About St. Joseph's Indian School
Since 1927, St. Joseph's Indian School has served Lakota (Sioux) children and families.
Our mission is to educate Native American children and their families for life — mind, body, heart and spirit. This mission drives our organization to educate and provide housing for over 200 Lakota (Sioux) children each year — all at no cost to their families.
Child poverty and abuse are serious issues on Indian reservations. By supporting St. Joseph's Indian School, you are helping Native American children in need reestablish pride in their culture by learning the Lakota language, studying Native American culture and healing the broken family circle from which they come.
Watch Danisha’s Story of Resilience and Redemption
When she was a little girl, Danisha’s life was a never-ending challenge … like the night she woke up to her mother screaming, “RUN” … to then watching her mother beg for her life.
Watch Danisha, a St. Joseph’s Indian school alumna, share her incredible story of resilience and redemption in this video.
Why Your Support Matters
If you’re new to St. Joseph’s Indian School and the struggles facing Native Americans living in reservation communities, the following information will help you get familiar with both. We hope after reading, you’ll desire to help innocent Lakota children overcome the obstacles set against them. One by one, people like you are making work at St. Joseph’s possible.
Stories from our Lakota Indian School
Starting fresh in a new school can feel overwhelming — especially when that school is also your new home. At St. Joseph’s Indian School, staff understand the importance of helping students feel connected and supported from the very beginning. That’s why the Co-Pilot Program was created: to ensure no student has to navigate their first days alone.
In 1965, 12-year-old Susan Paige held something magical in her hands — a glow-in-the-dark rosary mailed to her from St. Joseph’s Indian School. It wasn’t just a gift, it was a spark.
The start of a new school year is always filled with excitement at St. Joseph’s Indian School, and this year was no exception. On August 10, students arrived on campus to begin the 99th school year. Though the horizon was hazy with smoke from Canadian wildfires, the atmosphere was nothing but bright and joyful.
Embrace a Child in a Circle of Care
The DreamMakers are a special group of friends who give automatic monthly gifts to ensure the Lakota (Sioux) children are provided for year-round. For as little as 32 cents a day, 100% of your monthly contribution will go directly to helping meet our students’ immediate needs … and will help provide dreams for the future.
Our Programs
Children attending St. Joseph's benefit from individualized care plans that follow nationally approved and accredited techniques. Friends who support St. Joseph's Native American programs help provide for every aspect of each child's physical, emotional, spiritual and educational needs.
