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Verona, N.Y. – The Notah Begay III Foundation (NB3F) is proud to recognize Keith Anderson of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) with the second annual Oneida Indian Nation Health Champion for Native Children Award. On the eve of the 2014 NB3 Challenge golf tournament, Notah Begay III presented the honor to Anderson for his ongoing investment in addressing the public health concerns facing Native Americans.
“I am truly honored to represent the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux and accept this award on behalf of the Community,” said SMSC Vice Chairman Keith Anderson. “With health as one of the cornerstones of our giving priorities, we are proud of the longstanding partnership we have with Notah Begay III, and the remarkable work his foundation has done aimed at reversing the epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes among our Native children.”
Anderson and SMSC, located in Minnesota, have been longtime supporters and early investors in NB3F since 2009. In 2013, both helped Begay’s foundation take a major step by providing a founding investment in Native Strong: Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures, a national initiative focused on providing grants to support promising community prevention programs, cutting-edge research and advocacy efforts to fight the public health crisis facing Native children. Through this program, NB3F has since awarded $600,000 in grants and technical assistance to impact 20 tribal communities across seven states.
“Due to Keith’s championship of the Notah Begay III Foundation, the Shakopee tribe made an early investment that enabled us to leverage more than $1 million from additional partners to support our critical and unique work on behalf of the lives of Native children,” said Begay, four-time PGA TOUR winner, NBC/Golf Channel analyst and NB3F founder. “Thank you, Keith, for sharing our vision to bring promising solutions to better the health and wellness of Native American children to the forefront.”
Anderson and SMSC are long-time philanthropic leaders and over the last 22 years, have given more than $290 million in grants and charitable contributions to tribes and nonprofit organizations across the country.
The NB3 Challenge provided an appropriate backdrop for the award presentation, as it is the largest annual fundraiser for NB3F, which addresses the health and wellness issues facing Native American children – notably the disproportionate incidences of obesity and type 2 diabetes. In its first six years, the event has generated more than $5 million, helping the Foundation serve more than 20,000 Native children and families in 13 states through strategic grant making, research and advocacy.
The Oneida Indian Nation Health Champion for Native Children Award honors exemplary and selfless contributions to the health and well-being of Native American children. The award symbolizes both the undeterred leadership and altruism required to ensure that Native Americans’ most valued asset – children – have what they need to thrive and to carry on treasured cultural ways for generations to come. NB3F presents this award annually to honor outstanding tribes, tribal leads and other champions of children’s health. Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter received the inaugural award in 2013.
For more information about NB3F, its work in Native communities and the NB3 Challenge, visit: www.nb3foundation.org or donate online at www.igg.me/at/NB3FChallenge.
