The Natchitoches Tribe of Louisiana (NTL), a Louisiana State Recognized Tribe and 501(c)3 organization, was awarded a 2024 Emergency Mitigation and Preparedness grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH). This grant will be used to prepare NTL’s Disaster Response team members in disaster preparedness along with making structural improvements to reinforce the NTL Tribal office and Heritage Center building, located in Campti.
Junell Scheeres, NTL Executive Director, accepted the grant on behalf of the Tribe from Erin Voisin, Director of Grants for LEH and expressed the Leadership Team’s appreciation of this $9,900 award.
NTL’s Primary Chief, Fred Simon summed up his thoughts on this award saying, “This grant will continue our Council’s commitment to protecting the Tribe’s people and its resources on our Tribal property in Campti. Storms are a way of life in Louisiana. We will use this grant to better prepare for and recover from them quickly.”
Today’s Natchitoches Tribe consists of over 1800 descendants tracing their shared heritage from the Native Americans who once occupied the region. This grant will be used to benefit local NTL members who continue to reside in nearby towns and parishes.
NTL seeks to promote the health, education and well-being of its members and the communities where they live through a variety of activities. This year is already on track for Tribal members to participate in local parades, cultural events and folk-art festivals. The NTL will host another traditional PowWow, open to the public in November.
“We -host community support and tribal events to honor the sacrifices of our ancestors and to build a future for our Tribe,” shared Vice Chief Janette Melton. “This grant will continue this commitment.”
