By Puyallup Tribal News staff
The Puyallup Tribe Charity Trust Board has awarded 43 local organizations a combined $600,000.
Representatives of more than 40 nonprofit and charitable organizations were greeted and thanked by members of the Puyallup Tribal Council as they arrived for the Dec. 6 celebration at the Emerald Queen Event Center in Tacoma. Tribal Council delivered remarks recognizing recipients and all attendees gathered for a group photo.
“We are here today to award nonprofits in Washington that are working to make their communities better and that’s all of you,” said Puyallup Tribal Council Chairman Bill Sterud.
The donations are for the third quarter of 2023. They are funded from Emerald Queen Casino revenue as part of an agreement with the state of Washington that includes additional contributions for smoking cessation and problem gambling programs, and for impact costs paid to local governments for such things as fire and police services.
The Puyallup Tribe has donated more than $17 million to hundreds of local organizations through its Charity Trust Board over the past 10 years. The Puyallup Tribal Council has donated millions more out of its own budget to help community organizations ranging from the Fife Native American Education Program to the Daffodil Festival.
Casino operations are also the single biggest revenue source for the Puyallup Tribe’s government. They pay for comprehensive services to the Tribe’s Membership, including children’s services, housing, educational support, emergency assistance and funeral services. In the past two years, the Tribe has embarked on an ambitious economic diversification program that will not only strengthen its economic base to bring security for future generations but bring more jobs to the region.
Each quarter, qualifying organizations are encouraged to apply for a donation with preference given to projects that demonstrate benefits or services to Natives as part of their service population. Learn more about the Charity Trust Board and how to apply for a grant.
The Charitable Trust Board has awarded donations to the follow organizations:
Allen AME Church
Asia Pacific Culture Center
Bainbridge High School Girls Basketball Boosters
Communities in Schools of Peninsula
Crescent Heights Elementary
Diabetes Association of Pierce County
Emerald Ridge Lacrosse Club
Facing Homelessness
Fife Native American Education Program
First Baptist Church of Lakewood
Foundation for Edmonds School District
Friends of Pediatrics Northwest
Greater Lakes Mental Healthcare
Hilltop Artists in Residence
Huy
Kid Connect
Law Enforcement Youth Camp
League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County
Make a Wish Alaska & Washington
Mountain View Community Center
Multicultural Child & Family Hope Center
Native Action Network
Native American Church Qua-Utz
Northwest Indian College Tulalip Campus
Northwest Indian Housing Association
Northwest Junior Rodeo Association
Northwest Kidney Centers
Nourish Pierce County
Parkway Community Services
Pierce County Santa Cops
Pizza Klatch
Reach Ministries
Seattle Storm Foundation
ShareNet Food Bank
Sidewalk Rescue
South Sound Estuary Association
Sundance Circle Hippotherapy Foundation
Tacoma Youth Chorus
Truly Motivated Transitional Living
United Ways of the Pacific Northwest
Washington Explorer Search and Rescue Pierce County
Washington School Principals Education Foundation
Daffodil Festival / The Daffodilians
