SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 NEWS |
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CRYP E-STORE REOPENS WITH MORE MERCHANDISE & NEW GIFT CARDS |
We are happy to announce that we have reopened our online Keya Gift Shop, also known as the CRYP E-Store, with more merchandise, a more user-friendly experience, and perhaps most exciting of all, new gift cards!
New product highlights include stainless steel travel mugs featuring RedCan 2020 artwork, plastic cap, and aluminum straw (travel mug with Wundr artwork pictured above); and mahogany lacquered, lined keepsake boxes featuring original art by Lakota artist Lynn Burnette Sr. on an inset ceramic tile (pictured below).
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The updated e-store currently features four art collections: RedCan Limited Edition Prints, "Four Horsemen of the Lakota" Prints, Lakota Art Originals, and photography from the "Home: Cheyenne River Lakota Nation" project.
In addition, we have RedCan apparel and coffee mugs, beaded jewelry and dreamcatchers, CRYP-branded gear and apparel, and so much more — including our brand-new gift cards.
As the e-store is one of our social enterprises, proceeds from all purchases directly benefit CRYP's youth programs and family services. Store operations also are an important piece of our Social Enterprise teen internship, providing Cheyenne River's youth with hands-on retail and customer service experience.
Please consider shopping with CRYP throughout this holiday season, and support the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation.
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PLEASE HELP CRYP MEET VADON FOUNDATION MATCHING GRANT FOR COVID RELIEF! |
CRYP and the Seattle-based Vadon Foundation have announced a new partnership that will allow the nonprofit, grassroots youth organization to raise funds for Covid-19 relief. The Vadon Foundation is providing a $20,000 matching grant, and CRYP has kicked off its 2020 Covid-19 Relief Fundraising Drive to raise the necessary matching funds. |
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The fundraising drive will run through the end of the year. Executive Director Julie Garreau said the grant and matching funds will be critical as she and her team continue youth programming and family services through the winter and early spring months.
“My staff is working very hard every day to make sure we stay connected to our kids,” she explained. “Daily life is always challenging on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, and the pandemic has made that life even harder. Our kids have lost so much, and they are relying on us to be here for them. When the pandemic hit, we never closed our doors — instead, we got creative and searched for new ways to meet their needs, from delivering well-balanced meals and school supplies, to planting and harvesting our 3-acre garden (pictured here: CRYP staff process newly harvested Brussels sprouts), to providing classes, workshops, and even our teen internships.
“Our small staff is doing all of this largely without the volunteer support that has been part of CRYP for more than 30 years,” she continued. “We’re deeply grateful to the Vadon Foundation for supporting us as we continue to navigate this continually evolving situation while ensuring that our kids still have access to us and to the opportunities they need.”
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CRYP STAFF TOOK THE ACTION OUTDOORS — AND TO THE CURB — IN SEPTEMBER |
The CRYP staff has been busy. Not only have they continued to harvest produce in the Winyan Toka Win Garden and mentor the current cohort of Native Wellness teen interns, they're also gearing up for the next cohorts of Social Enterprise and Indigenous Cooking interns, a series of fall art camps, and the new Community Walking Club.
What's more, they've offered a series of drive-thru distributions for kids, Family Services members, and the general community. A particularly popular event was the Sept. 24 drive-thru birthday party for 4- to 12-year-olds who normally attend programs at The Main (pictured above). Outside the festively decorated youth center, staff members greeted each car with birthday treats and gifts.
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Also last month: CRYP distributed school supplies, household items, and food to Family Services members on Sept. 16-17 (pictured above).
And on Sept. 29, in conjunction with Partnership with Native Americans (PWNA), CRYP offered a curbside distribution of produce to the general public. Cheyenne River community members were able to take home free boxes of delicious, fresh produce (pictured below).
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COMING UP: CRYP's 8th annual Harvest Festival Dinner, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 8. Cheyenne River community members will be able pick up free drive-thru meals outside Cokata Wiconi (Center of Life) between 4 and 6 p.m.
Staff members will be preparing individual boxed meals, and as always, menu items will incorporate fresh, organically grown, local produce from CRYP’s 3-acre Winyan Toka Win (Leading Lady) Garden. Last year, dishes included pot roast and turkey, mixed salad with vinaigrette, butternut squash apple bisque, corn on the cob, roasted and sautéed squash, sweet potato bake, cheesy yellow squash casserole, dinner rolls, and fruit pies.
