The shortage of food for a family in need is even more pronounced during the holiday season when people are gathering for special meals. Receiving something like a turkey with all the trimmings is not just a holiday treat – it brings loved ones together for a meal.

Every November since 2004, Conscious Alliance volunteers distribute complete holiday meals to over 600 families on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and Lame Deer Reservation in Montana.

Many people are unaware of the conditions on these reservations. The unemployment rate is consistently over 80% on Pine Ridge, primarily due to the extreme economic isolation of the reservation. Food insecurity is rampant. The climate is extreme in this region of the country, with regular winter blizzards and temperatures annually falling to -20°F or lower. In the winter, people make a very real choice between buying food and buying fuel to heat their homes.

Conscious Alliance strives to alleviate the immediate need for the basic necessities of life, while simultaneously teaming up with community leaders to create possibilities for the future. As we provide food to the reservations, we are working with these leaders to inspire members of the community, with particular focus on positive youth outreach programs to empower the next generation.

With the help of our generous supporters, we bring nourishment to some of the most impoverished communities in our nation during the cold winter months.