By Shereen Siewert

The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa will receive $890,575 to construct an emergency food bank operations center, part of $25 million in grant funding awarded by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The grants are part of HUD’s Indian Community Development Block Grant Imminent Threat program, which provides funding to help address problems posing an immediate threat to public health or safety of Tribal residents.

The Lac du Flambeau Band’s operations center will feature a drive-through garage bay to allow for contactless drop-off and pickup of emergency food supplies and personal protective equipment, helping the tribe prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“From helping Tribes build more affordable housing to building a place where families can go to quarantine, this funding will help Native Americans persevere during this unprecedented time,” said R. Hunter Kurtz, Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

HUD Midwest Regional Administrator, Joseph P. Galvan said the grant will help the Lac du Flambeau Band better address resident health and safety..

These funds, provided through the CARES Act, will be used to support several projects on Tribal lands across the United States, such as:

  • The construction of new rental housing to address overcrowding and homelessness;
  • The building of transitional housing for quarantined individuals and families that have tested positive for COVID-19;
  • The construction of an emergency operation center to help respond to current and future COVID-19 issues; and
  • The rehabilitation of an existing hotel for the isolation of Tribal members affected by COVID-19.