| PRESS
RELEASE Contact: D. Alice LaClaire
Jan. 23, 2004 Public Relations Director
Phone: 605-964-4155
NORTHWEST
AREA FOUNDATION SELECTS CHEYENNE RIVER SIOUX TRIBE
FOR COMMUNITY VENTURES PROGRAM
Eagle Butte, South Dakota - Chairman of the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe, Harold Frazier announced on Fri.,
Jan. 9, 2004, that he had been notified by Mr. Ellery
July, Director Activities and Learning of the Northwest
Area Foundation, St. Paul, Minn. that the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe has been selected and identified
to partner with the Northwest Area Foundation for
the purpose of reducing poverty on the Reservation.
Chairman
Frazier stated, “we have worked long and hard
at getting this selection by the Northwest Area
Foundation to assist the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
in poverty reduction.” “The success
of this 10 year & $20 Million endeavor will
depend upon the Tribe and our Communities because
it will be up to us to identify what our needs are
and how we want to accomplish our goals.”
The
Northwest Area Foundation, (NWAF) an industry-leading
influencer in poverty reduction, is committed to
reducing poverty in its service area, which includes
Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana,
Idaho, Washington and Oregon. The NWAF selects diverse
communities and works intensively with them for
up to 10 years or longer toward meeting the goal
of poverty reduction. Communities are selected based
on a combination of need, opportunity, and potential
impact. The Foundation prides itself on innovative
ends to poverty reduction and works diligently to
develop an environment of creativity and respect
for differences.
Chairman
Frazier initially made the contact with the NWAF
during the National Congress of American Indians
(NCAI) Summer Session in June of 2003 and a Memorandum
of Agreement was signed between the Cheyenne River
Sioux Tribe and the NWAF for the Foundation to visit
the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation to gather
information necessary for their decision making
process. The Foundation made a site visit on September
24 & 25, 2003 and Chairman Frazier has had ongoing
correspondence with the staff of the Foundation
in providing additional information.
The
Foundation will make a another visit to Chairman
Harold Frazier and the Tribal Council sometime in
February, 2004 and a Memorandum of Agreement will
be established an outline of how the Cheyenne River
Sioux Tribe and the Foundation will work together
on a poverty reduction plan.
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