Snoqualmie Tribe donates more than $3 million

Donations to support health initiatives regarding tobacco and problem gambling.

October 10, 2018 12:30 pm
Elected members of the Snoqualmie Tribal Council meet with leaders from the Recovery Café to present a check for $1.9 million. From left, Debra Boyle, Ruby Takushi, Recovery Café co-founder, Alysse Bryson, Recovery Café Board vice chair, David Boyle, Recovery Café Board treasurer, Robert M. de los Angeles, Snoqualmie Tribal chairman, Vicki Allen, past board chair, Recovery Café, Diane Tomhave, past board chair, Recovery Café, Michael Ross, Snoqualmie Tribal vice chair, Suzanne Sailto, Snoqualmie Tribal Council, Jolene Williams, Snoqualmie Tribal secretary, David Coffey (kneeling, front) Recovery Café executive director, Rita Egrari, Recovery Café Board chair, Killian Noe (kneeling, front) Recovery Café founding director, Steve de los Angeles, Snoqualmie Tribal deputy secretary. Photo courtesy of the Snoqualmie Tribe.
Elected members of the Snoqualmie Tribal Council meet with leaders from the Recovery Café to present a check for $1.9 million. From left, Debra Boyle, Ruby Takushi, Recovery Café co-founder, Alysse Bryson, Recovery Café Board vice chair, David Boyle, Recovery Café Board treasurer, Robert M. de los Angeles, Snoqualmie Tribal chairman, Vicki Allen, past board chair, Recovery Café, Diane Tomhave, past board chair, Recovery Café, Michael Ross, Snoqualmie Tribal vice chair, Suzanne Sailto, Snoqualmie Tribal Council, Jolene Williams, Snoqualmie Tribal secretary, David Coffey (kneeling, front) Recovery Café executive director, Rita Egrari, Recovery Café Board chair, Killian Noe (kneeling, front) Recovery Café founding director, Steve de los Angeles, Snoqualmie Tribal deputy secretary. Photo courtesy of the Snoqualmie Tribe.

The Snoqualmie Indian Tribe donated more than $3 million in health initiatives late last month.

The tribe donated $1.4 million to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) on Sept. 26. The donation will support smoking prevention and cessation efforts for natives and non-natives living in Washington State.

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance works to promote long-term health for youth and adults. The tribe’s donation will specifically be used for tobacco cessation, nicotine replacement therapy, informative education and resources, and early cancer detection and prevention.

According to the American Cancer Society, 21 million deaths have occurred in the United States due to tobacco since 1964. The tribe’s donation will support SCCA’s goal to expand opportunities for early intervention to avoid future cancer diagnoses.

“Helping others in our community is one of the Snoqualmie Tribe’s core values, and we consider ourselves fortunate to have the ability and opportunity to support Seattle Cancer Care Alliance with the great work they do,” said Robert M. de los Angeles, Snoqualmie Tribal chairman, “Our tribal leaders and tribal members are excited about this opportunity to contribute to the work the slliance is doing on smoking prevention and cessation, and we look forward to continuing to work with them for years to come.”

Also on Sept. 26, the tribe donated $1.9 million to the Recovery Café to support the organization’s efforts to treat problem gambling in Washington State.

“Problem Gambling is an often unseen, unnoticed and not talked about force that tears apart families and devastates lives,” said Killian Noe, founding director of Recovery Café, “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe to bring the power of communities of belonging needed to sustain recovery for all of us, especially those marginalized by problem gambling.”

The Snoqualmie Indian Tribe’s donation provides the resources necessary for Recovery Café to expand the current work they do focused on long-term recovery from addiction and other mental-health challenges. Using their successful model for addiction treatment, Recovery Café will use the donation funds to expand their services for those who are affected by gambling addiction.

“We know that with the Tribe’s incredible investment we will be able to help transform lives of thousands of people over time who have been impacted by problem gambling.” said David Coffey, executive director of Recovery Café, “We are grateful for their trust and enthusiastically anticipate what this grant will make possible to create more hope and healing in the world.”

The tribe was commended by the state for its gift.

“The Recovery Café model of services is such a beautiful example of helping human beings reach their potential through holistic self-value, worthiness, encouragement, love, and support.” Said Ann Gray, problem gambling program manager, State of Washington, “I am confident this model applied to help those struggling with problem gambling and their families will be a great asset to the State of Washington. I applaud the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe for making this visionary investment.”

Overall, the tribe sees foresees positive outcomes from the donation.

“As a tribe, we are proudest when we are able to help others and our community, which is why we are so excited about this event. Recovery Café has done tremendous work for so many in the King County area, and we are so grateful to be able to support this work.” de los Angeles said. “When the tribe first reached out to Recovery Café about this donation, the excitement and enthusiasm for what this donation could achieve was immediately apparent. That feeling is mutual.”

The Snoqualmie Indian Tribe is a federally recognized tribe in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. Known as the People of the Moon, Snoqualmie were signatories to the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855. Snoqualmie Tribal enterprises provide more than 1,700 jobs, and the tribe has donated more than $8 million to nonprofit organizations in Washington State since 2010. For more information visit snoqualmietribe.us.