Youth grantmakers celebrate fifth year of giving to local nonprofits

By Alexander Bliven

Smoke Signals intern

Five years into a program designed to teach Tribal youth about philanthropy, grantmaking and community service, the Spirit Mountain Community Fund celebrated its Youth Grantmaking check presentation Friday, Aug. 7, with a luncheon and awarded $5,000 checks to five organizations selected by the summer youth interns.

As part of the program, the interns research organizations, learn about their work and select the nonprofits they want to support before awarding each with a grant.

Grantees representing the organizations were also gifted beaded necklaces by the interns.

The event was attended by Tribal Council and Community Fund Board of Trustees members Lisa Leno and Matthew Haller, Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George, Board of Trustees member Maria Rojo de Steffey, Board Chairman Trevor Aaron and Community Fund staff.

Community Fund Director Angie Sears welcomed attendees and thanked the organizations for their work in their communities.

“Our check presentations are a way for us to connect with our grantees,” Sears said. “It allows us to recognize and celebrate each of you for the incredible work that you do; providing much needed support and services for some of our most vulnerable communities. We are honored and blessed for the partnerships that we’ve created with you and we’re so thankful for you all.”

Sears also praised interns Billy DeLoe and Cheyenne Haller for the dedication they brought to the program and said they were eager to meet representatives of the organizations they selected, learn more about their work and volunteer whenever possible.

During the presentation, DeLoe and Haller expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the program and for the people they worked with throughout their internships.

“I’ve done a couple internships now as a youth and this one will definitely be the most memorable,” Haller said.

The interns then explained why they selected each organization.

DeLoe and Haller also raffled off a Tri-logoed blanket to one of the organizations present. The blanket was created to commemorate the Community Fund reaching $100 million in total giving in December 2024. The Community Fund worked with the Tribe’s Digital Communications Manager Matthew Williams to design the blanket.

DeLoe explained the significance of gifting a blanket.

“In Native American culture, gifting a blanket holds deep significance as a symbol of protection and community support,” DeLoe said. “It represents a gesture of respect and is often a way to celebrate a significant achievement or to acknowledge someone's contribution to the community.”

The blanket was won by Elakha Alliance.

Laura Perez, left, Simply Birthdays co-founder, shakes hands with Spirit Mountain Community Fund youth intern Cheyenne Haller as Perez is presented a check during the 2026 Youth Grantmaking check presentation at Spirit Mountain Casino’s Event Center Friday, Aug. 7. (Photo by Michelle Alaimo)

Interns DeLoe and Haller chose the following organizations to receive awards:

• Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force, a nonprofit in Keizer with the goal of responding to and reducing sexual violence towards adults and adolescents while improving community response and support for victims of sexual assault;
• Elakha Alliance, a nonprofit based in Siletz dedicated to “strengthening Oregon’s marine and coastal ecosystems and communities by working to restore a thriving population of sea otters along the Oregon coast;”
• Grand Sherimina Food Bank, a nonprofit community charity based in Sheridan that provides food boxes and assistance to those facing food insecurity;
• Simply Birthdays, a nonprofit organization in Salem that provides birthday parties and celebrations to children living in local homeless shelters;
• Yamhill County Action Program, a social services program based in Yamhill County with programs including housing, food and energy assistance that are designed to “help improve the lives of low-income people and strengthen communities.”