Indian Elders Food Project (IEFP)
www.freewebs.com/iefp
Why should I give? Don't Indians receive monthly subsidies and checks from the gov't?
Yes, some tribes do receive monthly royalties or annuities. Some tribes have natural resources to rely on, timber, grazing land, oil or other minerals. Not to mention casino earnings, but those tribes are few and far between. These monies are from the tribes own resources and not from the federal or state gov't.
None of the tribes we are serving fit that financial status. We are indeed on the opposite side of that scale. Take into consideration that the average earned income in Ponca City is about 11.00 an hr north of the highway, go south of that into Indian country and it drops to pennies above the current minimum wage scale.
Please keep in mind there are over 2 million Indians and over 500 federally recognized tribes. They are all different in regards to population, geographical settings and economic status... we are not all the same.
But, that is not why we are doing this project, it is to honor the Elders letting them know they are not forgotten and to bring together people from different walks of life for a common cause. It is giving individuals a chance to meet one another in prayer and in fellowship.
Why does it seem some Indians receive checks from the gov't?
Most Indian tribes are like corporations, like General Motors or Microsoft. They have sources of income, expenses, assets and liabilities. When they make a profit, they pay dividends to their shareholders. In the case of the Indian tribes, the shareholders are the tribal members. Tribes sell timber, grass, oil or coal found on or under tribal lands. After paying the tribal governments expenses, the cash is divided between tribal members.
Make a profit. Pay a dividend. In this respect General Motors and the Crow Tribe operate alike. But there is one critical difference. The BIA serves as the tribes banker. Revenues collected by the BIA are deposited in the U.S. Treasury before being transferred to the tribal gov't or individual tribal members via gov't check.
Uncle Sam writes the checks but its Indian money not tax dollars.
These irregular checks (called per-capita payments) usually arrive twice a year around mid summer and just before Christmas. Some tribes make per capita payments of $500 or so. Poorer tribes may struggle to pay members $30. Sometimes the tribes end the year in the red and there are no per capita payments.