Hi, my name is Janet McCandlas and I am raising funds on behalf of Little Wound Middle School, located on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

The reservation is home to the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) nation, and half of the residents are under the age of 25. Pine Ridge Reservation is located in the second-poorest county in the US, and being rural, resources are limited. The reservation has no public libraries, and the nearest city is 80 miles away. The lack of local resources and the poverty that residents experience are major barriers to health and education.

I first learned of the needs of the Pine Ridge Reservation community when I visited in May 2024 to do research at one of the reservation schools. Since then, I have striven to leverage the rich resources of my home in Los Angeles to support the Pine Ridge community.

As an educator of over three decades, I understand the connection between academic success and being warm and well fed, feeling safe, and having access to a rich variety of reading topics. I have coordinated with the principal of Little Wound Middle School to bring warm winter clothing, blankets, and books to students. Since fall 2024, we have collected over 1000 books and hundreds of new and like-new items of clothing for Little Wound Middle Schools. It is our desire for Little Wound students and families to enjoy greater dignity and learning through these items.

The first shipment of books has been sent, and 70 boxes of clothing and books are waiting to be picked up. 100% of this fundraiser will be used to pay shipping costs for this large donation of curated goods.

Please help us reach our goal of 2500 dollars so Little Wound students can enjoy a year of warmth and abundant reading.