The Puyallup Tribe Charity Trust Board and Puyallup Tribal Council have awarded 54 local organizations a combined $693,043.
Representatives of the nonprofit and charitable organizations were greeted and thanked by members of the Puyallup Tribal Council as they arrived for the March 24 celebration at the Emerald Queen Casino Events Center in Tacoma. Tribal Council delivered remarks recognizing recipients and invited them up to take a photo.
“Congratulations!” said Puyallup Tribal Council Chairman Bill Sterud to the gathered recipients before he and fellow Councilmen James Rideout and Fred Dillon talked about the importance of giving back to the community.
The donations are funded from 2024 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 $9 million to hundreds of local organizations through its Charity Trust Board since 2020. The Puyallup Tribal Council has donated millions more out of its own budget to help community organizations that don’t qualify for Charity Trust Board funding, such as Maui United Way, which received $30,000 in 2023 to assist with wildfire relief efforts.
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.
The Charitable Trust Board has awarded donations to the following organizations:
- 350 Tacoma
- Ashley House
- Auburn Choir Parents Association
- Battlefield Addiction
- The Camas Foundation
- Christ the King Community Outreach
- Clan Gordon Pipe Band
- College Success Foundation
- Communities for a Healthy Bay
- The Daffodil Festival
- Environmental Science Center
- Family Promise of Pierce County
- Fife High School Booster Club
- Fife Public Schools Native American Education Program
- Footprints of Fight
- Foster Hearts
- Give Something Back
- Heartwood Haven
- Hilltop Artists in Residence
- Hopes and Dreams Foundation
- Huy
- Kal Academy
- Lupus Foundation of America
- Mineral Lake Lions Foundation
- Mini Mart City Park
- The Mustard Seed Project of Key Peninsula
- Naa káani Native Program
- Nations Social Services
- Northpoint Cooperative Preschool
- Pacific Northwest Archaeological Society
- Pacific Science Center
- Partners for Parks
- Peak 7 Adventures
- Permission to Start Dreaming Foundation
- Pierce County Crime Stoppers
- Pierce County Explorer Search and Rescue
- Puyallup Valley St. Francis House
- Rainbow Center
- Rod’s House
- Safe Crossings Foundation
- School’s Out Washington
- SHS Music Boosters
- The Shyan Selah Foundation
- Sound Works Job Center
- Spanaway Lions Club
- Starfire Sports
- Swedish Medical Center Foundation
- Tacoma Opera Association
- Tillicum Woodbrook Community Center
- Valeo Vocation
- Vashon HouseHold
- Vashon Maury Community Food Bank
- Washington Health Outreach
- Washington State Chaplain Foundation
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.
