth #IndigenousCommunity #AmericanIndianYouth #Plant #Planting #Vegetables #Fruits
... See MoreSee Less

On Pine Ridge, rates of chronic illness are incredibly high, with incidences of diabetes nine times the national average and around 50% of adults clinically obese. In 2024, SBAG conducted workshops about food preservation and how to use food as “medicine” to prevent diabetes, and promoted healthy lifestyles and overall well-being through gardening and eating nutritious indigenous foods. 🌱🌿

We are dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of Pine Ridge families by providing access to nutritious foods through our gardening program.

Learn how you can help at - https://indianyouth.org/slim-buttes-agricultural-development-program-helps-green-pine-ridge-with-community-and-family-gardens-and-first-foods-workshops/

#NativeAmerican #Gardens #Garden #Gardening #Native #Indigenous #Community #AmericanIndianHeritage #NativeAmericanCulture #RunningStrong #Donate #DoGood #IndigenousYouth #IndigenousCommunity #AmericanIndianYouth #Plant #Planting #Vegetables #Fruits

4 CommentsComment on Facebook

Diabetes seems so high in First Nations, I lost a niece a couple of months ago to Diabetes. All my life I've done things to avoid it, I've exercised, watched salt intake. I'll be 72 in August and I don't have Diabetes, Hypertension or heart disease. But I contracted covid19 in Oct. 2019 got side effects of fatigue, brain fog, covid19 psychosis and loss of sense of smell. The first 3 side effects are waning now but I don't think I'll recover the sense of smell. I did lose 11 relatives to covid19.

???? is rose fraser still there ? i used to communicate with her but it's been a long time since i've heard from her

Rmg Cienfuegos𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐚 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫 & 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 & 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞..🛒👕👇https://east-endusa.shop/20240421-091524

𝐘𝐔𝐌! When you sign up for our newsletter, not only will you get 4 Native recipes to cook at home, but you'll be supporting our mission to get nutritious food to native reservations that are often in a "food desert."

Last year, we were able to harvest over 20,000 pounds of produce to distribute throughout the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲!

www3.thedatabank.com/dpg/475/personal2.asp?formid=RSFoodSovereign&c=20240415095752469692

-

#NativeFirstFoods #NativeAmerican #Indigenous #Food #RunningStrong #Recipes #NativeRecipes #IndigenousFoods #IndegnousRecipes #DidYouKnow #Indian #IndianYouth #Potato #Potatos #PotatoLeekSoup
... See MoreSee Less

𝐘𝐔𝐌! When you sign up for our newsletter, not only will you get 4 Native recipes to cook at home, but youll be supporting our mission to get nutritious food to native reservations that are often in a food desert.

Last year, we were able to harvest over 20,000 pounds of produce to distribute throughout the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲!

https://www3.thedatabank.com/dpg/475/personal2.asp?formid=RSFoodSovereign&c=20240415095752469692

-

#NativeFirstFoods #NativeAmerican #Indigenous #Food #RunningStrong #Recipes #NativeRecipes #IndigenousFoods #IndegnousRecipes #DidYouKnow #Indian #IndianYouth #Potato #Potatos #PotatoLeekSoup
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