Rep. Herseth-Sandlin Continues to Support Shelter

I want to thank Representative Herseth-Sandlin for her dedication to this issue. This morning there was another article in the Rapid City Journal, which quoted her extensively.

This is what she told the RCJ:

"Pretty Bird Woman House provides a safe haven for victims of domestic violence in an area where, tragically, its services are sorely needed," Herseth-Sandlin said....

Herseth-Sandlin, who held a congressional field meeting at Pretty Bird Woman House last year, said she is optimistic that shelters like Pretty Bird Woman House will not be squeezed out of existence by tight federal budgets. Advocates and supporters in Congress will not let that happen, she said.

The shelter provides the only domestic-violence sanctuary and outreach programs on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.

"In the face of a tough budget environment with many worthy and competing priorities, I believe the Congress will provide strong funding for grant programs included in the Violence Against Women Act, such as the program through which Pretty Bird Woman House has already secured a grant," Herseth-Sandlin said.

"I will continue to call for full funding of the Violence Against Women Act and more funding for the Indian Health Service and to work with my colleagues in the House to provide adequate funding in the coming year for these critically important programs and services," Herseth-Sandlin said.

Donations

The article ended with a request for donations, which I've mentioned here. This is what Georgia Little Shield told the paper:

"We're looking for a new washer and dryer, if anybody wants to donate," shelter director Georgia Little Shield said. "And we need bunk beds, sheets, a couch and chair set, things for the living room and dining room and any kind of cooking utensils."

The shelter, which now has expanded storage space, also seeks additional items to offer domestic-violence victims when they leave the shelter, Little Shield said.

"We can continue to take donations so we'll have things to give these women when they find their own homes," she said.

The entire article is available here.

Again, thank you Rep. Herseth-Sandlin for speaking out, and thank you to everyone who has participated in this project.

Back in McLaughlin there is also a thank you going out to a group of 61 women you many not have known about - the ones who broke precedent and told their stories to Amnesty International for the report that brought this to our attention. It was really because of these women that assistance to the shelter has been forthcoming. I send my own thank you to them as well.