The Ho-Chunk Nation Social Services Family Services Program teamed
up with Youth Services to provide planting project packages to 73 Ho-Chunk
youth. The program must remain in
compliance with their grants, and events they were supposed to hold are
canceled or postponed due to the pandemic.
The employees have been planning alternative activities.
The planting project packages include planting pots, seed
pods, soil, Popsicle sticks, paint pens, and instructions. Youth decorate the planting pots with the
paint pens and then add a seed pod and soil.
The Popsicle sticks can be used to label parsley, chives, or basil - the
three seed pods that are offered.
“They (families) can keep them on their counters and use
them,” explained Community Supportive Services Division Director Kimberly
Whitewater.
Life Skills Coordinator Allana Herth spearheaded the project,
and the entire Black River Falls community are exclusively her clients. Bonita Rhymer, Child Care Assistance Program
Manager, assisted with separating and packaging materials. Tye Decorah, Life Skills Coordinator,
gathered materials.
Youth Services workers will deliver the planting project packages
to 25 families in the Black River Falls area.
“This all comes out of the Family Services Program grant,”
stated Kimberly Whitewater. “The grant
funding still requires us to do a lot of prevention, youth work, and family
work.”
The Family Services Program provides culturally infused
prevention education and recovery support to any Ho-Chunk member and their
communities. Other current projects
include beading and loom work.
Tye Decorah hand-made looms and distributed them to program
participants. Decorah is also working on
constructing raised planting barrels for the Assisted Living Facility. The aim is for elders to garden while
standing.
“We definitely do not have a shortage of work,” declared
Whitewater.
Tomah and Wittenberg families are receiving similar projects
and project materials from Life Skills Coordinators in their areas and the main
Social Services office.
The Social Services office is located at 808 Red Iron Road
near Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Their
main phone number is 715-284-2622 or toll-free at 888-343-8190.