Local education and health programs big winners of Rolling Hills Community Development Foundation grants
Corning, California — June 21, 2018 — The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians announced over $25,000 in new grants through its Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation to fund local education and health programs. The beneficiaries of the grants include children, families, senior citizens, and the community at large.
“We have a responsibility as a community partner to fund programs that promote literacy, educational opportunities, and healthy lifestyles,” said Andrew “Dru” Alejandre, chairman of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, owners of Rolling Hills Casino. “All of the programs that received grants this quarter provide a tremendous service to our Northern California communities, and we applaud their contributions.”
Four of the programs that received grants focus on healthy nutrition. They are the Manton Farm-to-School Enrichment Program, Red Bluff Chamber of Commerce Certified Farmers’ Market Eat Fresh- Eat Healthy Program, Glenn County Senior Nutrition Program, and California School Student Nutrition Education, Staff Training and Food Show. Another health-related grant was awarded to the Think Pink program to raise awareness about breast cancer.
“The food we eat plays a huge role in quality of life from childhood through adulthood, and we welcomed the opportunity to support programs that promote good nutrition in the schools and in the community. We saw funding meals for the elderly as a way to honor their contributions to our community. We also wanted to help promote breast cancer awareness as it has affected so many lives in our area,” said Natasha Magana, tribal board member.
“We love programs that make education relevant to the daily lives of children and families, and the Farm-to-School program does that” said Luis Delara, tribal secretary. The Manton Farm-to-School Enrichment Program will provide organic snacks free of charge to students attending after-school enrichment classes at the Manton school. Through brief lectures and educational games, children will learn to make good snack choices throughout life.
Education has always figured prominently in the Tribe’s charitable giving program, and this round of grants was no exception. The Tribe provided funds to Evergreen Elementary School to purchase chrome books and recorders for students, Red Bluff Union High School to purchase books for the Annual Book in Common program, and Flournoy Elementary School for facility improvements. The tribe awarded a grant to the American Legion for its college scholarship program. A grant for the Ignite Opportunity 5.0 STEM Career Day at Shasta College will make it possible for high school freshmen to explore career paths that are vital in Northern California.
“Many families in our community are low-income and we want them to have access to the same opportunities found in wealthier communities, whether it is technology in the schools, scholarships, or music instruments at home,” said Delara. “We are excited about programs that improve literacy while strengthening the community such as the Annual Book in Common program. We also want students to be proud of their schools and their community, which is why we provided a grant to Flournoy to paint their school. Our grants reflect our values and what we want for our community.”
Tribal grants also include sponsorship of the upcoming Our Voice Our Choice Youth Summit hosted by Indigenous Circles United. “This is a wonderful program that will provide our youth the tools, resources and life lessons they need to be future leaders and decision makers in the community,” said Alejandre.
In addition to major grant awards, the Tribe’s charitable giving program includes donations and sponsorships that help organizations raise tens of thousands of dollars for scholarships, and local health, educational and recreational programs. Organizations that recently received donations for fundraisers include North Valley Hockey & Sports Complex, Asante Foundation, Shasta Regional Soccer Association, Manton’s Family Fun Day, Eric Leeworthy Memorial Scholarship Fund, Muscular Dystrophy, Tehama County Senior Nutrition Program, and Nor Cal Retired Coaches Association Scholarship Program.
The Tribe encourages organizations to apply for grants through its Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation. The Foundation committee reviews applications for grants on a quarterly basis. Applications and more information are available on the Rolling Hills
Casino website at www.paskentanomlakifoundation.com.
_______________________________________________________________________
The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians owns Rolling Hills Casino & Resort, which includes the Casino, three restaurants, The Equestrian Center at Rolling Hills and The Links Golf Course. They employ over 500 team members, most of whom work full time with health care benefits and 401k options. Each year, hundreds of thousands of guests visit Rolling Hills Casino, bringing with them tourist dollars that benefit the local economy. The Casino and the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians are strong community partners supporting local programs through generous grants and sponsorships. The Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation donates over $300,000 to community organizations each year, with over $8 million dollars donated to benefit local health, safety and education programs.
