SOUTH BEND, IN – The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan and Indiana and its Four Winds Casinos presented checks totaling $335,000 to 11 organizations at a ceremony at Four Winds Casino South Bend. The community investment contributions demonstrate the Pokagon Band’s commitment to the city of South Bend and the region, as well as organizations that focus on the needs of Native Americans.
Organizations that received contributions include:
- Beacon Children’s Hospital – $50,000 to support medical care for children.
- Bodwéwadmimwen Ėthë ték – $50,000 for Potawatomi language preservation programs.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County – $20,000 to support before- and after-school programs.
- Cultivate Food Rescue – $20,000 to provide meals and support the organization’s backpack program.
- Food Bank of Northern Indiana – $20,000 to support mobile food distributions.
- Logan Community Resources – $50,000 to support programs and services for adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Proteus – $20,000 to support programs and services for agricultural workers.
- South Bend Community School Corporation – $50,000 for the development of the St. Joseph County Regional Career Hub and to fund its Ivy Academy Career Technical Education dual credit program, allowing students to accumulate college credits while still enrolled in high school.
- The Kwek Society – $20,000 to supply period products to Indigenous students and communities across North America.
- Unity Gardens – $10,000 to expand projects to support underserved populations who have less access to safe green space, fresh healthy food, and meaningful hands-on learning opportunities.
- YWCA of North Central Indiana – $25,000 to help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, empower women to build brighter futures, and teach skills to support self sufficiency.
“The Pokagon Band is proud to continue our long-standing tradition of making meaningful contributions to important organizations that do so much to support the varied and diverse needs of the residents in South Bend and the region,” said Matthew Wesaw, Tribal Council Chairman of the Pokagon Band. “Not only is South Bend home to hundreds of our Pokagon citizens, but also hundreds of our Four Winds Casinos employees. Ensuring access to specialized services and programs not only improves the quality of life for those in need, but it also makes South Bend a better place to live for everyone.”
“As one of the largest employers in the region, the Pokagon Band’s Four Winds Casinos plays an important role in supporting the local economy including utilizing hundreds of vendors and local businesses for their products and services,” said Mary Smith, Chief Operating Officer of Four Winds Casinos. “We are extremely pleased to take that contribution a step further by making charitable donations to these important organizations that support the personal needs of so many.”