Slideshow: Day of Dignity 2010 in South Dakota at the Crow Creek Reservation

Day of Dignity in South Dakota: Scenes from Crow Creek Reservation

The kick-off of this year's Day of Dignity campaign was at the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota last week, and it was a sobering, yet satisfying day that we spent there. There is beauty in the land and people of the reservation, but not in the conditions they are living in.

Driving through South Dakota is like driving through time--a time when America was a much simpler place. As I rode through this scenic state, I passed countless farms with grazing cattle and general stores. You could ride for hours and not see a stop sign. For a city guy like myself, this was very different from what I am used too.

Then suddenly the scene changes. The picturesque farms are replaced with trailer homes and temporary housing. Joblessness and poverty plague Crow Creek and many other reservations. Reservations were intended to give the Native Americans their own sovereign land. But instead they have become outposts where the original people of the Americas have been sent to and generally ignored.

As we drove through the reservations, we saw the homes that had been built for the mostly Sioux population. Some of the people live in dilapidated structures. Jobs are scarce and also the opportunities for many Sioux people are limited on the reservation. Despite the difficulties on the reservation the people of Crow Creek are very welcoming.

We wound our way through the reservation up to the parking lot of the community center. From there our Islamic Relief USA volunteers, who had taken the two and a half hour ride from Sioux Falls to Fort Thompson (where the Crow Creek reservation is), hopped out of the bus eager to assist. They quickly unloaded the van and began to stuff the Islamic Relief bags with goods, including food, hygiene kits, blankets, and other basic living supplies. Next to the supply van the volunteers set up a small kid’s carnival equipped with a variety of children’s games and prizes. More than 800 recipients stopped by; enjoying the games and the goods that Islamic Relief and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had donated to this cause.

Members of the community and the tribal council thanked IR USA and its volunteers for their efforts. We left the day hoping that we made a small a difference, if just for one day. Inshallah, I pray that we can do more to assist these people, whose ancestors lay the foundation for this land that we now know as America. Click here to learn more about the Day of Dignity campaign, when it is coming to a city near you, and how you can help out.

--Karim Amin, Islamic Relief USA Domestic Programs Coordinator

Day of Dignity 2010: Why You Should Volunteer

Day of Dignity 2010: How to Get Involved

Day of Dignity 2010: What is It?

Day of Dignity 2010 is Coming to South Dakota

Day of Dignity 2010 is set to begin with this Saturday’s kick-off effort at a community center at the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota in conjunction with the children’s Pow Wow. Domestic Programs Coordinator Karim Amin will be on hand to facilitate activities there. It’s the eighth year that Islamic Relief USA’s Day of Dignity campaign is taking place as a grassroots effort bringing volunteers together around the country to distribute food, clothing, blankets, medical care first aid, and other social services to those in need.

Crow Creek is the first of 22 cities where a "Day of Dignity" will occur, and the entire campaign is estimated to draw more than 2,000 volunteers who in turn will serve nearly 20,000 homeless and people in need throughout the country.

"Every year more and more local communities and volunteers join this national movement to assist their neighbors in need," said Amin. 'The Day of Dignity event sites are very diverse and stretch from the busy streets of Brooklyn, New York to the wide plains of the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota."

Please visit the Day of Dignity website for more information on how to help at Crow Creek or at other cities across the nation. For the Crow Creek location, please contact local event coordinator Victor David at broimannsfsd@yahoo.com for more information. To learn more about Islamic Relief USA, click here.

Day of Dignity 2010: Special Message from Karim Amin

It is that time of the year again! We are gearing up for Day of Dignity 2010. I first joined the Islamic Relief USA family in 2006 as a volunteer. Since then I have seen the growth of the Day of Dignity effort from serving a handful of cities to more than 22 cities nationwide this year. The spread of this event is exciting. Every year more and more local communities and volunteers join this national movement to assist their neighbors in need. The Day of Dignity event sites are very diverse and stretch from the busy streets of Brooklyn, New York to the wide plains of the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota.

Even though I am excited that people want to volunteer to help those in need, I want everyone to keep in mind that we must find a solution to reduce poverty. This is a large task. Currently I am working with a national interfaith group called Fighting Poverty with Faith, whose goal is to reduce the rate of poverty in the U.S. in half by 2020. When we meet, we talk a lot about the different factors that contribute to poverty.

We need many "streams" of assistance to reduce poverty, and Day of Dignity is one of those streams. Throughout the year we all must find different ways to take the idea of dignity for others and incorporate it in our daily lives. Everything from recycling a bottle to mentoring contributes to reducing poverty. Recycling helps to reduce the amount of trash that pile up in landfills that often are in the poorest areas around the world. Mentoring can help to guide a young man/woman to avoid decisions that lead to poverty.

Poverty isn't just about money, it is about a mindset. If we choose to expect that some people "have" to be poor and not a have access to quality livelihood, the problem will continue. But if we work together to uplift each other, we can have a Day of Dignity 365 days a year.

--Karim Amin, Domestic Programs Coordinator for IR USA

Learn About Day of Dignity 2010

Day of Dignity 2010 Expands to Help More People in More Cities

Volunteers across the country are teaming up with Islamic Relief USA in the annual Day of Dignity effort to serve thousands of homeless and underserved people in 22 cities.

After eight years of organizing the event only during the month of Ramadan, Islamic Relief USA lengthened the Day of Dignity 2010 effort to 10 weekends and expanded it to 21 cities. This year the event begins on June 19 in South Dakota and the last event will be in December.

Providing beneficiaries with food, clothing, blankets, medical care, first aid, and other social services, IR USA staff and volunteers will offer assistance to all who attend, regardless of their backgrounds.

"Day of Dignity is a great reminder to all of everyone, especially the youth, about the struggle of our neighbors," said Seyed Mowlana, veteran Washington, D.C. coordinator. "We serve people who are just like us--the only difference is that they may not have a proper roof over their heads."

In the Islamic tradition, Ramadan is the month of spirituality, self-reflection, service, and compassion, but is perhaps most known for its day-long fasts, with Muslims abstaining from food, water and marital relations from dawn until dusk. Many of the volunteers who will be helping IR USA are observant Muslims who fast the month of Ramadan, which begins inshallah on August 11.

"Ramadan helps us feel the hunger and thirst that Day of Dignity beneficiaries feel," Islamic Relief USA Domestic Programs Coordinator Karim Amin said. "Ramadan also is a month of giving. One of the reasons we decided to host Day of Dignity events beyond Ramadan was to spread the spirit of giving throughout the year."

With a team of staff, local coordinators and volunteers dedicated to the cause, Amin is optimistic about this year's event.

"When I participated as a volunteer at my first Day of Dignity event several years ago, there were less than a dozen cities involved" he said. "Now Day of Dignity has grown because of the dedication and hard work of thousands of Islamic Relief volunteers and partner organizations."

To learn more about Day of Dignity 2010 and how you can get involved, visit the website for dates, cities, and blog posts specific to this effort.

For more information please contact Domestic Programs Coordinator Karim Amin at karim@IslamicReliefUSA.org.