June 30, 2009

SMSC Supports Minnesota Chippewa Tribe with $1 Million Grant

Building to Consolidate Urban Indian Offices

Prior Lake, MN - The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community will make a $1 million grant to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe for purchase of an urban Indian office in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This building will house the urban offices of all six bands, thus creating a central location for members to seek services. The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council has also expressed interest in joining the project. A property at 1308 Franklin Ave. E. in Minneapolis was purchased on March 31, 2009, for the project.

"We anticipate that Bois Forte and White Earth Bands will take occupancy of some of the offices as early as July 1st. Leech Lake and Fond du Lac will hopefully follow shortly after. The generous grant by the SMSC in making this a reality is greatly appreciated," wrote Deborah Chase with the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.

The MCT has a total enrollment of more than 40,000 members, of which approximately 20% reside in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Of the six member reservations, five currently maintain offices at scattered locations in Minneapolis to provide services to their members. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe is comprised of six member reservations: Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, and White Earth. It is a federally recognized tribal government that, through unified leadership, promotes and protects the member Bands while providing quality services and technical assistance to the reservation governments and tribal people.

The Chippewa (Ojibwe/Anishinabe) are one of the largest tribes in the United States, at one time occupying a territory that extended from east of Lake Huron, north into Canada, and as far west as the mountains of Montana. Chippewa Bands first settled in Minnesota during the mid-seventeenth century after migrating from the southern shores of Lake Superior. Chippewa Bands in Minnesota battled Dakota groups for occupancy of the naturally abundant northern areas of the state. The Dakota eventually moved south and west, and the Chippewa settled permanently along the regions numerous waterways.