Disaster Date:12/08/2016
Pine Ridge, SD
Tornadoes
What Happened
Straight line winds, tornadoes, hailstorms, and floods severely damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes during May and June, 2015, and again in September, 2016. This loss of housing compounded an already existing shortage of good housing for residents of the Pine Ridge reservation.
What MDS Is Doing
MDS is partnering with Pine Ridge Long Term Recovery Committee to build a volunteer center and complete several new builds in the spring and summer of 2019. Building materials are funded by a coalition of agencies. MDS accommodations are in mobile homes and trailers on the outskirts of Pine Ridge town.
Location
The Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, which encompasses more than 2.8 million acres, is home to some 38,000 Oglala Lakota, a tribe that is part of the Sioux people. The captivating landscapes of South Dakota play an important role in the lives of the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota who live there. The land holds legends and history as well as hope and strength for the future.
At A Glance
Stories from the Field