Prior Lake, Minnesota - The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community announces $80,300 in donations to support drug abuse prevention efforts by seven different organizations.

A matching donation of $50,000 went to First Nations Recovery of Minneapolis, Minnesota. First Nations combines chemical, physical, and mental health services with community and familybased support. The outpatient treatment program averages 26 weeks. Their philosophy is, “You cannot rebuild a community until you rebuild the lives of people in the community.” The SMSC grant was matched by donations from Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota; the Walker Foundation; Overcomers Ministry; and some individual donors.

“Had it not been for the benevolence of the Shakopee Mdewakanton, First Nations Recovery would not have been able to get off the launching pad. The SMSC vested in the vision to help bring sobriety to our community,” said ex-officio community developer Gordon Thayer and founder of the American Indian Community Development Corporation.

The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Washington, D.C., received an SMSC donation of $12,500 to support their work to reduce Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect. NOFAS is dedicated to eliminating birth defects caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy and to improving the quality of life for those affected individuals and families.

A donation of $5,000 went to the Red Road Gathering, Vermillion, South Dakota. The Red Road Approach is holistic in concept and uses prayer as the basis of all healing. The Red Road Gathering is a three-day annual conference at the University of South Dakota focusing on mental, spiritual, and emotional recovery from dysfunctional family systems, intergenerational trauma, institutionalized oppression, and alcohol and drug dependencies using traditional Native American lifeways.

The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of South Dakota received $5,000 for their Meth is Deth Educational Program Activity Book designed for three different age groups. Lower Brule High School in Lower Brule, South Dakota, received $1,500 to run student created anti drug, anti-meth messages on two different radio channels.

Minnesota Teen Challenge will receive a $5,000 matching grant for their Know the Truth drug and alcohol prevention program. Know the Truth conducts free, educational sessions in public and private high schools and junior high schools. Last year 53 local schools participated. The grant will be matched by Scott County businesses and residents.

The Aberdeen Area Youth Regional Treatment Center, Mobridge, South Dakota, received $1,300 for classroom incentives for the youth in residence at their treatment center. For information on the SMSC Charitable Giving Program, go to www.shakopeedakota.org and click on “Donations.” For more information on First Nations Recovery contact 612-871-1208.

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