You are attending your neighborhood summer block party and you notice a neighborhood family that is dressed in rags and they look unhealthy and depressed. They are eating your BBQ like they haven’t eaten in days and are stuffing food in their pockets. You also notice there is not a car in their driveway any longer. What’s going on?
When you see a neighbor living in third world conditions it really hits home. It’s a natural response to not think too much about it when it’s someone you don’t know or doesn’t live in your neighborhood.
Imagine if there was a shack right next to your house. Yes, right next to your house with peeling paint, graffiti, and broken or boarded-up windows. Crime and gangs were lurking about. You look over to your neighbors' yard and you see them cooking over a fire in a trash barrel because they don’t have an oven or stove to cook on. They hand wash their clothes and hang them on a makeshift clothesline. Welcome to poverty 101.
It’s hard to believe that people are living in third world conditions like this on Reservations in the US and Reserves in Canada, but they are.
We are living in challenging times. As much as our attention is focused on our direct families, we have to be vigilant not to let our Native American brothers and sisters fall farther behind.
We're asking for your help with this year's Christmas on the Reservation fundraising drive. Maybe you have donated to Love Has No Color before or maybe this would be the first time. Either way, do the right thing and step up in a big way for America’s First People.
A little help goes a long way on the Reservation.
Thank you.