CRYP is dedicated to providing Cheyenne River youth with the resources and opportunities they need to build a future in which they do more than survive - they thrive. Established in 1988 in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, the nonprofit Cheyenne River Youth Project is an essential community development organization on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. We are from Cheyenne River for Cheyenne River — an authentic grassroots initiative designed to meet the specific needs of our community through innovative youth programming, vital family services, and educational public events and activities. We serve hundreds of local youth ages 4 to 18 each year, manage 369 family memberships across the reservation, and consistently provide culturally relevant and enduring solutions that address unique community concerns and challenges. CRYP is a well-rounded service organization that is dedicated to its participants’ physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellness. Its current 5-acre campus on East Lincoln Street incorporates the Main Youth Center for 4- to 12-year-olds; the Ċokata Wiċoni (“Center of Life”) Teen Center for 13- to 18-year olds, which also is home to the Keya (Turtle) Cafe, Keya Gift Shop, and Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count) Lakota Arts Institute; the Family Services Program; the naturally grown Winyan Toka Win (“Leading Lady”) Garden and seasonal Leading Lady Farmers Market; and the free, public Waniyetu Wowapi Art Park. These facilities create a collaborative synergy and represent CRYP’s holistic approach toward assessing and meeting community needs. Poverty has a profound effect on family structure and self-esteem, which contributes to a variety of social ills. Located in one of the nation’s five poorest counties, CRYP serves the community by offering safe and healthy spaces, fostering healthy choices and life practices, strengthening connections to Lakota culture, teaching valuable job and life skills, and creating opportunities for a more vibrant and secure future. Daily, CRYP lays the groundwork for long-term solutions. Each program is carefully designed with a purposeful foundation, cultural relevance, and potential for longevity. Our vision also includes critical infrastructure to accommodate our growth as we work to meet our community’s needs today and in the future. CRYP has been recognized for its achievements locally, regionally and nationally, indicating that participants and supporters agree on its efficacy and importance. Executive director Julie Garreau has received several awards for her work with CRYP, including the South Dakota Volunteer of the Year Award in 1992, the Presidential Points of Light Award in 1993, the Garden Supply Company’s Garden Crusader Award in 2005, and the Spirit of Dakota Award in 2009. The South Dakota Coalition for Children named CRYP its “Champion for Children” in 2002, and the youth project’s RedCan invitational graffiti jam received Americans for the Arts’ prestigious Robert E. CRYP is honored by, and grateful for, the opportunity to serve youth on Cheyenne River. To learn more about us, visit our website at https://lakotayouth.org/.
