The Wild Horse Butte Community Development corporation is a 501(c)3 organization serving the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. We are proud to proclaim our services are provided to ANYONE in our tribal community. We are focused on providing an example of what it means to serve the Oyate (the People or Nation) - not just our tiospaye (Family Circle). We believe in building programs that reduces the impact of violence on families by promoting cultural healing:
- We have operated a women's shelter to assist the Lakotas experiencing domestic violence and/or sexual assaults in Pine Ridge and surrounding area for over 8 years.
- Our Lakota Intern Project is funded to develop a workforce of advocates for those experiencing intimate partner as well as stranger violence.
- We just launched the Lakota Cultural Resiliency Project that focuses on developing a "pool" of natural helpers to respond to calls related specifically to sexual assaults. This project will also provide Talking Circles and a traditional Lakota Horse Camp to promote the healing of the victims of sexual assault
The leadership team meets with staff and key stakeholders every year to determine the best projects to fulfill our commitment to the Lakota Families on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Our focus for 2025-26 is to develop plans and acquire land for a facility that can house a Family Cultural Healing Center. Other needs identified during our planning session include:
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Food for the Soul Homeless Project (acquire a food truck to deliver food to various tribal communities/districts in Pine Ridge and the homeless in Rapid City, SD).
- Projects that promote self-sovereignty of our Lakota Oyate such as workforce development and training(emotional intelligence, soft skills and trade specific skills. Trade specific includes but isn't limited to:
- 1) Natural helper - related such as CNA, Advocates, in-home health care, and Family Support.
- 2) Construction related work.
- 3) Transportation-related such as CDL and mechanics).
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Storage space for our donations project in Rapid City and Martin, SD with Native American Heritage Association .
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Youth program to promote cultural healing for secondary victims of domestic violence (Talking Circles).
- Services for Veterans such as transportation, support, service navigators, cultural healing, etc.
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Expand culturally specific services to Rapid City, SD.
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Food -related projects (Food sovereignty, gardening, food preparation, food preservation, meal planning, hoop house/high tunnel development, food baskets, etc.)
- Build projects that address cyberbullying.
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Expand legal services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual assault.
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Provide training for service providers, law enforcement and court personnel about domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual assault.
- Funds for landscaping and necessary repairs at our Shelter.