About St. Labre

The youth home is designed to be a home for Indian children who, due to no fault of their own, have no other healthy living environment to live in. The children served are considered “at risk”. This means if nothing is done differently, the child may not be able to ward off the potential social ills that plague the reservations. We believe a child should live in a safe and secure home and be able to thrive. A child has the option of living in the home as long as they choose, at no cost to them. While at Shiloh home, a child has the opportunity to go to class every day, get on grade level, and participate in the variety of extracurricular activities available. Along with the academic supports available to them, they also have the cultural and spiritual components integrated into everyday living. Ideally, a child should remain with their parent; however there are times that this is not feasible. Untimely deaths or the presence of drugs and alcohol in the home can make an unstable living environment. St. Labre offers a licensed home to these children for as long as they need. Assistance is given to families who want to make a change.  We are willing to do what we can to help them through this process.

St. Labre offers a top-notch licensed childcare facility for employees and the community, at a reduced cost to families. Many former students of St Labre have become employees of the Center while others use the Center’s services for their own children. Having a safe, loving, and secure childcare facility in our area is unusual. The nearest infant care facility is located 140 miles away and the nearest facility for ages 2-6 is 40 miles away. Given these numbers, it would be difficult for working parents to access this valuable child care resource.

St. Labre offers assistance to many families, located on both the Northern Cheyenne and Crow reservations. With an unemployment rate usually in the 80% range, families need assistance with food, heating, and water. St. Labre assists families unable to make ends meet with vouchers for food, heating, water, or gas. We also help families access the resources available to them within their communities.

St. Labre offers medical assistance for families who may not be eligible for services elsewhere. Even with the assistance offered through governmental programs, it doesn’t always cover the costs. St. Labre assists with motel rooms, gas, or food for the family to be with their loved one. The distance many of our sick have to travel can be from two to six hours away from home. Time away from other family members, money not otherwise planned for, and the emotional energy it takes to be with someone who is ill is overwhelming. It is good if we can help ease the burden a little.

We offer assistance for families with a member in the military. We like to honor the brave men and women with a feast when they return and give thanks to all who have prayed for them while serving in the armed forces.

We offer assistance for funerals. Unfortunately, we have many unexpected funerals and families do not have the resources to cover such an expense. During this sad time, many people come together to help, including St. Labre, by offering food, money, or some type of support to help the many families members suffering.

St. Labre offers a Food Pantry for those community members who are trying to make ends meet. We distribute around 120 large boxes a month to help feed families that are struggling. During the holiday season, we make sure that these households receive the items for a holiday meal that they can provide for their family.

St. Labre offers a Clothes Room thrift store with items, from clothing to appliances, can be purchased for 25 cents. We have been able to help people who have had fires, who are new to the area and have nothing, to students who are in need of clothing or shoes, and to those who are homeless and need items. We assist foster parents with the startup items needed when a child is dropped off at their home in an emergency. We help grandparents who need items for their grandchildren. No one is ever turned away due to inability to pay.

St. Labre offers food and heating assistance for elders, aged 60 & over, in order to supplement their limited outcome. Gas assistance is available for medical appointments. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, we honor the elders with a turkey/ham, blankets, gloves/mittens/scarves, and anything that we have to help brighten their holidays.

With an unemployment rate of up to 80%, one of the things identified is that the jobs available require current skills. The Work Incentive Program began in April 2007 to help those people that are unemployed get a “leg up” in the job searching. We provide classes to teach people how to fill out job applications, how to do a resume, practice interviewing and public speaking, and learn to interact with each other. In addition to the class, the participants find something in their community that they can “work” at and earn ten points per hour, in addition to helping out the community. It is a win-win situation. Not only does the participant get to put current job experience on their application, they also get praise from community members who value their contributions to the community. Many projects include picking up trash, beautifying their surroundings, helping organizations that help with elders and children. Many of the participants go on to secure part-time and full-time employment!