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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 2023)
8 DECEMBER 15, 2023 SMOKE SIGNALS Community Fund tops $96 million mark in giving Acres of Hope says grant awards are crucial to its mission of helping youth By Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals editor Spirit Mountain Community Fund awarded more than $800,000 in grants on Wednesday, Dec. 13, during a check presentation held in the Governance Center Atrium. The Community Fund receives 6 percent of proceeds from Spirit Mountain Casino and awards that money to nonproots in 11 north- west Oregon counties to fund efforts in the areas of arts and culture, environmental preservation, edu- cation, health, historic preservation and public safety, and to the nine federally recognized Tribes in Ore- gon under the fund9s Tribal Grants program. As of the fourth quarter of 2023, the Grand Ronde Tribe9s philan- thropic giving now exceeds $96 million with 3,291 grants awarded since 1997. The Community Fund was cre- ated as part of the Tribe9s gaming compact with the state of Oregon. It is supervised by an eight-member Board of Trustees that includes Tribal Council members Denise Harvey, Brenda Tuomi and Michael Cherry, who is also a former Com- munity Fund director. Tribal Council members who attended the check presentation included Jon A. George, Secretary Michael Cherry, Tuomi and Har- vey. Tuomi also serves as the Com- munity Fund Board of Trustees chair and Harvey is the secretary. Acres of Hope Independence-based Acres of Hope is one of the Community Fund9s beneficiaries, receiving a $50,000 grant on Wednesday for its work helping youth throughout the Willamette Valley who have experienced trauma create healthy connections through exposure to nature, art, mentorship and horses. Acres of Hope sits on 40-acres and includes a large, airy covered riding arena with converted ofoces. It was founded as a nonproot in July 2020 by husband-and-wife team Justin and Emmy Arana, who are lifelong Oregon residents. They bought the property in late 2019, right before the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered nearly every- thing for months, except outdoor venues. <We had big plans and we were tak- ing a huge step of faith,= Justin said. <Nothing made sense at the time.= The nonproot youth ranch is a long-held dream of Emmy, a for- mer Salem-Keizer School District teacher, who found healing through horses, friendship and mentorship after her father was incarcerated during her teenage years. The Aranas began the program with 20 youth, three horses and three mentors. Now, the nonproot serves 90 youth and has 100 more on the waiting list, with 10 horses and nine staff members to serve them. The program9s mission is to share HOPE (Healing, Opportunity, Pur- pose, Education) with adolescents $50,000, for mentoring services for youth who have experienced trau- ma; " Bradley Angie of Mult- nomah County, $25,000, for economic empower- ment for survivors; " Caldera Arts of Port- land, $20,000, for its arts apprenticeship program for underserved youth; " CASA of Lane County, $50,000, for its Deepen- ing Our Roots program; " Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence of Corvallis, $50,000, for funding support for over- night shelter advocates; " Corvallis Neighborhood Housing Services Inc., Photos by Michelle Alaimo $50,000, for building o- nancial skills and grow- Roxann O9Bryant, left, a session leader at Acres of Hope Youth Ranch in Independence, ing savings for Tribal helps Stephanie Smith, 14, with the reins during a session at the ranch on Monday, Dec. 4. members in Oregon; The nonprofit youth ranch has a mission to share HOPE (Healing, Opportunity, Purpose, " Elevate Oregon of Education) with adolescents that are feeling HURT (Harmed, Unseen, Rejected, Traumatized) Portland, $50,000, for through equine-based, one-on-one and small group mentoring. They received a $50,000 its culturally responsive grant from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund during the Fund9s fourth quarter check mentoring program; presentation held in the Governance Center Atrium on Wednesday, Dec. 13. " NAMI-Clackamas, $19,652, for suicide and that are feeling HURT (Harmed, Warren-Chase and Grants Coordi- crisis intervention in rural Clack- Unseen, Rejected, Traumatized). nator Jesse Knight. amas County; <The community has supported The attendees then watched a " Open Hearts Open Minds of us and sees the need,= Justin said. video on the history of the Tribe. Gresham, $16,000, for Up a Creek <We had no issue onding youth who After the video, representatives Theatre; need some extra help. & We teach from Acres of Hope and Project " Oregon Coast Aquarium of New- them full horsemanship at no cost Lemonade gave brief descriptions port, $100,000, to build a marine and the only requirement is that about what their organizations wildlife rehabilitation center; they want to be here.