Alternative Ag Financing
Patient capital model enables Dean Dupris and Kristen Lawrence to achieve herd growth. Nearly a decade ago, Dean Dupris was introduced to Four Bands through our CREATE (Cheyenne River Entrepreneurial Assistance Training and Education) class. Although he graduated, he ended up working a full-time job for several years. As time went on, he saw many
More Dreams Come True
Kelsie Kay’s Coffee Depot graduates from incubator program and moves to new location. In 2018, when Kelsie Kay Haskell participated in our revamped credit builder program – called our Financial Coaching Empowerment Program – she said she felt like she was getting somewhere. Kelsie was no stranger to Four Bands. She first utilized our credit
Hometown Furniture Celebrates 10 Years
Hometown Furniture Celebrates 10 Years A decade ago, Dennis and Elaine Neigel were at an exciting, but uncertain point. Starting a business of their own was something the couple had always thought about doing. When Elaine noticed several furniture delivery trucks coming into town every day, it sparked an idea. “I felt people shouldn’t have
Hickory Street Kitchen & Cocktails Celebrates Five Years
Hickory Street Kitchen & Cocktails Celebrates Five Years July 7, 2021 As the COVID-19 pandemic winds down around the country, many restaurants are picking up the pieces and struggling to re-start operations. However, in the town of Sisseton, South Dakota, Hickory Street Kitchen & Cocktails, is celebrating five years of thriving business. Owner, Tracey Sing,
COVID-19 Inspires Innovation
Troy Vrooman integrates digital technology into agricultural operation. November 19, 2020 As a lifelong rancher on Cheyenne River, Troy Vrooman has seen tremendous results from his new working relationship with Four Bands Community Fund. Like most in the agricultural industry, Troy is accustomed to working with various financial institutions to capitalize his operations. But he
Home is Where Family Comes Together
Justin LaPlante and Julie Yardley Stay the Path to Homeownership Justin LaPlante and Julia Yardley’s blended family has been living in two separate households for several years, but not by choice. With six children, there just hasn’t been a house available on Cheyenne River’s rental market that would fit everyone comfortably under one roof.
Ubetcha Wateca Celebrates First Anniversary
Shari Ducheneaux Commits to Success Despite Pandemic-Induced Downturn June 9, 2020 In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ubetcha Wateca celebrated one year at their new location in the Four Bands Business Incubator. Prior to moving into their first brick and mortar space, Ubetcha Wateca operated in a food truck for four years. “It has
Building Credit and Creating a Bright Future
Stottin Newbrough Opens Doors of Opportunity by Increasing Credit Score The summer of 2010 was filled with milestones for Stottin Newbrough. By participating in Four Bands’ youth entrepreneur internship program, he got his first real job and worked the summer at South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks. As part of the program, Stottin saved $1,000
Building Credit and Confidence
Karen Ducheneaux Improves Credit Score Karen Ducheneaux came to Four Bands, because despite being financially responsible and paying her bills on time, her credit score was lower than expected. “It was frustrating because I thought I was doing all the right things, but I didn’t have an understanding of what impacted my credit score,” says
Traveling the Path to Home
Robbie Knight sets foundation for homeownership by participating in credit builder program. For Robbie Knight, her homeownership journey began with her desire to move out of her apartment. Although it is incredibly difficult to find housing on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, she had a strong desire to provide a better life for her family.
