“Here at home and around the world, The Stanley Works supports organizations that share Stanley’s commitment to make something great, both with our products and in our communities,” said John Lundgren, Chairman and CEO of The Stanley Works. “I can think of few better examples of this spirit than Red Feather. Its American Indian Sustainable Housing Initiative builds upon each tribe’s unique traditions and leverages community education techniques to develop a hands-on, how-to approach to solving housing problems on these reservations. We salute Red Feather on its long-term vision of self-sufficiency and unique approach to education, and are proud to lend our support to these efforts.”

Of the 2.5 million tribal members living on America’s Indian reservations, 1.5 million are either homeless or living in over-crowded, substandard conditions. Many homes lack basic amenities such as water or electricity. Prior to any project, Red Feather staff educates tribal members about sustainable construction techniques, community planning and how to create beautiful, super-insulated, affordable straw bale homes.

They assist tribal members with the complicated mortgage process and collaborate with tribal housing authorities and mortgage companies to facilitate individual homeownership.

"Red Feather would like to thank Stanley for its continued generosity and involvement in Red Feather’s American Indian Sustainable Housing Initiative,” said Robert Young, Founder and Director of Red Feather Development Group. "Stanley’s role as Red Feather’s Official Hand Tool Supplier is a testament to its concern for those less fortunate and its belief that a safe place to call home is a necessity for all families throughout the world. We consider it an honor to work in partnership with such a company, and we look forward to Stanley’s continued participation in Red Feather’s endeavor."

Red Feather has worked with the following federally recognized tribal nations: Pine Ridge (South Dakota); Muckelshoot (Washington); Crow and Northern Cheyenne (Montana); Turtle Mountain (North Dakota); and Hopi (Arizona). Red Feather collaborates with universities, tribal colleges, schools, tribal housing authorities, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Services, community development corporations, foundations, corporations, and lending institutions to create a strong presence as an innovative housing organization working solely with tribal nations.

Why Straw Bale?
At the foundation of the American Indian Sustainable Housing Initiative is a belief that affordability and sustainability do not have to exist independently. Thus, straw-bale construction as a logical fit for several reasons.

• Straw — an agricultural waste product of wheat production — is a plentiful and viable option for Southwest and Northern Plains reservations where wheat grows on thousands of acres.
  
• Straw bale construction is user friendly: Indian families, volunteers and community members can quickly become skilled participants in the construction of their own homes.
  
• Red Feather’s approach results in a relative cost savings of up to 60 percent when compared with a traditionally contracted home of the same size. This cost savings is made possible through volunteer labor and donated materials.
  
• Inhabitants realize great savings over the lifetime of the house as heating and cooling expenses are minimized. The resulting energy savings strengthen the tribal economic base.
  
• Many educational resources exist on straw bale construction methods, including Red Feather’s how-to book Building One House: A Handbook for Straw Bale Construction, authored by Red Feather’s Community Design Director & Rose Architectural Fellow Nathanial Corum.
  
• Straw bale construction qualifies for HUD, USDA, and conventional home mortgages.

About Red Feather Development Group
Red Feather Development Group educates and empowers American Indian nations to create sustainable and replicable solutions to the severe housing crisis within reservation communities. While focusing the public’s eye on the intergenerational poverty and acute community development issues that plague American Indian reservations, Red Feather organizes volunteers, and, alongside tribal members, builds desperately needed homes using sustainable materials and techniques.

About The Stanley Works
The Stanley Works (NYSE: "SWK") is a worldwide supplier of consumer products, industrial tools and security solutions for professional, industrial and consumer use. Consumer products include hand tools, mechanics tools, tool storage, and hardware. Industrial tools include fastening systems, auto assembly tools, storage systems, professional laser measuring and leveling tools and hydraulic attachments. Security Solutions includes the integration and supplying of security systems and access control solutions, including automatic door and locking systems for commercial applications.

Our innovative Consumer and Industrial products help people utilize their skills, express their creativity and realize their visions on work sites around the globe. Brand names include Stanley®, Husky®, Goldblatt®, Bostitch®, Jensen®, Mac®, Proto®, La Bounty®, Vidmar®, CST®, David White® and ZAG®. Our Security Solutions brands include Stanley®, Best®, Blick® and Frisco Bay®.