- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
In honor of GivingTuesday, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians yesterday surprised 10 Native-led nonprofit organizations with donations of $100,000 each.
The Tribe made donations totaling $1 million to the following organizations: Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, California Indian Museum and Cultural Center, National Indian Child Welfare Association, Great Plains Veterans Services, Notah Begay III Foundation, Inter-Tribal Sports Inc., Native Hope, National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, HIR Wellness and Mother Nation.
The Tribe chose nonprofits based on their dedication to fighting injustices plaguing Native nations—such as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis and the support for the Indian Child Welfare Act—and those supporting Native Americans and advocating on important Native American issues.
GivingTuesday, historically the Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is the largest day of philanthropic giving every year. In 2021, a total of $3 billion dollars was donated to nonprofits in the United States on a single day. However, only 0.4% of the nation's overall giving efforts benefit Native American nonprofits. San Manuel’s donations are key to help bridge that gap and bring awareness to these outstanding organizations serving Indian Country.
The Tribe places philanthropy at the top of their priorities because of their history of receiving aid in their time of need, as well as their dedication to building healthy and resilient communities. Lynn Valbuena, chairwoman for San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, also acknowledges that there is a great deal of work left to be done in Indian Country to ensure Native communities around the nation have the resources they need to thrive for generations to come.
“Indian Country deserves to have access to every resource needed to build thriving nations and San Manuel is dedicated to providing as much support as we can for our people to continue to recover and thrive following atrocities we have faced,” Valbuena said. “Following 30-plus years of operating a successful gaming business, we are blessed to share our success with hundreds of nonprofits over the last three decades.”
National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) Executive Director Sarah Kastelic is grateful for the financial support and says the surprise donation will help her team continue the work they do.
“The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians generous grant to NICWA directly supports our work protecting the Indian Child Welfare Act in the courts, through federal and state policy, and through public education and the media. This gift is significant for Indian Country and enables us to keep children connected to their family, community and culture.”
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
