Sycuan's 33rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament

$100,000 Presented to Four Local Charities

SAN DIEGO, June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation donated $100,000 to four charities on Wednesday, June 5 at the Sycuan Cup 33^rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament at Singing Hills Golf Club at Sycuan. The event was kicked off with a fun-filled day of golf followed by dinner and an awards ceremony for the tournament's participants made up of representatives from the Tribe, event sponsors, and beneficiaries.

"Giving back is a cornerstone value for the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation," said Cody J. Martinez, chairman. "These charities play a vital role in our community, and we're proud to support their important missions."

During the dinner and awards ceremony, the Sycuan Tribal Council presented $25,000 each to the American Indian College Fund, Groundwork San Diego, Inner-Tribal Treatment, and San Diego Suicide Prevention Council for a total donation of $100,000.

American Indian College Fund

The American Indian College Fund has been the nation's largest charity supporting Native higher education for 34 years. The College Fund believes "Education is the answer" and provided $17.4 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2022-23. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $319 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation's 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators and is one of the nation's top 100 charities named to the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.

Groundwork San Diego

Groundwork San Diego-Chollas Creek was founded in 2007 at the request of the City of San Diego to lead the master plan for the Chollas Creek Watershed. Initial funding came from the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Endowment in recognition of the role the environment plays in the well-being of low-income citizens.

The master plan, entitled the Chollas Creek Enhancement Program, was developed through extensive stakeholder collaboration that represented neighborhoods, community planning groups, nonprofits, and faith-based institutions across the watershed. Its vision was to recover the pre-urbanization beauty of the natural resources of the region through education, advocacy, and compelling environmental design.

To this end, Groundwork has generated over $10 million in government and philanthropic funding and engaged thousands of volunteers and stakeholders to create healthy climate safe neighborhoods.

Inner-Tribal Treatment

The goal of providers at Inner-Tribal Treatment will be to sustain a holistic approach to care that is non-judgmental, and person centered. The focus of balancing the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual may include the blending (or weaving) of traditional, cultural and evidence-based practices. Setting goals and objectives to improve health, wellness and rehabilitation from a client's substance use disorder developed under the guidance of a counselor.

San Diego County Suicide Prevention Council

The San Diego County Suicide Prevention Council (SPC) is a collaborative community-wide effort focused on realizing a vision of zero suicides in San Diego County. Our mission is to prevent suicide and its devastating consequences in San Diego County.

On April 1, 2010, the County of San Diego awarded (Community Health Improvement Partners) CHIP a contract to form an interagency Suicide Prevention Council (SPC) to create and introduce a Mental Health Services Suicide Prevention Action Plan for San Diego County. With continued support from the County of San Diego, the SPC provides oversight, guidance, and collective support to implement the recommendations of the Suicide Prevention Action Plan.

ABOUT SYCUAN BAND OF THE KUMEYAAY NATION

Members of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation have resided in and around the foothills of the Dehesa Valley for more than 12,000 years. Today they are a modern government providing public services to their members, employees and neighbors. The Sycuan Tribal Government operates one of the region's premier Indian gaming and resort facilities, Sycuan Casino Resort. The Sycuan Tribe demonstrates its strong commitment to the San Diego region through the support of hundreds of civic and charitable organizations.

The Tribe also seeks to reinvest back into the San Diego community with a progressive business development and diversification effort. The tribe is a major investor in and owner of the 30^th Major League Soccer (MLS) team that was awarded to the city of San Diego in 2023, becoming the first native American tribe to be part-owner of any men's major league sports franchise. They purchased the former Singing Hills Country Club and the historic U.S. Grant Hotel; developed the Marina Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in National City; and constructed and operates the Sycuan Market and convenience store. Combined, these enterprises now employ nearly 3,500 San Diegans. For more information on Sycuan visit www.sycuantribe.com.

SOURCE Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation