Chickaloon Native Village receives award from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Chickaloon Native Village recently received national recognition from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for their innovative efforts to create a thriving community.

“Being recognized by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is really a testament to the hard work of our dedicated staff. We appreciate their ongoing commitment and are honored that RWJF has recognized Chickaloon as an innovative Government working to advance the health, opportunity, and equity for our Tribal citizens and community,” Traditional Chief Gary Harrison, Chickaloon Village Traditional Council stated in a recent press release.

Chickaloon Native Village received the Culture of Health Prize as one of the top 10 winning organizations across the nation that working at the forefront of advancing health, opportunity, and equity, according to the press release.

“The 2020-2021 RWJF Culture of Health Prize winners are striving to make good health and well-being achievable for all their residents,” Robert Wood Johnson Foundation President and CEO Richard Besser stated in the press release. “They understand the clear connection between the opportunity for health and education, jobs, and housing. They are leaning into community-led solutions that break down barriers caused by structural racism and other forms of discrimination.”

Chickaloon Native Village was honored for pursuing innovative ideas and bringing partners together to rally around a shared vision of health.

Their efforts include: sharing the Ahtna culture with Tribal citizens and the larger community through education at the Ya Ne Dah Ah School and health services at the C’eyiits’ Hwnax Life House Community Health Clinic, and stewarding their local environment, and creating opportunities to reduce trauma for children and strengthen community resilience.

“The recognition of the RWJF Culture of Health Prize is such wonderful validation for Chickaloon and our partners of the past several years in our collaborative work of building community, addressing systemic racism, and investing in the health and well-being of our community. We are profoundly humbled to be chosen by RWJF for this award,” said Lisa Wade, Executive Director and former Health Education and Social Services Division Director for Chickaloon Village Traditional Council.

According to the press release, Chickaloon will receive a $25,000 prize, joining Thunder Valley Community—Oglala Lakota Nation as one of two Native communities to receive the award this year.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is honoring this year’s winners during a virtual Culture of Health Prize Celebration and Learning Event.

The event will broadcast live at rwjf.org/prize.

For more information about Chickaloon Native Village, visit chickaloon-nsn.gov.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com