Cherokee Nation donates money to New Life Church for Backpack Program.

The Cherokee Nation recently donated $75,200 to 20 area organizations in northeastern Oklahoma who participate in backpack programs that provide students with everything from school supplies to nutritious weekend snacks.

New Life Church in Stilwell is one of the organizations partnering with the tribe. At the beginning of every school year, the church hosts a cookout and backpack giveaway night for parents and students in Adair County. In addition to providing backpacks full of school supplies at the beginning of the year, the church also partners with five rural Adair County schools and uses the tribal dollars to provide nutritious weekend snacks to students in need every week during the school year. Of the 234 students served by New Life Church, 222 are Native.

“The Cherokee Nation has truly been a blessing to the people of Adair County and all of northeast Oklahoma. We are very thankful to be able to partner with the tribe and help the students and parents in our communities with necessary school supplies and nutritious snacks on the weekends,” said New Life Church Pastor Max Ford. “On behalf of our community, we want to thank Chief Baker’s administration and the Tribal Council for their generosity.”

The Cherokee Nation donated to the following organizations: Organization County Award Amount New Life Church Adair $11,878.75 Hulbert Public Schools Cherokee $10,755.08 Tahlequah Public Schools Cherokee $2,568.38 Craig County Salvation Army Craig $428.07 Okay Public Schools Delaware $535.08 Chouteau-Mazie Public Schools Mayes $1,658.74 First United Methodist Church Locust Grove Mayes $1,498.22 Boulevard Christian Church Muskogee $4,815.71 Chandler Road Church of Christ Muskogee $1,016.65 Eastern Heights Baptist Church Muskogee $2,942.93 First United Methodist Church Muskogee Muskogee $802.62 Grace Ministries, Inc. Muskogee $642.10 Warner Public Schools Muskogee $6,849.01 Boys & Girls Club of Nowata Nowata $5,671.84 Oologah United Methodist Church Rogers $2,054.70 Rogers County Salvation Army Rogers $9,042.84 Hillside Pentecostal Church Sequoyah $856.13 Lee’s Chapel Assembly of God Sequoyah $1,177.17 The BOD Church Sequoyah $642.09 Agape Mission of Bartlesville, Inc. Washington $9,363.88