Independent news from the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance

Crow flood donations for people with homes in water

Rebecca Clarren’s next stop on her book tour for “The Cost of Free Land” is Bismarck on April 29, where she’ll be having a reading and open discussion about the dispossession of Indigenous land. Photo by Shelby Brakken, photo courtesy of Rebecca Clarren

Dear Reader:

One of my Crow relatives asked me to post information on how to donate to the Crow Tribe flood disaster relief fund. She and family members have been busy driving in bad road conditions to deliver food and water to people effected by flood waters of the Little Big Horn River and all surrounding creeks on the Crow Reservation.

Here’s a few items people need: water, household items, baby items. Non-/perishable food items are being accepted at Little Bighorn College at Crow Agency. Monetary donations are also needed. Here is the address: “Crow Tribe Disaster Relief Fund,” First Interstate Bank, 402 North Center Ave., Hardin, MT. 59034. For more information call 406-665-3822.

The latest Associated Press report on Monday notes:

“Forecasters say another 3 inches of rain may have fallen in flooded areas of Montana but it’s expected to taper off today. More rain fell Sunday on already soaked communities, adding to more than a week of floods that brought as much as 8 inches to central and eastern parts the state.

On Sunday, Montana’s governor ordered more National Guard troops to the town of Roundup to join the anti-flood effort and to provide unarmed security checkpoints.

More than four dozen guardsmen already have been helping on the Crow Reservation, which has been inundated by heavy flooding. And the only road leading into the town has been opened.

States downstream along the bloated Missouri River are getting prepared for floods, strengthening levees and placing sandbags ahead of the release of waters from dams and reservoirs.”

Prayers and donations are appreciated.

Jodi Rave

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear is the founder and director of the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance, a 501-C-3 nonprofit organization with offices in Bismarck, N.D. and the Fort Berthold Reservation. Jodi spent 15 years reporting for the mainstream press. She's been awarded prestigious Nieman and John S. Knight journalism fellowships at Harvard and Stanford, respectively. She also an MIT Knight Science Journalism Project fellow. Her writing is featured in "The Authentic Voice: The Best Reporting on Race and Ethnicity," published by Columbia University Press. Jodi currently serves as a Society of Professional Journalists at-large board member, an SPJ Foundation board member, and she chairs the SPJ Freedom of Information Committee. Jodi has won top journalism awards from mainstream and Native press organizations. She earned her journalism degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.