When we move beyond amassing wealth for ourselves and give to others, we expand our worldview while setting an example of loving kindness for our children. As one notable child, diarist and Holocaust victim Anne Frank once wrote, “No one has ever become poor by giving.”
In fact, including charitable giving in your personal financial plan can yield significant savings on your tax return, particularly when you work with a skilled tax accountant. This leaves you with more money to live and to give, a truly healthful cycle.
It can be hard, though, to negotiate all of the worthy nonprofits to determine where to direct your charitable giving. At AA Tax & Accounting Services, we advise clients to start by looking for ways to help right in Cedar City and the surrounding communities.
The Paiute Indian Tribe Of Utah
One way to do this is to support the efforts of the local indigenous people, the Paiute Indian Tribute of Utah. These include the Indian Peaks Band of Paiute Indians, who count 2,000 acres in Cedar City as their home.
Near-Destruction
As of 2015, the Indian Peaks Band had 48 members. The small number is a testament to how the population of Utah Paiutes–who historians estimate arrived in Utah about 1100 AD–has been decimated over the years.
Once numbering in the thousands, Utah’s Paiute Indians were nearly extinguished, first by contact with European settlers and later with American pioneers. The devastation continued in 1954 when the US government terminated its recognition of the tribe. At one point, the number of Paiutes in Utah dwindled to 800. As of 2015, those numbers rested at 918.
The Long Climb Back
Created in 1980 by an act of Congress, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah is comprised of five constituent Bands, including:
- Cedar
- Indian Peaks
- Kanosh
- Koosharem
- Shivwits
Each of these Bands has a longstanding independent identity. What they share in common, however, is the desire to climb back from near-destruction toward a better future.
In 1984, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah was granted 4,470 acres of Bureau of Land Management land and $2.5 million in seed money to kickstart economic development. Since then, Utah’s Paiutes have built houses, opened businesses and made strides in healthcare and educational opportunities.
Giving To Youth Education Helps Local Paiutes Move Forward
It’s generally agreed education is the best way to help a community move forward, and this holds true for the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah.
Scholarship Program
You can invest in the future of neighboring Native Americans by contributing to the PITU Higher Education Fund. Your donations help provide young people in Cedar City and the surrounding areas with college and training. It’s hoped the scholarship program will yield desperately-needed graduates in fields like medicine, engineering and science.
Paiute Tribal Youth Camp
Regaining Paiute culture is as important as reclaiming tribal land. For the past 9 years, teens from Utah’s Paiute bands as well as youths from Nevada and Arizona Bands have been invited to the Paiute Tribal Youth Camp.
During the 4-day camp–held in public lands of traditional significance to Paiutes of the Southwest–participants receive guidance from tribal Elders and Grandmothers as well as indigenous people who’ve forged careers in public land stewardship. The camp is supported by Southern Utah University as well as agencies like the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service.
Tribal elders expose teens to the Paiute language, songs, stories and native plant science. The heaping dose of native culture also includes participation in a traditional fire circle as well as an ancient stick game. Carmen Clark of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes says, “If they know just a little bit, they know where they come from, they’re not lost.”
The teens also get lessons in various areas of land stewardship that may lead to a future career.
Help Fund this Transformative Camp
The Zion Natl Park Forever Project aims to help raise the $15,000 needed to fund the 2019 Tribal Youth Camp. To contribute, click the “Pitch In” tab at the top of the project’s website. Select the amount you wish to contribute and click on the “Informing Tomorrow” button. As you complete your donation, you’re invited to leave a comment. You can note there that you’d like your contribution to go to the Paiute Tribal Youth Camp.
At AA Tax & Accounting Services, we’re happy to help you manage your finances, both business and personal, with a full array of services. If you’d like more information on worthy nonprofits or on thriving financially, contact us today for your appointment.
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