= seek to do in the community. " Play it Forward of Portland, The program focuses on self-es- After the two presentations, $30,000, for equal access to mu- teem, responsibility, self-control, Knight and Schlappie announced sic MAGIC at King Elementary healthy relationships, emotional the grant recipients. School; awareness and independence. Ad- During the check distribution " Prevent Child Abuse Oregon, ditionally, there is an onsite parent portion, the Community Fund $42,300, for trauma-informed support mentor. awarded 11 small grants worth support for providers serving The $50,000 grant from the Com- $75,120 and 21 large grants worth children and families; munity Fund will go toward costs of $768,311. " Sexual Assault Support Services operating the program, speciocally Small grant recipients were: of Eugene, $44,684, for its Reach- for funding mentors to work with " Artists Repertory Theatre of ing Further text/chat program youth. Portland, $7,500, for a boarding line and Spanish language di- <It really will help us to fund our school play by Blossom Johnson rect; staff and serve youth,= Justin said, (Diné); " Smart Living, Learning & Earn- adding that the organization had " Black Parent Initiative of Port- ing with Autism, $38,580, for its recently received another grant land, $7,500, for a Sacred Roots integrated health program; for equipment. <These grants are Doula and mobile lactation ser- " Soaring Heights Recovery Homes a big blessing. & We always have vices; of Keizer, $24,380, its Making a a growth mindset but everything " Bridgeworks Oregon, $7,500, House a Home building projects depends on what God wants for us. for PonyXpress chapbooks and for The Oriole House for Women; Simply having a place for kids to go broadsides; " SquareOne Villages of Eugene, is likely helping to save their lives.= " Diamonds in the Rough Ministry $30,000, for relocation and im- Check presentation of Newport, $7,500, for its Dia- provement of the Opportunity Community Fund Director Angie mond Outreach transportation; Village transitional shelter; Sears welcomed the approximately " Operation Warm Inc., $7,500, for " Tides of Change of Tillamook 40 attendees to the event. its Warm Up Yamhill and Tilla- County, $10,000, for ADA acces- <The presentations are an oppor- mook Counties initiative; sibility for a conodential shelter; tunity to connect, recognize and " Portland Workforce Alliance, " Together We Are Greater Than celebrate the work you do in your $7,000, for its mentoring pro- of Portland, $27,715, for its math communities,= she said. gram; equity program; The check presentation opened " Project Lemonade of Portland, " Wellmama Inc. of Eugene, with a prayer and drum song by $7,500, for The INSPIRE Net- $22,000, for post-natal support Jon A. George. work; services; Tuomi said that the Community " Recovery Unbroken of Clackamas " William Temple House of Port- Fund continues the Native tradi- County, $3,120; land, $50,000, for culturally rel- tion of potlatch. " Rose Haven of Portland, $7,500, evant mental health counseling; <I9ve had the pleasure of serving for BLOOM Wellness and Em- " Yamhill County CASA, $18,000, on the board for a year and what a powerment; for its One Hundred Percent proj- blessing it has been,= Tuomi said. " Sauvie Island Center, $7,500, for ect. <I am honored to have you here. building equity in the natural Two beaded necklaces were raf- Giving is in our DNA and we could world; ned off to the Center Against Rape not do it without you.= " Tinkerverse of Multnomah Coun- and Domestic Violence and Sex- Sears introduced Community ty, $5,000, for its weekend Tinker ual Assault Support Services. An Fund employees: Program Co- Camp program. Ikanum saddle blanket designed ordinator Angela Schlappie, Ad- Large grant recipients were: by Tribal member Travis Stewart ministrative Assistant Pamala " Acres of Hope of Independence; went to Bridgeworks Oregon. þ