National Relief Charities (NRC) is a nonprofit dedicated to quality of life for Native Americans living on remote and poverty-stricken reservations in the Plains and Southwest. Our mission is "To help Native American people improve the quality of their lives by providing opportunities for them to bring about positive changes in their communities."
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| Strong in tradition and values, but lacking in resources. |
NRC is unique in several ways. We have a highly effective warehouse and distribution system that lets us truck over 4 million pounds of material aid each year — to remote reservation communities that most Americans never see and most organizations cannot reach. The goods we ship make their way directly into the hands of the Native American people who need them. NRC’s approach brings several other important benefits to those who work with us. The fact that our Partners are Native Americans who live and work on the reservations gives us added reach into reservation communities. It also gives us insights on how to work effectively on the reservations. This is how we evolved "The NRC Way" and our guiding principles of stewardship, volunteerism, and respect. NRC strives to be a consistent resource in Indian country and to provide the right goods at the right time and in the right way.
More a Partnership Than a Charity
All of NRC's work centers around bringing material aid, educational support, and onsite services that afford immediate relief to economically-depressed reservations. Our service area is concentrated in nine priority states, which encompass Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Navajo, and over 75 reservations with a high need for basic necessities. To make a difference in such a wide service area, NRC relies on the generosity of concerned Americans, and also on businesses that are able to donate goods in bulk.
Typically, material donations take the form of: food, water, produce; personal hygiene items such as shampoo, toothpaste and soap; household cleaning products, toilet paper, and laundry detergent; linens and blankets; coats and winter clothing; and school supplies. NRC covers any cost of shipping the goods from wherever they are to our warehouse in South Dakota or Arizona. Monetary donations also help us purchase similar goods at volume discounts. Both kinds of donations increase the quality and quantity of goods that NRC provides and ultimately to have a greater impact on quality of life for Native Americans. NRC delivers the donated and purchased goods to Partners, who distribute the goods in their communities. Everyone has a role to fill. That’s why we say NRC is more a partnership than a charity. We do not receive any government funding; we count on your support.
More About Where NRC Works
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| NRC provides basic necessities like food, winter fuel, and household items. |
All of NRC’s work is done on reservations still plagued with poverty but striving to be self-sufficient. The majority of our efforts serve small, isolated communities in rugged terrain. Most Americans would be shocked by how vast and remote the reservations are. It is common for Native Americans living in these regions to have limited access to healthcare, education, or even the basics of electricity, water, and food. Often the most basic healthcare, stores, and schools are an hour or more away.
Infrastructure in these areas is often limited. There are few opportunities for employment. On the Rosebud Reservation, 80% of Native Americans who work full-time are still living below poverty level. Many adults are forced to move away from their families in order to find work. Nearly half of Native American children are living in poverty and/or being raised by their grandparents.
Some find these facts hard to believe.
Most Americans are unaware of the true conditions that exist on the reservations. The Native American people we serve are strong in tradition and values. They are a revered part of the American culture, yet many of their basic human needs go unmet. That’s why NRC feels a responsibility to be there for them.