Through Lakota Funds Matched Savings Program, Native Veteran Moves from Housing Instability to Homeownership

When veteran James walks through the tiny house he’s currently building by hand on the Pine Ridge Reservation, his sense of pride and accomplishment comes through as clear as the summer blue sky. 

“This is going to be the first and only home I’ve ever had,” he shares. 

James had been living in the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Homeless Veterans Shelter, looking for resources to find a path forward. Through a Lakota Funds financial education class, he heard about the Veterans Matched Savings Program, and ultimately found the support he needed. As fall approaches, he’s pushing hard to complete his new home’s insulation, so that he can move in just in time for winter. 

“Lakota Funds gave me the boost that I needed,” said James, “and now I’m sitting pretty.”

Matched savings programs have been vital in Lakota Funds’ efforts to help tribal members move toward economic stability. As participants commit to saving and building their financial knowledge, Lakota Funds contributes substantially to grow their savings faster. This allows tribal members to make life-changing investments–in everything from homes and education to professional development and reliable transportation.

This approach is especially powerful for the disproportionately high number of veterans in tribal communities. Through Lakota Funds’ self-funded matched-savings program for Native veterans, participants who save $2,000 receive a match of four times that amount, providing a total of $10,000 to purchase a home, launch a new business, and much more. 

Along the way, participants build banking relationships, strengthen saving habits, and complete financial education tied to their goals—building not just an asset but a stronger foundation for long-term financial security. 

“It’s such an honor to work with veterans like James, and it makes me more happy than I can say to see him about to move into his first home,” said Nicole Pourier, Lakota Funds Business Development Coach, who worked closely with James throughout this process. 

“Our veterans deserve so much for their service, and yet so many of them struggle. This program gives them opportunities to build stability and prosperity for themselves and their families.” 

James says that Nicole’s support was a powerful motivator–and has helped lead to his success in the program. 

“Nicole is extremely professional. When I first called Lakota Funds, I spoke with her, and she just said, ‘come in and we’ll figure this out together.’ It was the shot in the arm I need,” he said, smiling. 

As summer winds down, James is putting the finishing touches on the inside of his home, which will also include his own shop. But that’s just the beginning. James' vision for the future includes even more ways to serve his community. He’s building his home to eventually provide a base for a suicide prevention center he intends to create in the coming years. 

“When I first got here in 2018, we were losing a lot of tribal members to different things, but suicide was certainly one of them,” he explains. “And I thought about coming up with something that would help make more people aware of that issue, so that we can do something about it.” 

James also dreams of turning a larger plot of land into a community-based farmers market and farm, where tribal members can learn to grow and harvest a wide range of fruits and vegetables. 

Having local, nourishing food is something James believes in deeply, “to help the tribe move forward in a better way.” He’s using what he learns through building his tiny home to help prepare him to realize those future dreams.

“This project is a good one to cut my teeth on,” he shares, “We’ll get this done and then look forward to the next one.”

As he sees his house slowly transform into a home, James feels nothing but gratitude for the matched savings program–and encourages other Native veterans to reach out to Lakota Funds and explore what is possible. 

For more information about Lakota Funds matched savings programs, visit: https://www.lakotafunds.org/asset-development