Reggie Brewer, the Culture Enrichment coordinator for the Lumbe Tribe, performs a smudging in September of 2022 during the ribbon cutting of the Dreamcatcher Raynham community. The community was one of three that opened last year.
Tribe assisted more than 20K citizens in 2022
PEMBROKE — The Lumbee Tribe has assisted more than 20,000 tribal citizens in 2022, according to a release documenting the year in review.
Over the past year, Chairman John Lowery also updated several programs to allow services to be available for more families.
Four major changes included lowering the interest rate to 1% for new homeowners to purchase or build a home; removal of the Asset Requirement for those seeking housing rehab, which mainly helps our elders; expanding the Down Payment Assistance program to those out of the territory; and enhanced the tribal enrollment processes for updating citizens.
“As I began my first year as Chairman, we hit the ground running,” Lowery said. “I am thankful for all our staff’s hard work and the efforts of the Tribal Council, to touch the lives of our Lumbee Citizens. Our accomplishments in 2022 laid the foundation for continuous growth and progress in 2023. Our work has just begun!”
In 2022, Lowery, the Lumbee Tribal Council and the tribal staff held ribbon cuttings for Warriors’ Way Veterans Village, Dreamcatcher Union Chapel and Dreamcatcher Raynham, which adds a combined 55 homes to the Lumbee Tribe district territory.
The tribe also announced two upcoming communities in Parkton and Lumberton.
Financially, the Lumbee Tribe saw unprecedented funding from the state budget, which will benefit the Cultural Center and the newly established Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The tribe also received $4 million dollars in COVID-19 funding from the State of N.C., which was used to enhance programs for elders, family services, substance abuse, domestic violence, infrastructure improvements and weatherization.
This year, the tribal administration designated and unveiled parking spaces for veterans who visit the tribal headquarters.
These parking spaces allow veterans to park close to the facility and offer them the “respect they deserve when coming to inquire about programs and services.”
Other highlights of accomplishments from 2022 include:
— Removal of the asset requirement for those seeking housing rehabilitation.
— Creation of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to assist our farmers and protect natural resources.
— Energy Department outreach exceeding $1.6 million in relief for 9,500 homes.
— Passed a $33 million budget that includes an increase of the minimum wage to $15 for all hourly tribal employees.
— Had the State of North Carolina remove all restricted covenants from the Lumbee Tribal Cultural Center.
— Increased funding to bring home replacement list to an all-time low.
— Re-opened the Cultural Center Lake and restocked it with 10,000 redbreasts and 1,000 catfish.
— Bringing back the powwow which returned after two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
— Releasing an outreach team in the community for more than 100 days promoting programs and accepting applications for services.
— Chairman Lowery, administration staff along with the Tribal Council hosted 24 community meetings.
— The Lumbee Tribe Housing Department contracting with Salesforce to develop a tribal citizen’s portal that will be an extension of the Lumbeetribe.com website, where tribal citizens may apply for Enrollment and Housing services online.
— Serving almost 400 youth in grades 1-12 with summer camps and courses.
— Appointing Kelvin Jacobs and Tona Jacobs to the Lumbee Supreme Court.
— Publishing two Lumbee Today Newsletters Spring/Summer and Summer /Fall 2022.
— Moving the new home ownership interest rate from 2% down to 1%.
— Proposing to have 12-15 homes available for homeownership.
— Expanding the down-payment program to out-of-territory tribal citizens.
— Collaborating with the University of Florida Team to interview Lumbee Elders as a continuation of Adolph Dial’s Oral History Project.
— Spotlighting Lumbee athletes.
