Pokagon Band donates to local organizations
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi and its Four Winds Casinos are investing $860,000 to support eight South Bend-area organizations. The contribution, which is part of a five-year agreement, will support The Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County, Beacon Health Foundation, and the South Bend Community School Corp., among others.
“Not only is South Bend home to hundreds of our Pokagon Citizens, but also many of our employees that work at Four Winds South Bend,” said Rebecca Richards, tribal chairwoman of the Pokagon Band and CEO of the Pokagon Gaming Authority. “We are very proud to support the city, along with these important organizations that play a vital role to serve the residents of the community and help make South Bend a better place to live.”
The nonprofits and awarded amounts are listed below:
- The Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County – $20,000
- The YWCA of North Central Indiana – $25,000
- The Food Bank of Northern Indiana – $20,000
- Jobs for America’s Graduates Indiana – $50,000
- Beacon Health Foundation – $100,000
- The Bowman Creek Project – $100,000
- The South Bend Community School Corp. – $100,000
- South Bend Venues, Parks & Arts renovation of Howard Park – $445,000
The annual payments, which began in 2018, are in lieu of property tax payments. The Pokagon Band has similar arrangements in three other communities where its casinos operate, including New Buffalo, Hartford and Dowagiac, Michigan.
“We are grateful for our government-to-government relationship with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi and their generous contributions to the City of South Bend, which help fund a variety of city services and community development initiatives,” said Mayor James Mueller. “We also value the support they provide to numerous organizations that provide essential services to our residents and community. We look forward to continuing our partnership into the future.”
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians first opened the casino in January 2018.