Arts Outreach was one of five Santa Barbara County nonprofits to receive recognition and money at the third annual Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation Dinner on Nov. 5. The event, held in honor of Native American Heritage Month and “to underscore the importance of philanthropy,” according to a press release, took place in the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom.
Arts Outreach, the Community Environmental Council, the Casa Esperanza Homeless Shelter, the Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program, and American Indian Health and Services each received $5,000 for contributions to, respectively, culture and recreation, community enhancement and environment, education and personal development, health and human services, and Native Americans.
The release noted that the dinner also featured news of the County Board of Supervisors resolving to declare November of this year as National Native American Heritage Month “in honor of the social, economic, and philanthropic contributions made by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.”
Recording artist Martha Redbone gave a live performance at the event.
The foundation has disbursed more than $16 million to groups around the country. For more information, visit santaynezchumash.org.
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This article appears in Nov 8-15, 2012.