NVON Project in Common Report
2002 - 2003
 

The NVON Project in Common for 2002-2003 was to help Native Americans “Clothe A Child”.  Each member state adopted a different Indian Reservation. 

Arkansas Extension Homemakers

Arkansas’ Executive Committee chose to implement the “Clothe A Child” project in the low-income community of their state as opposed to adopting a Native American Reservation. Each district selected a needy cause in their district and is providing clothing to them. In one area, for example, the organization is providing layettes to an unwed mother's home.

 A state drive was held at their spring training meeting where each county brought in underwear and socks for children age 6-12 years old. Over 200 packages of underwear and socks with at least three items in each packet were collected.  Four plastic laundry baskets were overflowing with items. These items were presented to the Rice Depot of Arkansas for subsequent distribution to needy school age children. The Rice Depot distributes the packages on the advice of the school counselors and in a discreet way. They put them in backpacks along with the food they are providing so other children are not aware that this is happening.  Arkansas Extension Homemakers also provided backpacks for this purpose. 

During the second year “Clothe a Child” project extended to the neonatal area of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.  The Arkansas Extension Homemakers crocheted more than 300 caps.  In addition to the caps, members knit and crochet blankets, outfits and pillows for the children at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and other hospitals in their club areas. 

This project will help premature babies all over the world from this study made in the neonatal area of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Illinois Association for Home and Community Education

Illinois adopted the Fort Peck Reservation in Poplar, Montana for their “Clothe A Child” project.  The Assiniboine and Sioux tribe has a population of approximately 10,000. The reservation is comprised of rolling hills covered with grass and grain. About half the area is now used for farming.  Bottom lands, creek beds and coulees support natural timber. The Missouri River forms the southern boundary.  

In 2001 our Community Outreach educator took a trailer full of baby items to the reservation and met the people. She came back with lots of stories and felt it was a wonderful project. 

At their March 2002 conference, they collected over $500 in Nickels for Bassinets.  

In July, 2003, Illinois Association for Home and Community Education delivered 400 books and a few baby clothes to Fort Peck Indian Reservation.   

Sue Stickner, a nurse at Fort Peck Indian Reservation does home visits. She hardly ever sees children's books in the homes, so when they get books they display them and tell the children to take home what they want. They give toys and stickers as rewards for shots and medical processes. Sue was very happy to get the books.  

The next trip is planned for August 2005. 

Indiana Extension Homemakers Association

Indiana adopted the Kickapoo Friends Center in McCloud, Oklahoma.  Almost 972 pounds of articles including clothing, toiletries, school supplies, paper products, and blankets and towels have been sent to Kickapoo Friends Center. Checks totaling $281.00 and gift certificates totaling $1465.00 were also sent. 

Money was also raised through a challenge issued at the 2002 Fall District Meetings to every member in attendance asking them to donate $1.00. $1,182.58 was collected and it was given personally to the Kickapoo Center during a trip to CWC in Oklahoma City, OK in the fall. 

Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association

During the past 3 years Kentucky Extension Homemakers have been studying Native Americans, their culture, food and importance in Kentucky.  To get a better understanding of the people members, Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association adopted the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation (Lame Deer) near Ashland, Montana. Lame Deer is the tribal headquarters and home of the Northern Cheyenne Powwow.  

In 2003 Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association collected over 17,000, clothing items, size infants to 2, for an Indian reservation in Montana. In 2004 their emphasis was on "Keeping a Family Warm". Each one of their 1,169 clubs was asked to donate one blanket for the project. They did much more. Summer of 2004, Kentucky delivered 4,006 blankets and 7,191 pairs of socks to the reservation. Socks were collected because then their chairman, Linda Wells, delivered the clothes to the reservation in 2003, when she learned that they had a great need for socks of all kinds.  2005, we are collecting school supplies, personal care items and money for the school on the reservation. We also have two buses of homemakers going out to Montana, to deliver the supplies and visit the reservation.  Along with the collection projects we have had lessons on Native Americans.

KEHA completed their Clothe a Child project with a bus trip to St. Labre Mission in Montana. There were two busloads (87) people from Kentucky who made the trip. The main focus of the trip was St. Labre Mission and the Clothe A Child project. 

This mission has received help from KEHA for the last three years. Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association presented Clay Ramsey, Director of St Labre Youth and Family Services with a check in the amount of $2,655.71. This was in addition to school supplies collected by KEHA members for use by the children in the mission school.  

Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association members are always ready to extend a helping hand to those in need. 

 South Carolina Family and Community Leaders

South Carolina adopted the Standing Rock Reservation in Fort Yates, North Dakota.  The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is part of the Great Sioux Nation with the Hunkpapa and Blackfeet bands.  Their way of life is passed down by oral tradition from the elders to the youth. The schools on the reservation teach their language and culture from Head Start age (3-4 years) to college level students. The Community College "Sitting Bull College" has an Indian studies program to teach their history and way of life. The future of Lakota/Dakota people is in the hands of the children. The children will carry their language, culture, spirituality, and way of life to the future so the people will live 

South Carolina’s “Clothe A Child” project got off to a great start in 2002. That first year more than 691.30 pounds were collected, and mailed. They collected school supplies, personal hygiene items, and a large range of clothing. Infant to adult, shoes, coats, dresses, sleepers, sweaters, shirts, underwear, jackets, tops and socks. School supplies, school bags, notebook paper, composition books, crayons, pencils, erasers, scissors, glue, and pencil sharpeners. Baby supplies, lotion, soap, diapers, and wipes, etc.

During this two year project South Carolina sent a little over three tons of hygiene supplies, baby and teen age clothing, cleaning supplies, and school supplies to the Sioux Indians at Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota. This project was so successful in fact; that several members are still sending boxes of supplies. 6,069.99 pounds was sent to Standing Rock Reservation.  

West Virginia Community Education Outreach Services, Inc.

West Virginia decided to stay within the state instead of selecting a reservation.  In 2003 Clubs/counties donated 4,343 items. 3,929 Mittens or hats were given to Head Start and Head & Hand programs.  1,204 pieces of clothing were donated to Angel Tree Projects at Christmas.  439 pieces of children clothing were sent to Adopt a Family for Christmas.  452 blankets were donated to Project Linus for children with life threatening illnesses. 348 Boo Boo Bears were made for children who are in accidents or fires.  5,282 members gave to or helped with Energy Express or other summer activities. 

In 2004, 27 counties made Linus Blankets for a total of 2,132 Linus Blankets with 1,274 CEOS members involved donating 427 hours and $1,867.00 dollar value.  West Virginia also had an additional 2,237 Boo Boo Bears made with 9,363 hours spent and a dollar value of $4,638. 

In summary we have a total of 2,584 Linus Blankets and 2585 Boo Boo Bears made and donated. 

Wisconsin Association for Home Community Education, Inc.

Wisconsin adopted the Fort Belknap Reservation in Harlem, Montana. The Fort Belknap Indian Reservation is located in north central Montana near the Canadian border. The reservation is home to two tribes, which operate under one central government. The two tribes are the Assiniboine and the Gros Ventre, with a combined enrollment of about 5,000. The combined reservation and additional tribal lands encompass 650,000 acres of the plains and grasslands of north central Montana.  

Wisconsin Association for Home Community Education sent six large boxes of teenage winter clothing. Since then they have collected 10 boxes of supplies and small stuffed animals, which were taken to the reservation. Wisconsin is also involved in collecting sewing materials and supplies and sewing machines for the 70 Wisconsin / Nicaragua sewing centers.