Wo Otúh’an Wi Toy Drive
(Moon of Giving Away Presents)
The winter solstice is a sacred time for indigenous peoples. It is a time of going inward and gathering with loved ones for warmth, storytelling, nourishment, and expressing gratitude as we head into waníyetu (winter) and its dark, cold moons.
For more than 30 years, the Cheyenne River Youth Project has honored this sacred time with our annual toy drive, which brings holiday joy and magic to children on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. This toy drive is one more way we live Wólakȟota, so our relatives may thrive.
Known today as Wo Otúh’an Wi, or “Moon of Giving Away Presents,” this initiative is about so much more than gifts. It’s about hope and wishes fulfilled. It’s about living our Lakota values of generosity and caring for others — and showing our children they are important, precious, and so loved.
Through Wo Otúh’an Wi, we serve more than 1,000 children in 20 communities scattered across our remote, 2.8-million reservation in north-central South Dakota.
Winter holidays can be a stressful time for many families on the reservation struggling to provide for their children’s basic needs. Some children otherwise may not receive holiday gifts at all.
Each year, we fulfill deeply personal wishes from each child’s Winter Solstice Wish List, delivering carefully wrapped packages with that child’s name on them. Each child receives up to 4 gifts selected with care from their wish list. We also make sure each child receives much-needed warm clothing such as winter coats, hats and socks.
See how the Wo Otúh’an Wi Toy Drive has made a difference in our community as well as for our volunteers and supporters.
You can help!
Join us in the spirit of generosity and care as we fulfill thousands of wishes for so many deserving children and provide an extra measure of support to their families.
We’re deeply grateful to the organizational partners, individual donors, groups and volunteers who work alongside us year after year to care for our community.
Adopt a Wish List(s)
Purchase and ship gifts for one or more children based on their wish lists.
Here’s how it works:
- Click here to select a Winter Solstice Wish List from one or more children.
- You purchase the gifts on the list and have them shipped unwrapped to CRYP.
Please make sure all gifts are shipped in time to arrive by December 15 to:
The Cheyenne River Youth Project
702 4th Street
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
Questions? Please email toydrive.cryp@gmail.com.
Host a CRYP Toy Drive
This is a great “giving back” opportunity for families, friends, school clubs, corporate / workplace groups, religious organizations and community groups.
Here’s how it works:
- Download our toy drive mini-hub toolkit for a printable / emailable flyer, social media graphics and other ways to promote your mini-hub.
- Gather together a group of people who agree to purchase and send gifts for the toy drive.
- Click here to select individual children’s Winter Solstice Wish Lists.
- Click here to send individual gifts from our Amazon Wish List.
- Group members purchase the gifts on the list and have them shipped unwrapped to CRYP.
Please make sure all gifts are shipped in time to arrive by December 15 to:
The Cheyenne River Youth Project
702 4th Street
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
Questions? Please email toydrive.cryp@gmail.com.
Choose Gifts and/or Wrapping Supplies from our Amazon Wish List
Please send wrapping supplies to:
The Cheyenne River Youth Project
702 4th Street
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
Questions? Please email toydrive.cryp@gmail.com.
Volunteer for On-Site Gift Wrapping
Join us in Eagle Butte to help us sort, wrap, label and prepare gifts for family pick-ups. Individuals and groups are welcome. Volunteers are housed on our campus with some meals provided during their stay on their preferred December dates. Please contact us at toydrive.cryp@gmail.com to sign up!
Spread the Word
Please share CRYP’s 2022 Wo Otúh’an Wi Toy Drive posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Download our social media image for your posts. If you have friends, family members or groups who might like to support this year’s toy drive, please let them know how they can help.
Donate Funds
Additional funds help us fill in gaps to make sure every child receives gifts from their wish list. Please support us with a tax-deductible financial contribution using our online donation form here.
You can also mail your check or money order to:
The Cheyenne River Youth Project
P.O. Box 410
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
