The Lummi Nation recently poured $900,000 in charitable donations into the local and greater Washington economy.

Since 2002, the Lummi Nation has given more than $5 million dollars in community contributions to surrounding community and organizations.

On May 1, the the tribe hosted a reception at its Silver Reef Casino, Hotel and Spa to honor the the tribe’s community contributions. The Lummi Indian Business Council (LIBC) presented the organizations across Whatcom County with the donations to recognize their work within the community.

The LBIC explained that every dollar earned from tribal gaming is invested in public purposes: to improve people’s lives, Indian and non-Indian alike, in the local community and in communities throughout the state. Tribal governments employ more than 27,000 Washingtonians and their enterprises according to the Taylor Policy Group study conducted in 2011.

“Gaming revenue is tax revenue for tribal governments. Those funds are used to create jobs and business opportunities for people in our community, the region and state,” said Tribal Chairman Clifford Cultee. “This revenue also supports our healthcare, transportation, housing, education, natural resource programs and public safety.”

Jake Faucett of the Washington State Coalition against Domestic Violence praised the success of the tribal program: “[T]his will help us mobiles advocates to do prevention work in a lot of communities”

Emily O’Connor, executive director of Lydia Place, explained that “almost 100 percent of our this program comes from community funding…seeing this honor in the mail was a great surprise.”

Swil Kanim, president of HonorWorks, expressed, “our mission is to create and ignite the potential for honor among all people…we want to be able to share our culture, as much as we can.”

A full list of the organizations recognized on May 1 include:

1. Whatcom Fire District 8

2. Whatcom Fire District 7

3. Whatcom Fire District 17

4. Washington State Patrol

5. Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office

6. Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians

7. Alternative Humane Society

8. American Legion Post 33

9. American Indian Health Commission

10. Arthritis Foundation

11. Bellingham Food Bank

12. Ferndale Community Resource Center

13. Ferndale Dollars for Scholars

14. Forward Veterans Group

15. First Nations

16. Honor Works/Swil Kanim Foundation

17. Interfaith Coalition of Whatcom County

18. Longhouse Media

19. Lummi Cedar Project

20. Lydia Place

21. Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association

22. NWIC Basic Food Employment

23. NWIC Pow Wow Committee

24. NWIC Space Center

25. Northwest WIldlife Rehab Center

26. Oheliqw’sen Healing Center

27. Opportunity Council

28. South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency

29. St. Joachim Mission

30. Susan G. Komen 3 day walk

31. Ti chee

32. United Indians of All Tribes Foundation

33. Washington State Coalition agains Domestic Violence

34. WeSnip

35. Whatcom Symphony Orchestra

36. Winward High School Boosters

37. World Temperate Rainforest Network

38. YMCA Whatcom County