Forging Hope Yawa’ Awards Honoring Nonprofits
Four organizations receive the prestigious Yawa’ Award from the San Manuel Gaming & Hospitality Authority
LAS VEGAS (April 29, 2024) – Perfectly coinciding with the second anniversary of the history-making resort, the San Manuel Gaming & Hospitality Authority (SMGHA) and Palms Casino Resort hosted the inaugural 2024 Forging Hope Yawa’ Awards and recognized four outstanding nonprofit organizations for their exemplary contributions to the quality of life in Southern Nevada.
The inaugural Forging Hope honorees each received the prestigious Yawa’ Award. Yawa’ is a Serrano cultural concept passed down through generations. It is a Serrano term meaning “to act on one’s beliefs” and is the cornerstone of the SMGHA’s Palms Cares giving program. Yawa’ is a bedrock value among the People of San Manuel as a measure of their hospitality and respect for those who dwell upon, or visit their ancestral homelands, and beyond. Honorees were selected for their exceptional service, accountability, resilience, and contributions to improving the quality of life in the communities they serve.
Held in the picturesque Moon venue high atop Palms Fantasy Tower, honorees, and guests were treated to a breakfast banquet before the program began. Traditional Bird Singers marked the start of the awards ceremony. Longtime speaker, trainer, and philanthropy executive Punam Mathur with the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation expertly served as master of ceremonies.
Recipients of the 2024 Yawa’ Award, the SMGHA’s highest honors, included The Just One Project, Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada, Discovery Children’s Museum, and Green Our Planet.
The inaugural group of honorees were each presented with a unique Serrano gourd rattle (prepared by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Tribal Youth). They were surprised with an additional $25,000 to further celebrate their good work.
"Every Yawa’ Award recipient exemplifies remarkable commitment to their communities. Their selflessness and dedication resonate deeply, reminding us of the kindness shown to our Tribal family during times when envisioning a brighter future seemed distant," said Latisha Prieto, Chairperson of the San Manuel Gaming & Hospitality Authority. "It is a privilege to stand alongside these community heroes, recognizing their invaluable contributions to uplifting our communities."
Each year, the SMGHA and Palms partner with hundreds of organizations providing a “hand up” to underserved populations in the communities that they serve. The SMGHA and Palms Cares have already awarded more than $4 million in grants in 2022 and 2023 to local nonprofits that reflect the pillars that are most meaningful to the SMGHA including education, empowering lives, reinforcing healthy and resilient communities, and preserving cultural traditions.
“We are immensely proud to be part of the vital work nonprofits do in Southern Nevada,” said Carla Rodgriguez, Secretary of the San Manuel Gaming & Hospitality Authority. “Their tireless efforts in addressing critical community needs and improving lives inspire us every day. Together, we are making a meaningful difference and creating a brighter future for all."
The following day, a special traditional Land Acknowledgment ceremony was privately held at Palms with the SMGHA and local tribal leaders from the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe and the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians to formally recognize and acknowledge the Indigenous peoples from the land in Southern Nevada.
To learn more about the SMGHA’s and Palms giving program, visit palmscares
About the 2024 Forging Hope Yawa’ Award Honorees:
The Just One Project (Empowering Lives) – The Just One Project (TJOP) is a grassroots organization whose vision is to “Inspire, Impact, and Change.” In less than a decade, TJOP has gone from a dream hatched at a kitchen table to a 50-employee business serving seniors, adults, youth, and children living in Southern Nevada – all of whom are low-income and are experiencing food insecurity or are at high risk for food insecurity. Services are provided throughout Clark County, with no area or zip code restrictions. TJOP impacts over 17,000 individuals monthly, distributing an average of 600,000 lbs. of groceries.
Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada (Reinforcing Resilient and Healthy Communities) - Since 2010, Volunteers in Medicine has provided free healthcare services to community members without access to healthcare in Southern Nevada. With a $2.6 million budget resulting in more than $8.8 million in care to the community, the organization leverages paid staff with a volunteer, student, and resident workforce along with financial and in-kind contributions made available from private healthcare organizations and community-based partners to fill healthcare gaps. This is one of the few community clinics in Las Vegas that provides primary care to children, youth, and adults who don’t have access to primary care. Often, this organization serves as the “primary doctor” for many of their patients. They are a critical resource to the local community.
Discovery Children’s Museum (Preserving Cultural Traditions & Empowering Indian Country) - Discovery Children's Museum plays a critical role in the community's educational landscape offering world-class, interactive educational experiences. For over 32 years, DISCOVERY has provided high-quality educational programming and family-oriented explorations in STEM, cultural diversity, and the arts, serving 225,000 visitors in a typical year and another 40,000+ through community engagement programs. Discovery has been working with the local
Tribal communities and local Native artists to bring cultural programming to the museum. In 2019, DISCOVERY became Nevada’s first museum to offer admission assistance to visitors for $3/person for foster care families and those that receive any form of public assistance.
Green Our Planet (Inspiring Our Future Through Education) - Green Our Planet is a nonprofit conservation organization that operates the only STEMworks-accredited school garden and hydroponics programs in the United States. The organization’s mission is to increase student
academic performance in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects and conserve the environment through project-based education, which includes nutrition, financial literacy, and environmental education in PreK-12 schools. Since 2013, GOP has built 196 school gardens, and the School Garden STEM Program has enabled schools to use gardens as experiential teaching tools to engage students in Clark County schools.
