Re-Member Volunteer Projects

It can be difficult for our volunteers to see the conditions that many Oglala Lakota families of Pine Ridge call home. Many children have never slept on a bed with a mattress of their own; many sleep on the floor, or in shared beds.

To help, Re-Member volunteers and staff construct hundreds of beds each year. Each step of the process — from constructing the wood frame to placing the pillow — is more than just part of “building a bed;” it is helping to rebuild a relationship and provide hope for the future of the Oglala Lakota children of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Each bunk bed costs approximately $200 for us to build, including all building materials, mattress, pillow and bedding. Your gift of that amount can guarantee a child will have bed to sleep in.

The climate in Pine Ridge is extreme. Sub-zero temperatures and snow drifts upwards of 10 feet are common in winter. The summer months bring daily temperatures in the 100s.

To create a more tolerable environment for people living in trailer homes, our volunteers install a “skirting” underneath the trailer. This enclosure makes the home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Trailer skirting is also important to keep critters out from under the trailer, protecting it from further damage, and to keep water out from under the unit.

Installing a skirting system on a typical 16’ x 80’ trailer home costs approximately $1,500, including building materials and insulation. Larger homes or more complex installations can be more costly.

Most residences on Pine Ridge are mobile homes that sit high above ground level. Often, there is no safe way to enter the home, and when a stepping system exists, it is constructed of loosely placed cinder blocks or other materials.

To ensure families with young children and the elderly can safely enter their homes, our volunteers build small decking and step systems and securely anchor them to the ground or home.

It costs $300 to construct our standard 4' x 6' decking and step system, including all building materials.

Volunteers help construct wheelchair and accessibility ramps for residents living on Pine Ridge Reservation. The ramps vary in design and length, and are built on-site.

The cost to build new wheelchair ramp for a home starts at approximately $1,400, including all building materials.

Some regions of the Reservation lack the basic infrastructure to provide water and sewer for homes. In order to provide a more livable environment, we construct sturdy wooden outhouses, dig pits, and install the outhouses.

The cost to build a standard outhouse is approximately $250, including building materials and a limited quantity of hygiene products.