I am Marji Forrest, Lakota/Cheyenne, and Director of Restoring the Hoop, Inc.  I was born and raised in NE Texas and moved to Pitt County in 1963.  I am a private contract Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant working with the pediatric population.

On my first vacation to Southwestern SD in 1987, I was in a sense going home. My great grandmother was born somewhere near Ft Laramie, WY, the daughter of a Southern Cheyenne & a Lakota (Sioux) woman. When I visited extended family on the Pine Ridge reservation I saw first hand the conditions the people were living in.  Families in substandard housing, many without running water and some without electric,
facing harsh winters without basic needs being met was unacceptable to me, today in this country.  This compelled me to start a program to assist with the basic needs of warm blankets & clothing.  In November of 2005 Dr. Resa Crane-Bizzaro, Cherokee/Meherrin, and I organized our first blanket drive at an East Carolina University Pow Wow sponsored by Epsilon Chi Nu Fraternity. Today we focus on blankets for the elderly, coats for kids, school supplies and scholarship programs.

If you would like to help with blankets, coats or a monetary donation to help with shipping or scholarships, contact Marji Forrest at Marji@restoringthehoop.com  or at 252-916-6546.

WWW.Restoringthehoop.com