“We’re looking forward to our Harvest Festival Dinner, because it really is a celebration,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “During this growing season, we’ve harvested nearly 10,000 pounds of produce, and we still have squash and watermelons to pick. This is one of our best harvests in the history of Winyan Toka Win, and we’re delighted to be able to share the garden’s bounty with our family members, friends, and neighbors.”
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REDCAN ARTISTS CREATE "CRST LIVES MATTER" MURAL ON CHEYENNE RIVER RESERVATION |
A few weeks ago, the Cheyenne River Youth Project invited three of its Minneapolis-based RedCan artists to visit the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation for a special reason. Over three days, Biafra, Wundr and Ryoe created a vibrant “CRST Lives Matter” mural on a container adjacent to the Veterans Center on Highway 212.
The project was a labor of love for CRYP and for the three artists, who quarantined for two weeks prior to making the trip. They remained distanced from all local residents during their time on the reservation.
“Biafra, Wundr, and Ryoe are an important part of the CRYP family,” explained Julie Garreau, executive director. “As annual participants in our award-winning RedCan graffiti jam, they’ve come to know and love our community, and they understand the importance of tribal sovereignty and keeping our people as safe as possible during the pandemic.
“They stand alongside us in support of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe,” she continued. “They have created a powerful visual reminder that all the efforts CRST is putting forth — from the health checkpoints to the public health guidelines around masks and social distancing — are for the sake of all our people. Our lives matter. We matter.”
Garreau also expressed gratitude on behalf of the entire CRYP team to CRST, Eagle Storage, and the Veterans Center.
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WELCOME TO OUR ONLINE KEYA GIFT SHOP |
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CRYP is proud to make select items from the Keya (Turtle) Gift Shop available online, and proceeds benefit the nonprofit organization's youth programming and family services.
By supporting the Keya Gift Shop, you're also supporting local artists and craftspeople; our youth artists, who are learning how their creative passions might translate to possible career opportunities; and our teen interns, who work in our gift shop every day, developing valuable skills in customer service, financial literacy and business management.
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NEW PRODUCTS & GIFT CARDS
Check out the latest additions...
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While our volunteer program is suspended for the duration of the Covid-19 public health crisis, we are continuing to accept applications, and we look forward to welcoming you to our CRYP campus!
If you are interested in applying for our volunteer program, please click here to learn more. And to meet a few of our former volunteers, check out our Volunteer Spotlight.
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There are so many ways to support CRYP and our ongoing mission in the Cheyenne River community. If you wish to make a donation, please click here, and you may earmark your contribution for the program or initiative that resonates most with you.
You'll also learn more about planned giving, CRYP's endowment fund, and GoFundMe fundraising efforts that benefit our organization.
Also, what if CRYP earned a donation every time you searched the Internet or made an online purchase? Click here to learn how you can support our nonprofit, grassroots youth organization through AmazonSmile, Capital One, GoodSearch, and GoodShop. It's easy to set up, and with every purchase, a percentage will benefit CRYP.
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SPONSOR ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES FOR CRYP YOUTH |
CRYP is always looking for sponsors to support art and athletic enrichment activities for our after-school and summer programs. We're deeply grateful for both monetary and in-kind donations; learn more at the link below. You'll also find details about planned giving, our endowment fund, and a GoFundMe fundraising to benefit CRYP.
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CRYP relies on in-kind donations as well as funding to continue our mission in the Cheyenne River community. If you'd like to help, please click here and scroll down to "In Kind Donations," where you'll find links to our Amazon wish list.
You also may contact us at (605) 964-8200 if you'd like a copy of our most up-to-date list, as well as and price quotes for particular needs. Thank you for your support!
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Each month, we host a birthday party for children at The Main whose birthdays fall during that month. To offset the cost of each party, CRYP seeks monthly sponsors to contribute $40 for the birthday cake. Now that we can offer drive-thru parties, we're actively seeking contributions to help support these special occasions for our kids. Please click here, select "The Main" for your gift, and mention "Birthday Cake" in the notes. Philámayeye!
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To learn more about CRYP and its programs, call (605) 964-8200 or visit www.lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, follow the youth project on social media.
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The Cheyenne River Youth Project is dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River reservation with access to a vibrant and secure future through a variety of culturally sensitive and enduring programs, projects and facilities, ensuring strong, self-sufficient families and communities. Visit us at www.lakotayouth.org
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