Dear Friend,

I hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend. Every time Easter comes around I’m reminded of new beginnings and the many new beginnings that leave the Pathfinder Center. I’m so thankful that through your giving and prayers the women that leave the center have this incredible new life ahead of them. But what about those that we couldn’t reach? Or even worse, those that we can’t find. Our native women and girls are being taken from us in an alarming way. Native women are murdered 10 times higher than other ethnicities. It's the third leading cause of death for our Native women. We have over 2,300 missing Native American women and girls in the United States. What’s more, missing and murdered indigenous women are most likely victims of human trafficking.

Many of these crimes are committed by non-Native people. Lack of communication between state and tribal law enforcement; it's difficult to bring a case or investigation. For too long, the blame has been - and continues to be - placed on the victims. In South Dakota, we are moving in the right direction. We’ve strengthened our laws to protect victims and have harsher penalties on those that commit the crime. But we can’t rely on the government alone to save our women.

That's why I'm taking this opportunity to ask you for an urgent donation today. Together, with your support, we can continue to offer these life-saving resources to the victims at the Pathfinder Center. A $500 donation would cover one woman, for one month. Shelter, food, and safety for a victim in need. Remember, even small gifts add up! We’d be honored if you would commit to a $5 recurring donation. It’s simple and quick.

The Pathfinder Center ensures our women and girls are safe and provide resources to help them through difficult situations. We honor our women and come alongside other organizations that fight for murdered and missing indigenous women.

May our women and children be kept safe. God bless you and stay well.

Lisa Heth

Pathfinder Center, Executive Director