Supporting Youth Entrepreneurs in South Dakota
Kaiden White Bear uses business loan to grow his farrier business. Kaiden White Bear (Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of Fort Peck) has been shoeing horses since he was 19 years old. After a year-long apprenticeship, he started his own business by steadily building up a clientele. Coming from a successful entrepreneurial family, he says he
A Permanent Solution to the Revolving Debt Cycle
Kelsie Kay Haskell is one of the first to participate in the redesigned credit builder program. Four Bands Community Fund has been deploying credit builder loans for over 10 years, which has helped over 700 people clear up outstanding debt and raise their credit scores an average of 69 points. While this is impressive, Four
Meeting Market Demand
Jeremy Ferguson’s new business brings essential services to Cheyenne River. Pumping septic tanks probably isn’t the dream job most people hope to land someday. For Jeremy Ferguson it’s not even his only job, but it is one where he gets to be his own boss. He says having that independence feels pretty good, and that’s
Seeking to Strengthen Local Markets
Next Generation of Agricultural Leaders Takes the Reins As Dace Harper and his partner, Mason Dietterle, wrap up their first month as new owners of the Faith Livestock Commission Company they are already seeing progress toward their long-term goals of growth and increased local demand. “Business that had left the Faith area is coming back,
Celebrating the First Year in Business
Native-Owned Restaurant on Lake Traverse Reservation Celebrates One Year One year ago, Nik (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate) and Tracey Sing, were making a dream come true by opening the doors to Hickory Street Kitchen & Cocktails in Sisseton, South Dakota on the Lake Traverse Reservation. They began this endeavor with four elements as the foundation of
Risk Transformed to Reward
Walt Swan Finds Success by Trying Again According to Bloomberg, 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within 18 months. For entrepreneurs, failure is not only a very real possibility, but it is more often than not what leads them to success. Walt Swan (Cheyenne River Sioux) is no different. After a not-so-successful
Creating Her Own Destiny
Michelle Antone Leaves Career as Financial Professional to Become Entrepreneur Michelle Antone (Cheyenne River Sioux) is celebrating her first year as owner of Edible Arrangements, a shop that offers hand-cut and chocolate dipped fruit bouquets and fresh fruit smoothies in Rapid City, South Dakota. Although she has encountered several bumps in the road, she says
A Home They Will Always Call Their Own
Jennifer Aberle Saves Her Way to Homeownership Jennifer Aberle (Cheyenne River Sioux) of Timber Lake, South Dakota says participating in Four Bands’ Individual Development Account (IDA) Program was an “amazing, incredible experience.” That’s because she has become a homeowner as a result of it, and now has a permanent place that she, her fiancé, and
Greening Cheyenne River One Home at a Time
Marcella Gilbert Uses Green Consumer Loan to Increase Energy Efficiency by Improving Home’s Water Systems For Marcella Gilbert, a loan from Four Bands dramatically changed her home environment. As a participant in the Green Cheyenne River program, Marcella was able to utilize a Green Consumer Loan to improve the energy efficiency of her home. Specifically,
Creating Her Own Opportunity
Morgan Lawrence Builds a Business in Her Hometown After graduating from Cheyenne Eagle Butte High School in 2010, Morgan Lawrence, a lifetime resident of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, knew she needed to go to college right away to have a successful future. She graduated from Black Hills Beauty College in Rapid City, South Dakota,
Re-Discovering Life’s Simple Pleasures
Robi Miller Starts Local Bakery with Support from Four Bands Today’s society is a far cry from the lifestyle our grandparents – or even parents – led. These days we have more gadgets than ever to help us increase communication and save time. Cars have replaced the horse. Cell phones and email are replacing
Starting a Trend Towards Higher Education
Jessie Carlson Grows Her College Fund This tax season Jesse Carlson, a 2013 graduate from Dupree High School, staffed the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site hosted by Four Bands. She and another staff member prepared 431 tax returns, resulting in $1.1 million being refunded to residents of the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. This was
A Stepping Stone to Homeownership
Aaron Runs After Uses Credit Builder Loan to Improve Credit and Become Mortgage Ready The past year has been full of accomplishments for Aaron Runs After, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe who resides in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. It all started with a visit to the Four Bands Community Fund office. Aaron
Bringing Opportunity Back to “The Rez”
Kali Hale Dreams of Using College Education to Help Cheyenne River Youth “I always knew I wanted to go to college, but I didn’t know how. I didn’t grow up with money,” says Kali Hale who is completing her first year at Presentation College in Aberdeen, South Dakota, using a combination of scholarships and savings
Gaining Confidence to Achieve Dreams
Megan Bagola Finds More Than Tuition as She Saves for a College Education Reflecting on her participation in the Four Bands Youth Entrepreneur Internship Program during her Senior year, Megan Bagola says, “If I had not done the internship I wouldn’t be as lucky as I am right now. I am really grateful for