By Sentinel Staff
Sitka Tribe of Alaska announced today its plans to use the nearly $7.9 million in CARES Act funds to provide financial assistance to tribal members and households, make health-related improvements to tribal facilities, and allocate funds for particular purposes through a variety of STA programs.
The tribe so far has received $7,897,377.05 in CARES Act funds, and that figure may increase if the final grant applications are approved, said STA General Manager Lisa Gassman.
STA issued a news release today on its plans for its share of the CARES Act funds dedicated to federally recognized tribes to help make up for economic losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tribal funding is separate from the $14 million in the funds the city will distribute, although the two entities are cooperating in some areas.
Applications for tribal grants will be available starting Wednesday, June 24. (Details on applications below.)
Tribal Council Chair KathyHope Erickson asks tribal citizens to check the STA webpage, STA Facebook page, and the Sitka Sentinel regularly for updates and further information on accessing assistance available.
“The Council is happy to be able to provide assistance to all of our citizens,” Erickson said in the announcement. “We recognize times are hard; we hope all are staying safe and well.”
“Citizens must apply for the assistance detailed below, provide updated contact information for enrollment records, and certify you were impacted by COVID-19 to receive assistance,” today’s STA release said.
The STA Tribal Council has made the following decisions on the fund distribution:
– Financial assistance to tribal citizens/households: STA will provide a one-time cash payment of $250 to all tribal citizens enrolled in STA as of June 17, 2020, the “tribal citizen of record” date. Every citizen is eligible for this payment regardless of residency or age.
– Tribal households in Sitka will also be eligible to receive an additional one-time payment of $1,500. “The Council strongly encourages utilizing all assistance you receive for your rent/mortgage, utilities, heating fuel or groceries,” the announcement said.
– Tribal citizens who reside in households outside of Sitka are eligible to apply for up to $500 in additional assistance through the Social Services department (more details below).
STA Cultural Resources, Education and Employment Department ($823,021 total), will receive applications for:
– laptops/iPads for enrolled tribal children in the Sitka School District (working in conjunction with the Sitka School District),
– iPads for elders residing in Sitka,
– partnering to continue the Summer Foods Program July 1 – August 31, after the Sitka School District program ends July 1,
– providing laptops for all college students currently funded by STA with an STA Higher Education/AVT scholarship.
Social Services Department ($225,000 total) will receive applications for:
– $500 in additional assistance for households that reside outside of Sitka ($225,000 total),
– $135,230 in additional low-income home energy assistance, community services block grant, childcare development fund, and welfare assistance (the eligibility requirements are the same as for the usual STA programs for this funding,
– $100,000 for additional funeral expenses assistance,
– $28,000 for additional food pantry assistance.
Facilities:
– $2.1 million for necessary health and safety upgrades to multiple tribal buildings.
Other donations:
– $200,000 to Non-Profits in Sitka that provide services to citizens.
Gassman said up to $775,000 remains to be allocated.
“We have reserved these funds in the event we receive a lot of updated address/contact information for citizens and need to allocate additional funds for the direct financial assistance we are providing,” she said in the news release. “In the event the funds do remain available to allocate, we would like to hear from tribal citizens with ideas on how to allocate that funding. Please send your suggestion to cares@sitkatribe-nsn.gov.”
The announcement clarified:
“A tribal household means at least one enrolled citizen resides in the home. All additional assistance is limited to one payment per household paid to the head of the household you designate on your application. Please submit all applications for all citizens in your household at the same time.”
Gassman said CARES Act Financial Assistance applications will be available online starting June 24 at www.sitkatribe.org, and also outside the front door of the STA administration building at 456 Katlian Street, and at the Social Services building 204 Siginaka Way.
Applications may be obtained by fax or email by calling 907-747-3207.
Completed applications can be scanned and emailed to cares@sitkatribe-nsn.gov, mailed to 456 Katlian Street, or faxed to 907-747-4915.
Elders or citizens needing assistance completing the application are encouraged to call 907-747-3207 to make an appointment for help with the application. The deadline for applying for the direct payments is September 30, 2020.
“The sooner applications are in the better, as STA is required to a large portion of the COVID-19 money by December 30, 2020,” Gassman said. “Checks will be processed and mailed as applications are received.”
She asked tribal citizens to plan on at least three weeks from the date an application is submitted for it to be processed and mailed. Checks will be mailed to the mailing address on the application.
She said that STA will enter the address from applications in STA’s enrollment records if that conflicts with the information the tribal government currently has. If a citizen indicates that they resided in a household in Sitka, prior to June 17, 2020, and that information is different than what STA currently has in its enrollment records, proof of residency in Sitka must be provided with the application. Proof can include a copy of government issued driver license or ID card, a lease for an apartment/mortgage statement, a copy of a utility bill, fuel bill, or bank/credit card statement that details a physical residence address in Sitka prior to June 17, 2020.
Those needing more information may contact Gassman at lisa.gassman@sitkatribe-nsn.gov or (907) 747-7380.
