About the Tribe’s Charitable Activities …

The Florida Tribe of Cherokee Indians, Inc. (FTCI) is a not-for-profit corporation operating in the State of Florida. The FTCI is also the fiscal, charitable arm of the Florida Tribe of Cherokee Indians (Tribe). The FTCI was formed by the tribe to conduct and fund educational and charitable activities to preserve and protect the language, culture, religion, civil rights, economic and educational advancement, and sovereignty of the Florida Cherokee.

In spite of government and tribal programs to support their economic, educational and work achievement, and cultural preservation, American Indians still, on average, earn less, experience higher poverty rates, and fill fewer professional and management jobs, than their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Moreover, loss of Native languages; traditional skills, foods and stories; and other cultural associations continues unabated.

Creating a Cultural Connection

As more American Indian young people leave their communities and enter mainstream society, spreading to other states and communities, such as Florida; and as genealogical research reveals to others their formerly lost ties to American Indian ancestors; local and regional tribal organizations become increasingly important resources for renewing and maintaining the connection of American Indians to their heritage. Such connections are important to the economic, social, and health security of Native Americans.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), as reported in “The American Community – American Indians and Alaska Natives: 2004,” Cherokee Indians represent the single, largest Tribal Group in the United States, with 331,491 living in the U.S. in 2004, or 15.4% of the overall Native American population. However, when also reporting descent, rather than enrolled tribal members alone, a 2002 report of the 2000 US Census (The American Indian and Alaska NativePopulation: 2000) reported 729,533 Americans of Cherokee descent (US Census, 2002, Figure 5). In addition, 117,880 American Indians reported their racial identity American Indian and Mixed Racial (US Census, 2002, Table 2).

Fighting the “Big Four” Plagues of Cherokee Peoples

Many migrant, displaced, or young Cherokee citizens lack the support of tribal organizations in their communities – and statistics on poverty, earnings, education, and loss of tradition (known as the “Big Four”) demonstrate that they desperately need it.

According to the Income, Earnings, and Poverty Data from the 2007 Community Survey of the U. S. Census Bureau, median household income of American Indians and Alaska Natives, at $35, 343 per year, remains far below that of Whites, who earn, on average, $50,740. Nationwide, Native Americans have the highest poverty rates of all races, with 25.3% living below the poverty level, compared with about 9% of Whites. FTCI provides an economic support program – the Cherokee Assistance Program – to at risk Cherokee in Florida. American Indian languages are being lost – and once lost, can never be recovered. About 75% of American Indians and Alaska Natives aged 5 and older speak only English at home, and only 18% speak their Native tongue or another language at home, and of those, only 8.4% speak their own language or another language “very well.” FTCI provides language classes and resources to anyone wishing to learn.

2006 Census Bureau tabulations, titled Educational Attainment in the Unites States: 2006, showed adults 18 and older with a master’s, professional or doctoral degree earned an average of $79,946; those with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $54,689 in 2005; those with a high school diploma earned $29,448; and those with less than a high school diploma earned about $19,915. Thus, it is important for tribal organizations to promote educational achievement among Cherokee Indians in order to improve standards of living in our communities.

Educational and job achievement among American Indians still lags behind that of Whites. About 77% of American Indians and Alaska Natives aged 25 and older are high school graduates and only 14 % have a bachelor’s degree or more education (as compared with 89% high school graduation among non-Hispanic Whites and 30% with a bachelor’s degree or higher). Only 25% work in management and professional occupations, compared with about 38% of Whites. FTCI provides job notices and educational resources to any Cherokee recognized by FTCI within its service area.

Scientific evidence shows that loss of connection to their heritage costs Native Americans their health. Gary Nabham (Northern Arizona University) and Native Seed Search (Tucson, Arizona) have documented that American Indians are losing their traditional foods to the replacement of traditional diets with high-fat, high-sugar fast food diets, resulting in the extinction of the seeds. Because of the unique genetic makeup of American Indians, this dietary change has resulted in skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other diet-related diseases among Native Americans. Disease rates are shown to decline when they return to their traditional diets. FTCI wishes to provide a demonstration center for Cherokee to learn to cultivate traditional foods and herbs and preserve their seeds.

Finding and Reuniting the Cherokee in Florida

Native Americans and Alaska Natives residing in Florida number 72,360. Of those, it is estimated that approximately 30% are registered and unregistered Cherokee Indians. The 2000 U.S. Census was the first that allowed citizens to identify themselves as being both American Indian and of another race. For this reason, while the Florida population only grew by 24% (3,044,452 people total) in ten years, the total population of American Indians, living in Florida, grew by 225% -- 81,545 people (US Census, 2002, Table 2).

