“in over 100 years, things have not changed.”

One Nation Walking Together began in a garage in the mid-1990s when husband and wife Elaine and Bill Glynn retired and wanted to make a difference. Elaine decided to put her craft-making skills to use by sewing clothes for the needy. When she learned that the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota were among the poorest areas in the country, she began sending her items to Native Americans. Soon, friends and neighbors began asking Elaine to include their donations in her shipments. The couple quickly became overwhelmed with the number of donations they received.

But operating a small non-profit with such a big mission can be incredibly challenging. Almost 12 years later, former ONWT Executive Director, Urban Turzi, took over in early 2007. At that point in time, ONWT was struggling—no money, no board of directors and no staff. Turzi was able to take One Nation to new heights, eventually moving the mission into a larger facility and enhancing the organization’s  capacity to collect, sort and ship substantive amounts of donated items. More specifically, ONWT delivers up to $2 million dollars worth of essential goods and services up to 40,000 individuals annually. In addition, with the help of dedicated staff members and volunteers, Urban formed critical relationships spawning new events and programs such as One Nation’s powwow, film festival, food sustainability program, participation in IndyGive! and more.

As One Nation looks to the future, we strive to expand our various programs and services, as well as assist Native people and communities in new, meaningful and innovative ways. However, we cannot do this without your help! Consider the ways you may be able to help us make a difference and get involved with our mission. Please visit our “Get Involved” section for more info.

How We’ve Helped.

For the year of 2021