DEWEY, Okla. – Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, along with other Cherokee leaders and staff, gathered in Dewey to cut the ribbon on the tribe’s newest elder nutrition site.
More than 200 Cherokee elders attended the Grand Opening.
“Deputy Chief Warner and I have made it a priority to increase access to nutrition resources for our elders, and the opening of this facility is a testament to the tribe’s commitment to caring for this vulnerable population within our reservation. Upon receiving recommendations from the 2023 senior nutrition site review, last year, we announced the renaming of this program and the expansion of the Elder Nutrition Program while dedicating $2 million from the Public Health and Wellness Fund Act for these efforts,” Chief Hoskin said. “I’m proud of this expansion in Dewey as it supports the overall health, independence, and well-being of Cherokee elders.”
The Dewey Elder Nutrition Site, located at 700 E. Durham Ave., will serve as a place for elders to receive nutritious and delicious meals, but will also serve as a place for them to gather and fellowship.
The site will be open Monday through Friday, with meals being served at 11:30 a.m.
“As Cherokees, a cherished tradition that we still enjoy today is communal fellowship, and these elder nutrition sites provide the space to strengthen community connections and honor our Cherokee tradition of caring for one another,” Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner said. “I always enjoy stopping in at these sites around the reservation to visit with our citizens, and what a blessing it is to open another one today in Dewey.”
The tribe operates more than a dozen elder nutrition sites across the reservation, with programs located in Porum, Marble City, Belfonte, Kenwood, Evening Shade, Oaks, Spavinaw, Tahlequah, Dry Creek, Greasy, Caney/Tailholt, Nowata, Foyil, and Stilwell. The tribe will also expand to two additional sites for elder nutrition in the future. The tribe also has an elder nutrition partner in Bowlin Springs.
“Dewey is a smaller community, with many elders that will really benefit from this program,” District 12 Councilor of the Cherokee Nation Dora Smith-Patzkowski said. “Not just the food, but the fellowship as well.”
For elders interested in becoming a participant of the tribe’s elder nutrition program, they must be 50 years or older and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation or another federally recognized tribe. For more information, map of the programs, menus, eligibility and other details, visit https://www.cherokee.org/all-services/human-services/family-assistance/elder-services-advocacy/.
“We are thrilled to open our newest elder nutrition site in Dewey to expand our reach across the reservation, and we are honored to serve our elders in this capacity,” Human Services Executive Director Brittany Davis said. “Caring for our elders is at the heart of what we do, and we are eager to grow this amazing program into more communities.”