TOPPENISH, WA – Through Yakama Cares and the Community Impact Fund, Legends Casino Hotel distributed $1,093,206 to non-profit organizations supporting the community. The Yakama Cares program selected 113 non-profits to share $516,319 while larger grants supporting law enforcement, fire departments, and other community services were awarded through the Community Impact Fund.
Yakama Cares, an annual event, donates funds to create positive impacts in the communities they serve, and it is funded through the Charitable Contribution Fund. The impacts of these grants will be felt throughout Central Washington including Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Kittitas, and Klickitat counties. The committee for the Charitable Contribution Fund received 467 applications to evaluate for the 2024 distribution. The applications undergo multiple rounds of cuts before the final selection. The committee bases part of their selection on the areas of need in the community.
The organizations receiving a distribution comprise many communities, and this year, grants awarded range from $1,000 to $20,000 per recipient. Grants include hospice care, fire department support, veteran support, summer reading programs, aid for food banks and more.
The Community Impact Fund seeks to aid larger projects that benefit the community as a whole. The fund is administered by an independent committee including representatives of Toppenish or Wapato, Yakima, the State Gaming Commission, the Yakama Gaming Commission, and Yakama Tribal Council. For 2024, $576,887 has been designated in amounts from $5,000 for the Washington State Patrol to just over $90,000 for the City of Toppenish Police Department. Additional recipients include Wapato Fire and Police Departments, Granger Fire Department, Yakima County Fire District and Sheriff’s Department, and others.