As the government becomes more inclusive of multiple race identification, and as interest in genealogy grows, we predict that this rapid jump in American Indian population figures will continue to outpace real population growth, and will better reflect the true racial demographic of Florida’s citizenry. Since the Cherokee represent the largest American Indian population in the U.S., we expect a large number of these newly identified and formerly unenrolled American Indians living in Florida to be Cherokee. These newly identified Cherokee will need the support of a tribe. FTCI seeks to provide that support to Cherokees living in and near Florida by bringing our people together to restore and expand their language, culture, religion, civil rights, and sovereignty.

How We Plan To Achieve These Lofty Goals …

Website-	Through generous donations, we are able to provide a top of the line website to help the public, and tribal citizens, to learn about, and connect with, the Cherokee culture.
Newsletter-	Thanks to donated funds, we are fortunate enough to produce an informative newsletter that keeps our peoples united and also serves as a vehicle to share tid-bits about Cherokee language, culture, etc.
Cherokee Empowerment Consultations-	FTCI provides consultations to governmental entities pertaining to issues of American Indian burial grounds, tribal culture, and other such topics; educational institutions, on educational and historical topics; genealogical and historical organizations; artistic and cultural charities and foundations; the media; and private citizens wishing to learn about Cherokee culture or how to track and claim their Cherokee heritage. All consultations are provided free-of-charge by volunteers, and there are no costs associated with this activity. FTCI officers pledge to continue to offer such assistance to government and social organizations, and to help Cherokee citizens find jobs, learn trades, assist in child welfare activities, etc. These activities are always conducted on a voluntary basis and volunteers always cover their own transportation costs. This program supports our nonprofit charitable purposes by strengthening the financial security of Cherokee families and the widespread understanding of Cherokee culture among non-Cherokee groups. Costs of this program are solely funded by donations, in-kind contributions, and as-needed grants.
Cultural Preservation, Educational & Theater Projects-	We are presently seeking funds to hold an annual cultural events and festivals as well as to digitally preserve native dances displayed in our many planned outdoor theater and dance projects. These events would be free for children to view and digital DVDs of authorized performances would be dispersed to local schools.
Land Fund -	We are presently seeking acreage to build a museum and an outdoor mound theater. We also hope to find enough land to wildcraft traditional herbals as well as to grow heirloom crops that are unique to the Cherokee. This property would be a site of outdoor classes that Cherokee peoples, local colleges, and local schools could use to gain insight into the past, as well as to gain a glimpse into the future, of the Cherokee peoples.
Hurricane Shelter Fund -	We are presently seeking funds to build a special needs shelter that is capable of weathering a Category V hurricane. The shelter would double as a community center and civic center. Classes and cultural events would also be held at this center to meet the various needs of the Tribe and the local community.
Kalonah Village Preservation Project 2035-	We are presently seeking funds for a village to be constructed called Kalonah Village. Kalonah is Cherokee for "raven", a bird viewed by many to be a carrier of the wisdom of the ancestors. Kalonah Village will be an interactive site where tourists can interact with true Cherokees to learn ancient ways, eat traditional and contemporary foods, see heirloom crops being grown in the traditional manner, etc. For the Cherokees involved in this project, it is a way for them to connect with there culture and interact with a community that is always accepting of the Cherokee culture.
Cherokee Assistance Program-	FTCI conducts a constituent assistance program, in which recognized Cherokees can seek food, blankets, clothing, etc. in times of great need or disaster. Such goods are gathered by FTCI through community donations and distributed by volunteers in times of need.
Job Connections-	FTCI provides notification of jobs and as-needed training for those Cherokees wishing to improve their fiscal standing. Such programs are usually provided by volunteers and rely solely off of the financial support of donors, in-kind contributions from the community, and needs based grants.
Education Promotion	With the kind financial support of the public, the FTCI works to help provide educational resources and information to graduating Cherokees as well as Cherokees wishing to go back to school.

The Florida Tribe of Cherokee Indians, Inc. is registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services as Registration #CH29301. Pursuant to Florida Statute 496: “A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.”

© 2010 Florida Tribe of Cherokee Indians, Inc. on behalf of the Florida Tribe of Cherokee Indians. Nothing on this site may be represented without the express written consent of the Florida Tribe of Cherokee Indians, Inc. and the Florida Tribe of Cherokee Indians.