Helping Elders and Kids a Keetoowah Cherokee Priority

The United Keetoowah Band of CherokeeIndians is a small tribe compared to many othertribes in Oklahoma, but it is a tribe that cares,provides and believes in its people. With today'seconomy at it's lowest since the 1930s, more andmore people are becoming unemployed, worker'shours are being cut back, and the need has becomegreater for financial assistance. Winter is upon us,soaring heating costs, homes in need of winterization,and food cost on the rise, these are majorpriorities of many families. The question for mostis, "Where can we go for assistance?"

Many changes have been made within thelast five years, with the administration's move towardaccountability, stability and subsidies. Thetribe has shown its concerns for its people providingservices for its tribal members, providing assistancewith heating and electrical bills, bi-annualelderly tribal assistance, and education grants,school clothing vouchers to qualified students,and providing a daily nutritional meal through theTitle VI program. The tribe has also applied forSelf-Governance. "All these benefits and servicesare provided based on accountability brought backto the tribe. The integrity that the council feelswith the way the tribe is going, that's making itwhere we can provide these services and continueto grow. A lot of it is based on our accountabilityand what our objectives are, helping the elders andour kids, this is where our priority is," stated AssistantChief Charles Locust.

The administration also provided its employeeswith gas cards to help ease their cost oftravel to and from work during the rise of fuelcosts. During the holidays they provided bonuschecks to the employees and Christmas cards forall Keetoowah Cherokee children from the ages ofbirth to 18 years of age.

With the reinstatement of the HUD funding,the Keetoowah Cherokee tribe is preparing toaide elder tribal members with home repairs andwinterizing homes. With the recent opening of theKeetoowah Health Services, the tribe is seekingways to provide better health care services for itsmembers, which will include clinics in the 14-County areas. The inclusion of the newly formedUnited Keetoowah Cherokee Veteran's Office, thetribe will be able to assist Keetoowah veterans byproviding information and updating veterans onhealth care and health issues. Assisted living facilitiesare also in the planning stages.

"One of the requirements the Departmentof Interior has placed on the United KeetoowahBand in the last twenty years is the tribe has to recognizeits tribal members as exclusive only. Thisis required so there is no duplication of services inthis area. Other tribes are not required to be exclusive,duplication of services can continue amongthose tribes, but not here," added Assistant ChiefLocust.