Helping Our People to Fly Again

Native people have the highest teen suicide rate in the Western hemisphere—62% higher than the national average. It’s the second leading cause of death among Natives 15-24 years of age (60% of Yakama Nation enrolled members are age 25 and younger). We have the highest alcoholism rate (510% higher than the national average), the shortest life expectancy (average 40 years of age), the lowest percentage of high school graduates, the lowest per capita income, the highest levels of unemployment and the 2nd highest teen pregnancy rate in Washington State.

One out of three Native females will experience sexual assault in their lifetime. Violence, bullying and gangs are epidemic. Native communities have also experienced significant levels of loss with respect to our language, family values, cultural values, spirituality, land and community roles due to colonization. Mending Wings works hard to improve these harsh realities through our tried, tested and varied programs.

You can join us in combating these social ills by accepting the Send10 Challenge. $10 a month helps to send a Native youth to a Mending Wings program for that month. That means that for less than .35 a day, you can help Mending Wings curb teen suicide rates, ensure youth graduate from high school and move on to higher education, empower youth with self-confidence, revitalize and retain culture, tear away shame, develop youth as leaders, deter gang association and replace negative influences with positive experiences.

Would you consider accepting this challenge laid before you? If so, download the form, fill it out and return to: Mending Wings c/o Corey Greaves P.O. Box 324 Wapato, WA. 98951

$10 a month enables our life-saving programs to help our Native youth fly again