Pokagon Band, Four Winds Casinos donate 1,000 Christmas boxes to families in need

Published 3:16 pm Monday, December 21, 2020

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NEW BUFFALO — The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi and its Four Winds Casinos recently donated 1,000 Christmas food boxes to those in need during this holiday season.

Distribution will be completed by the Food Bank of Northern Indiana through the St. Joseph County Pantry on Tuesday, Dec. 22.  Each Christmas box includes a frozen ham, corn, potatoes, cranberry jelly and an apple pie. The Pokagon Band and its Four Winds Casinos also donated 1,000 food boxes in November for Thanksgiving.

“2020 has been especially challenging for us all and the Pokagon Band and our Four Winds Casinos employees are very proud to be able to donate Christmas food boxes once again this year,” said Matthew Wesaw, Tribal Council Chairman and CEO of the Pokagon Gaming Authority.  “Now more than ever, we must find ways to support each other and help those in need.  As with our donation of Thanksgiving food boxes, we hope these Christmas food boxes will provide a source of comfort and relief for many individuals and families during the holiday season.  We’d also like to convey a heart-felt Migwėtth (thank you) to Marijo Martinec and the Food Bank of Northern Indiana as well as the St. Joseph County Pantry, for making the distribution of these food boxes possible.”

“We are humbled by the commitment of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi and its Four Winds Casinos on their partnership with the Food Bank to annually provide holiday meal boxes to people in need,” said Marijo Martinec, the Executive Director and CEO of the Food Bank of Northern Indiana. “So much about the holiday season is centered on food, and Four Winds Casinos is bringing joy to those who are in need of a little Christmas magic.”

The Food Bank of Northern Indiana works in partnership with the community to feed the hungry, increase awareness of the effects of hunger, and lead programs designed to alleviate hunger.  The Food Bank of Northern Indiana serves Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Marshall, Stark, and St. Joseph Counties and is a member of Feeding America, Feeding Indiana’s Hungry and United Way.  More information is available at feedindiana.org.