Cherokee Nation leaders gathered Dec. 11 to officially celebrate a lease agreement with the Muldrow Cherokee Community Organization (MCCO) for a community center space that will provide the group a place to gather and fellowship for decades to come.

“Cherokee Nation’s Community and Cultural Outreach-participating organizations are part of the foundation of Cherokee society. Our community organizations are great places for Cherokee citizens and families to gather and share our culture and language,” said Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.

“We can often enter these spaces and see traditional practices being shared and see our youngest citizens perpetuating Cherokee culture with the help of Cherokee elders and wisdomkeepers. It’s imperative to help provide a space that reflects the important work done inside of them, and that’s what this lease achieves for the Muldrow Cherokee Community Organization.”

The Muldrow building is a 4,256-square-feet center including a community garden and a donation box. The lease will extend the use of the building to MCCO for the next 50 years for a nominal $1 fee from the organization.

“CCO organizations are important grassroots organizations. We often say that we don’t want to lose sight of where we came from, and if we continue to invest into our community groups, I don’t see that happening,” said Deputy Chief Bryan Warner.

The Cherokee Nation is supporting groups like the Muldrow Cherokee Community Organization through its historic Housing, Jobs and Sustainable Communities Act, which was permanently reauthorized earlier this year.

The Act allots up to $40 million in threeyear cycles, adopting plans to address housing and community building needs. Housing commands 85% of the spending, with 15% reserved for the tribe’s sustainable communities’ portion of the program for community building improvement and construction.

“This lease signifies yet another investment into one of our many Cherokee communities,” said Deputy Secretary of State Canaan Duncan. “The Muldrow Cherokee Community Organization will be able to expand and grow, ensuring their community will be around for a very long time.”

Community and Cultural Outreach’s mission is to assist Cherokee community organizations’ ability to increase their effectiveness, enhance essential services to those most in need, build upon the organizational capacity of each community, diversify resources and create collaborations to serve those in Cherokee communities.

Cherokee Nation owns the vast majority of the more than 30 community buildings operated by CCO-participating organizations. Under CCO policies, buildings owned by Cherokee Nation and leased to CCO-participating organizations on a long-term basis for a nominal fee allow the organization access to special capital project funding provided by Cherokee Nation to expand and improve the buildings.

“We’re just absolutely blessed,” said Muldrow Cherokee Community Organization Chairwoman Tashaa Harris. “We see a lot of bright things in our future and are thankful for the support from the Cherokee Nation.”