A community drive is taking place on Thursday and Friday (9/15 and 9/16) to help one of the poorest Indian reservations in the United States.

Pine Ridge Reservation, located in South Dakota, is home of a Sioux Tribe and has an estimated population of close to 40,000. The reservation is large, and its needs immense, with significant poverty. Unemployment is over 80%, the weather is extreme, and families struggle mightily with crushing financial, housing, health, educational and social issues.

On Thursday and Friday donations will be collected at the Tersteegs parking lot in Redwood Falls from 8 AM to 8 PM.

Items that are needed include: clothing, diapers, blankets, shoes, school supplies and dishes, furniture, winter items, bikes and non-perishable foods.

Donations of garden produce that might travel well are welcome like potatoes and squash.

Cash donations will allow the organization to purchase nutritional perishable items and help pay for the fuel for the 10 hour drive. Cash donations can be made at the drive Thursday and Friday.

Organizers are asking people to please be considerate in bringing items that are clean and usable and no electronics please.