Is This True Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Is The Poorest Place In America? (Buffalo: unemployment rate, purchase)

[Future Trooper]

Backpacks for Pine Ridge is working to provide backpacks and school supplies to America's poorest children on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is one of the most beautiful places in America. It is also one of the poorest places in America. The median income on the reservation is just $3,500 a year. The unemployment rate is a shocking 85%. Sadly, it is the children and teenagers who are the most vulnerable victims of such poverty. Among schools on the Pine Ridge Reservation, the drop-out rate is 70%.
Since 2004 we have been going to the Pine Ridge Reservation and delivering new backpacks filled with school supplies to the children in one village on the Reservation. In 2007 we began to expand our efforts and in the summer of 2008 will be delivering backpacks and school supplies to three villages. We have a goal of being able to expand the backpack project and to be able to provide a backpack filled with school supplies to as many children on the reservation as possible. Ultimately, we would like to be able to provide a new backpack and school supplies to every child on the Reservation.
On August 16, 2008 we will be hosting Rezonate '08, a day long music event at the Voice of America Park in West Chester, OH.
Admission: $5 carload
Bring your own chair and join us for a day of fun. All proceeds go to purchase backpacks and school supplies for the Lakota Sioux children on Pine Ridge Reservation.



This information i found on a MYSPACE page so if this claim is not true i apologize to anyone who might be offended.
but could anyone verify the claim is this really true?
if it is it is worse than Buffalo County which is/was the poorest place in america.

[ElkHunter]

Pretty much so true. Sad. But on the reservation there is about 100 people available for 2 jobs at the local convienience store. Little to no industry available. There are some industriust ranches and farms. There are people who work in professional fields such as medical or education and such. So when they say the mean income is $3500 a year. Think about what it's saying. These two people make $40k a year and these other 5 people have nothing.

[Camden Northsider]

Yes, Pine Ridge is the poorest place in the country. And being that reservations are sovereign nations, places like Pine Ridge have similarly been classified as third world nations. SD actually has several counties that generally make the "poorest" list - like the previous poster said, this often has to do with an area being very rural, isolated, and sparsely populated with very limited job opportunities.

[Future Trooper]

found more information about the situation at PineRidge Indian Reservation


Life at the Bottom -- America's Poorest County/A special report.; Sad Distinction for the Sioux: Homeland Is No. 1 in Poverty - New York Times

[debey]

Originally Posted by gdude

found more information about the situation at PineRidge Indian Reservation


Life at the Bottom -- America's Poorest County/A special report.; Sad Distinction for the Sioux: Homeland Is No. 1 in Poverty - New York Times

article Published: September 20, 1992...........sadly not much has changed

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by gdude

found more information about the situation at PineRidge Indian Reservation


Life at the Bottom -- America's Poorest County/A special report.; Sad Distinction for the Sioux: Homeland Is No. 1 in Poverty - New York Times

And what's your point? Everybody around here knows about it and really can do nothing. Also, this subject has been beat to death on this forum. Hashed, rehashed, and rehashed again. Any suggestions on making it better?

[Jammie]

gdude, is this just another one of those threads?

[N8ivGoddess]

It is true about Pine Ridge. It is one of the poorest in the nation. But there are lots of reservations like that. The federal government doesn't have the money to help them or to repay them for the land that they stole. But it does have money for Screw Worm Research, just in case you might find a bug or two in your house. Oh wait! The Screw Worm has been eradicated from this country years ago. Here is another website you can look into: The Arrogance of Ignorance

[Future Trooper]

no i am not bashing i am just trying to shine some light on the conditions there in hopes of somebody might be able to step up and help the people of pine ridge indian reservation.

[ashnat]

The unemployment rate is a bit deceiving. We're talking about a very low populated area. There aren't jobs there, they would have to commute to work.