Student Reflection: Core Group Member Will T. reflects on his trip to the Rosebud Native American Reservation

Each year Operation Others delivers food to 240 families living on Native American Reservations in Nebraska.  Food Insecurity is just one of many problems facing Native Americans today.  This summer Will traveled to the Rosebud Reservation.  In this post he reflects on his experience.  


Food insecurity is a grave issue that is present inside our community of Omaha and also outside in all corners of the United States. Sometimes people forget the severe extent to which food insecurity casts its hold on people. Food insecurity is not only found in urban, downtown areas but all over the country in places where people do not normally reach out and help. An area where food insecurity is at its most acute degree is on various Native American reservations found all over the United States, in most cases, states bordering Nebraska. This summer I participated in a service trip to Rosebud, a Native American Reservation in South Dakota. At Rosebud, I witnessed and realized the true meaning of food insecurity and how little help the people of Rosebud and other Native American reservations receive to address this problem. Expired, moldy, and sometimes worthless food is sent to these places where food is a questionable presence in everyday life. Between alcoholism and homelessness, the people of these reservations struggle daily to feed themselves and sometimes their families. On the reservation I witnessed the most overwhelming appreciation for even the most meager food and supplies.



At Rosebud, I met a man who was a retired Marine. This veteran was homeless, an alcoholic, and struggled to find food and shelter. Day after day this man had to travel to the local food pantry to receive his one and only meal of the day. That man gave up a large part of his life to serve a country that has done a great amount of wrong to its Native American population, and he was repaid with hunger and homelessness. Poverty has made these great and proud people hungry and without the basic necessities and supplies. The problems found on the reservations are not just limited to food insecurity but alcoholism, little representation, and homelessness all restrict their escape from the endless cycle of poverty. 


My service trip only put small dents into the large problems that the Native Americans face. With this endless cycle of poverty comes food insecurity which is the main goal of Operation Others. Operation Others is trying to address food insecurity not only in Omaha but also in various reservations neighboring Nebraska. By coming together and putting great effort, Operation Others can help address and diminish these large problems that plague many reservations.


For more information about the Rosebud Sioux Tribe visit their website @ http://www.rosebudsiouxtribe-nsn.gov/about/demographics.html