Hello from the Reservation Children's Village

From Naugatuck native Bryan Nurnberger

I’m writing to you from the kitchen counter at the new Simply Smiles Children’s Village here on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota.

Kristen and I moved out here to help with the launch of foster home #1 and with the construction of the second home in the Village. As I glance from the screen to my surroundings, I can see the children in our care helping to prepare dinner as Netflix plays in the background. There are construction noises outside. And our incredible team is making all of this magic happen.

At this same moment, Gaby and the children continue to decorate our Mexico Children’s Village for the holidays. I can hear the laughing and see the smiles in my mind’s eye...and because Gaby’s sending me photos in real-time through Whatsapp!

It’s been quite a year. But I am pleased to report that, to date, everyone in the Simply Smiles family has remained healthy. We have kept our entire staff on board at pre-pandemic levels. The children in our care in Mexico are thriving. And we launched the project that allows us to have an immediate and long-term impact that’s desperately needed in Indian Country - the Simply Smiles Children’s Village is up and running and expanding.

Times like this teach us. They show us what we are capable of, they test the strength of what we’ve built. They obscure what isn’t important and shine a light on what really matters. In the face of all of the obstacles, this has been an historic year for Simply Smiles.

We’ll all be emerging from these months into a new future. Simply Smiles builds villages of foster homes. The child decorating the tree in Mexico and the child helping to cook dinner on an Indian reservation are safe, healing, and their futures are clear: they’re on a path to a bright future.

Thank you for the generosity that allows the work of Simply Smiles to be possible. Thank you for making it possible for us to open our doors to more children in need. Thank you for making the beautiful sights in this kitchen, and those streaming in from Mexico possible.

Wishing you and yours health and happiness,

Bryan Nurnberger
President & Founder, Simply Smiles

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