Cocopah Tribe presents $10,000 in gaming funds
Checks go to local nonprofit organizations
The Cocopah Tribe presented $10,000 in tribal gaming funds during the April 4 meeting of the Yuma City Council.
Tribal Councilwoman Rosa Long, Mayor Doug Nicholls and City Administrator Greg Wilkinson were on hand to present the “big checks” to various local nonprofit organizations. Nicholls noted that many organizations struggle during the summer months, “so hopefully this will help offset some of their expenses.” Crossroads Mission Executive Director Myra Garlit accepted $4,000 on behalf of the organization, which helps individuals who find themselves at a “crossroads” in their lives — the chemically dependent, the needy and the homeless. The goal is to “help them make that turn that will bring them to a personal encounter with God, and to help them make changes that will result in better lives.”
Crossroads Mission offers “life-changing” individualized programs leading to stable employment and independent living. In addition to Yuma County, the organization also serves La Paz, Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Santa Cruz, Pinal and Gila counties.
Catholic Community Services, which runs several “human services,” received $4,000. On hand to accept the funds were Eva Mendez-Counts, executive director of CCS, Jodie Wight, program director of Safe House, a domestic violence shelter; and Joe Waterford, board member.
Aside from Safe House, CCS also runs Senior Nutrition Services (home-delivered meals and congregate meal services); counseling services to adults, children and families; and Daybreak, adult day health care.
On behalf of the CCS board, Waterford thanked the city and tribe for the funds. “Even though this is a small check, it is helpful. And we thank Yuma and the council and the Cocopah Nation because with a lot of cuts coming, especially to Safe House, this little bit does makes a big difference,” he said.
The tribe also handed $2,000 to the city’s Back to School Rodeo, an annual family friendly event designed to increase awareness and availability of education, health and social services for parents and children through interactive, informative presentations, displays and entertainment.
The city’s Marketing Specialist Carrie Ring, with help from some children, accepted the funds, which will go toward the purchase of bicycle helmets to hand out to kids at this year’s rodeo.
After the check presentations, Nicholls thanked the Cocopah Tribe for making sure the community is “well-taken care of, not just with the dollars we saw come out tonight but throughout the whole year.”
He noted the tribe is an “important part of our community” and pointed out that the city works with the tribe “on a lot of different things, from economic development to supporting our local nonprofits.”