The Tribe donated $130,000 to community organizations providing food services and has expanded efforts in partnership with the Snoqualmie Casino & Resort and Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank
~Guest Post provided by the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
This past month, the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe distributed checks exceeding $1,019,000 in donations to nonprofit organizations from the state of Washington. The need was great this year shown by the unprecedented number of applications received. This year’s charitable donations recipient organizations applied earlier in the year for projects and initiatives focused on specific categories, including Arts & Culture, Native Services, Family Services, Veterans Services, Salmon Habitat Restoration, Environmental Education, Senior/Elders, and Snoqualmie Valley Community Services.
This includes a total of $130,000 donated by the Tribe to organizations providing free food access, meals, and options for people who rely on SNAP and their EBT card to purchase food. The Tribe donated to the following organizations, which all provide essential sources of food for people in the Snoqualmie Valley and broader King County area:
- Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank ($50,000)
- Direct Purchasing: The donation from the Snoqualmie Tribe would be used to purchase 60% of their direct food purchases of produce, milk, and eggs to ensure fresh, nutritional choices for guests.
- Mt. Si Senior Center ($50,000)
- Senior Nutrition Program and Other Food Access: The donation from the Snoqualmie Tribe would be used to fund a portion of the 8,500 meals they provide for all people age 60+, regardless of place of residence, giveaways around holidays, their breakfast bites program, and coffee check-ins.
- Sno-Valley Senior Center ($20,000)
- Daily Meal Program: The Snoqualmie Tribe’s donation provides resources for this program, which provides food security to low-income, disabled older adults (age 60+). On average, they serve 47 meals per day to older adults in rural, unincorporated King County. SNAP and EBT allotments are also accepted, and all are served regardless of ability to pay.
- Hopelink ($10,000)
- Food Assistance Program: Hopelink provides fresh, healthy, culturally appropriate food to Sno-Valley community members and includes four components – Hopelink Markets, a Mobile Market, Hopelink Harvest, and End Summer Hunger. The Snoqualmie Tribe’s donation will be used to purchase food to be stocked in Hopelink Markets and the Mobile Market and will serve ~18,000 people in North and East King County at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
In addition, given the current government shutdown and reduced funding for SNAP benefits resulting in increased need for food services, the Snoqualmie Tribe is expanding their efforts to assist local food banks and providers. Additional actions by the Tribe include partnering with the Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel to donate surplus prepared foods to the Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank for people to pick up. The Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank is open for people to pick up the food on Tuesdays, 3 pm-6:15 pm, Wednesdays, 9:30 am-4:15 pm, and Thursdays, 10 am-12:45 pm.
There will also be a .40 cent gas discount at Crescent Market offered to help those in need to support transportation costs to get to and from local food banks. The discount will be available on Tuesdays between November 11th – 25th for people who show their EBT card and matching ID to the cashier. The Tribe will also be donating turkeys to local food banks and offering $50,000 in grants to licensed childcare facilities to support food access for youth.
“The Snoqualmie Tribe recognizes the importance of this moment to take action and ensure our communities have greater access to food and the security it provides. Our Tribe’s longstanding commitment to supporting our neighbors extends to helping people feed themselves and their families. In times like these, we must all come together to care for those who are most vulnerable,” said Snoqualmie Tribal Chairman Robert de Los Angeles.
“With SNAP funding being cut, our local food banks are in a very difficult situation. It is critical that we each ask ourselves what we can do through a contribution of funds or food so that our most vulnerable individuals, families and children don’t go hungry,” said King County Councilmember Sarah Perry, District 3. “I am grateful to the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe for meeting this moment with a contribution to the Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank, and we are happy to match their efforts.”
“The Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank has had significantly increased sign-ups for resources. We’ve seen longer lines, including more Elders who rely on us for their primary nutrition. The SNAP cliff that the nation fell off of this week is wreaking havoc on families who have hungry children. Access to affordable, nutritious food is a basic human right, and we’re deeply grateful to the Snoqualmie Tribe for partnering with us to make sure our doors are open to anyone,” said Rebecca Lane, Interim Executive Director of Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank.
For all 501c3 organizations, both awarded and not awarded this year, the 2026 application cycle will open on January 1st, 2026, and close on March 31st, 2022. To learn more, visit www.snoqualmietribedonations.us.
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. For more information visit www.snoqualmietribe.us
Comments
We’re all grateful for the generosity of the Snoqualmie Tribe!