The mission of Running Strong is to create sustainable generational change and give families the tools and hope to build a better future. We believe in the power of native youth to strengthen their communities, overcome economic challenge and poverty, and develop deeper cultural identities.
For nearly 40 years, we have worked to empower future generations of Native Youth to achieve their dreams. 2024 was no different, and the impact is measurable.
We provided health resources to native youth and women.
Through our SmileStrong and WičhičhaǧA Strong programs, we provide no-cost dental health kits and no-cost feminine hygiene kits to those in need. This year, we distributed 9,000 feminine hygiene kits and 6,000 dental care kits.
We provided for food needs, both for the immediate and longer term.
- 13,500 Smart Sacks, or backpacks filled with healthy and shelf stable foods, to primary school students
- 10,000 summer meals to children, when school is not in session.
- Doubling our food box distribution to 28,000, including expanding to Crow Nation in MT and Walker Paiute Tribal Nation in NV.
We supported education.
- From providing 9,000 backpacks to native children to begin the school year to grants to educators of native children to scholarships for our Dreamstarters.
We provide warmth for the harsh winters.
- We provided thousands of winter coats, and provided heat matches for nearly 2,000 families to warm their homes.
From connecting homes to water to managing the Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. From providing grants to 10 Dreamstarters that are making lasting change in their communities to supporting native artists and business entrepreneurs…2024 has been a year of making lasting impact in the lives of native children and the communities they live in.
See more about our 2024 program impact here:
