A future for unhoused tribal members

By Shaelyn Smead, Tulalip News

On December 19, Tulalip Tribes hosted the ribbon cutting and blessing for the newly built extension of Village of Hope. The intimate community consists of 17 one- and two-bedroom tiny homes created as permanent residences for unhoused tribal members. Of the 17 tiny houses, seven residents moved in before Christmas, and the other ten are moving in this new year. 

The Village of Hope’s extension project was created in 2018 and overseen by the Executive Director of tribal Services, Teri Nelson. It is the first permanent housing available for unhoused tribal members. Compared to the temporary transitional housing that Tulalip has, tenants can stay for as long as they need if they follow the community requirements and their case manager’s expectations.

Teri said, “I’ve been to many conferences and serve on Snohomish County Partnership to End Homelessness as the tribal government board member. Permanent housing has been proven to be more successful than transitional housing. They [residents] don’t have the stressor of the ticking clock, counting down to the moment when they have to move out. Whatever barriers they face, like credit issues, claiming an address, seeking employment, obtaining a driver’s license, etc., they have as much time as they need to accomplish it and better focus on their goals.” 

The project was submitted to the Board of Directors in 2019, where they quickly approved the concept.  The initiative was shaped more definitively after a stakeholder survey was sent out to community members in 2020. After seeing the high demand for shelters and concerns about chemical dependency, an examination of Snohomish County’s statistics for unhoused people was also taken into consideration. All these helped assess the number of homes needed and the specific needs the Village would strive to provide. 

The parcel for the Village was chosen based on its proximity to Behavioral Health, medical care, child care, and other support services that the residents would utilize later on. After seeing the progress with tiny homes and pallet shelters for unhoused communities in various rural areas, it was decided that this would be the route for Village of Hope. 

For a project initiated in 2018, the Village of Hope had obstacles to overcome. Due to various landscaping and covid-related complications, the project took much longer than anticipated. Tulalip’s primary source of income from the casinos took a hit during the pandemic, making the project’s financial status questionable. Inflation was starting to affect supply costs, and the demand for help increased. Ultimately after putting out bids in 2021, native-owned Reece Construction won and began to build. To help finance this project, the Village of Hope received funding from the Tulalip Foundation, the state Department of Commerce, and tribal government.  

Covid-19 regulations during that time also affected the design and structure of the homes. The initial goal was to have a kitchen within the community building for tenants to use, but with extremely limited gatherings allowed, the plan no longer seemed feasible. The designs for the homes were quickly changed to include kitchenettes for each home.

In the hopes of Covid-19 lifting, the Village of Hope built a community building where tenants can gather, do their laundry, utilize the computer work center, partake in cultural practices, and break bread.

In addition, the Village of Hope wanted its tenants to start on the right foot. The units were set to be fully furnished and include household items like pots, pans, bedding, dinnerware, etc. Each tenant has access to tribal resources, such as medical care, behavioral health care, employment training, counseling services, cultural services, education, vocational training, and more.

The Village had approximately 27 applicants, but the 17 residents chosen were based on the severity of their situations. Each tenant was also designated a case manager to help them set and achieve their goals, ensure they’re following community guidelines, and set them up for success. As each tenant’s case is unique, so are specific requirements.

Teri said that the potential tenants worked closely with tribal staff to help create the community guidelines. “We wanted to create a sense of agency. They’re the ones that are going to have to work at it every day, and if they don’t feel like they have a voice in it, then it might make accomplishing their goals more difficult. We wanted to empower them to build their community and support each other,” She said.

Overall, to apply for the Village’s permanent housing and maintain their residency, they must obey the curfew, the tenants must remain sober, they must meet a specific financial status, have an enrolled tribal member living within the unit, and have zero history of sexual crimes/offenses.

With an understanding of the demand to help tribal homelessness, plans are already being set to build additional housing and accommodate tribal members struggling. 

Board Secretary Debra Posey was at the ribbon cutting and spoke fondly about the efforts made toward the Village. “This is what a tribe does. A tribe is about its people and the well-being of its members, and I’m grateful that our people have this opportunity to get out of the cold and start something new. My hands go up to the people who made this possible and the people moving in and beginning their journey. May they finally have some comfort,” Deborah said. 

As the moving day came for some tenants, they were overjoyed and overwhelmed with emotion, with some even comparing the experience to the television show Extreme Makeover. Teri noted, “The world is changing so quickly, and some people could be only two paychecks away from losing their home. And that is exactly what happened to some of these people. Homelessness isn’t an identity, it’s people that are experiencing homelessness.”

If you or someone you know require tribal transitional housing, don’t hesitate to get in touch with dparks@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov to see if you qualify. 

Lena Arlet Jones

OCTOBER 4, 1957 – DECEMBER 26, 2022

Lena Arlet Jones born on October 4, 1957 in Arlington, Washington to Kenneth Moses Sr. and Theresa (Joseph) Moses passed away on December 26, 2022 surrounded by family. Lena, a Tulalip tribal member, respected and honored her Snoqualmie, Wenatchee, Duwamish, Cowichan, Saanich, and Malahat ancestry.

Lena graduated Darrington High School in 1975, where she held the record as the fastest typist and shorthand transcriber. Lena attended Seattle University shortly after high school and graduated with her Bachelor of Arts from Antioch University in 1998. She received her Master of Arts in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix in 2005.

Lena started working when she was 13 years old at berry farms. Lena dedicated over 31 years of her life to working for The Tulalip Tribes in Natural Resources, bədaʔčəɬ, the Legal Department, and at the Hibulb Cultural Center. Lena loved working as the Education Curator for Hibulb, where she helped coordinate the film festival, lecture series, workshops, and lesson plans. Lena loved to be a part of the quilting group that annually make Veterans quilts to honor and respect the Tulalip service men and women. 

Lena loved and cared for her sisters and brothers. Often recalled as the most caring person while watching over her siblings growing up. As a sister and aunt, every Christmas, she ensured that all of her siblings, nieces and nephews got gifts. She also provided whatever support she could to the family, whether it be finding them work, donating her time or money to their causes, and sharing her knowledge, teachings, and gifts with the culture and spirituality of our people in the United States and Canada. 

Lena raised four children and has nine wonderful grandchildren who were her world. 

Lena is survived by her children, Monique (Moses) & George Jones (son in-law), Kyle Moses, Derek Jones & Christine Ann Jones (daughter in-law), Aaron Jones & Brit Reed; her grandchildren Eilidh Fleek, Sorcha Fleek, George Jones Jr., Kenneth Jones, Walter Jones, Stomper Jones, Artie and Selena Jones (twins), and Mikel Jones; her siblings Russell Moses (Judy), Lyle Moses, Marcia (Moses) Horne (Manual), Susan Moses, Myra (Moses) Hudson (Hoss); her loved nieces and nephews.

Lena is preceded in death by her parents, Kenny Moses Sr. & Theresa (Joseph) Moses; her grandparents, Peter & Selena Joseph, Edward & Helen (Pierce) Moses; her siblings, Kenneth Moses Jr. & Carolyn (Grenier) Moses, Dolly (Moses) Iukes, and Gladys Moses. 

Lena goes on to join our ancestors.

An evening service will be held Friday, Dec. 30, 2022 at 6:00 PM at the Tulalip Gathering Hall. A celebration of her life will be held Sat. Dec. 31, 2022 at 10:00 AM at the Tulalip Gathering Hall with burial to follow at Mission Beach Cemetery.

In the care of Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home

Hayleigh Jo McGhie

Hayleigh Jo (JoJo) McGhie, 17, passed away on December 8, 2022 at Everett Providence Hospital.
Hayleigh was born in Everett, WA on June 22, 2005 to Brett McGhie and Corrina Gobin. 
Throughout her life, Hayleigh enjoyed numerous hobbies which included being a member of the 4H club where she proudly participated in showing dogs and horses. Arts and Crafts with her mother, while listening to their favorite music was another one of her cherished past times. She loved the outdoors; riding and racing quads alongside her father, standing by a bonfire and camping at fish lake will always be memories her family will treasure. Hayleigh attended Arlington High School and looked forward to walking alongside her graduating class of 2023. She was referred to as a sister to many of her friends and offered a sense of family for many youth in need. JoJo was full of life and love, she will be deeply missed by all of her family. At the end of her journey with us, our precious Hayleigh Jo was able to give the gift of life to numerous others through organ donation.
Hayleigh Jo leaves behind her Mother Corrina Gobin, Father Brett McGhie (Dana), Special Guardian Jerry Jones, Sisters – Keely (Taylor), Mykalee, Jaxsyn, Shelby and Taylor (Branden), Brother – Charlie, Great-Grandma Bev, Grandma Donna (Jerry), Papa Steve, Grandpa Kyle (Michelle), Uncles – Kit, Michael (Nicole) and Kyle (Angela) , Aunts – Krisan (Ross), Lori (John), Stacey, Special Auntie/Cousins – Rebecca, Samantha and Cidney, Nephews – Charles, Hank, Brett, Miles and Jr. Nieces – Beverly and Marilyn. She also leaves behind numerous family members that were dear to her heart; but far too many to list. 
She is preceded in death by her Great-Grandpa Tom, Great-Grandma Jo, Grandma Wendy and Uncle Kenny.

Services for Hayleigh will be Friday, December 23, 2022 at 10:00am at the Tulalip Gathering Hall, 7512 Totem Beach Road, Tulalip, WA. Immediately following, Hayleigh will be laid to rest at Mission Beach Cemetery in Tulalip, WA. 

Mary Jo James

Mary Jo James born December 19, 1944 in Everett, WA to Monacella and Leroy Henry passed away December 12, 2022 surrounded by family in her home. She graduated from Marysville Pilchuck High School in 1963. After high school she participated in a relocation program beauty school at Mr. Lee’s Beauty School in Vancouver, WA. She came home to marry her high school sweetheart Leonard James, with whom she had four children, Hanford, Jana, Lisa and Derek. Mary Jo was a homemaker, Tulalip Entertainment Center Session Supervisor/Manager and employee of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She is preceded in death by her parents, Monacella and Leroy Henry, sisters Loretta James, Donna Cooper, Patricia Cheer, Elizabeth Henry, brothers Woodworth (Bunny) Henry, Patrick Henry, Oliver Henry, Morrie Henry, Hanford Henry, Duane Henry children Hanford James and Derek James. Survived by brother Leroy Henry, sister Annette Napeahi, children Jana Nordahl and Lisa James-Rodriguez, numerous grandchildren, nephews, nieces and cousins.


A funeral service for Mary Jo will be held Monday, December 19, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Tulalip Gathering Hall, 7512 Totem Beach Road, Tulalip, WA 98271. Following the funeral service will be a committal service from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Mission Beach Cemetery, Mission Beach Road, Tulalip, WA 98271. December 12, 2022

Tulalip Bay Fire brings holiday cheer while raising donations

By Shaelyn Smead, Tulalip News

On December 9-10, the Tulalip Bay Fire Department hosted its annual Santa Run. The department helped spread holiday cheer while collecting non-perishable foods and monetary donations to support the food bank at the Tulalip Church of God.

All around Tulalip, people could hear a mix of sirens, Christmas music, and a jolly, “Ho Ho Ho” from honorary guest, Santa! A firetruck covered in lights and candy canes led the Fire Department parade, as five more trucks and engines followed shortly behind. Families rushed from their houses and stood anxiously by the edge of the road, anticipating their arrival. Children grinned from ear to ear as they ran up to Santa and announced their Christmas wishes. Ole Saint Nick was spotted running up to doors, handing out candy canes, yelling “Merry Christmas,” and asking people of all ages whether they are on the naughty or nice list this year. 

A Santa tracker was available again for this year’s event on the Tulalip Bay Fire Department’s Facebook page, where community members could follow Santa’s GPS location and see which neighborhood he was visiting in real-time. 

Some of the Tulalip areas visited were: 

  • Madison Estates 
  • Tulare
  • Spee-Bi-Dah
  • Tulalip Shores 
  • 83rd Pl Nw
  • Hermosa
  • 43rd St NW
  • Potlach 
  • 56th St NW to 62nd St NW
  • Y-Site
  • Mission Ave 
  • Battle Creek
  • Walter Moses Jr Dr/28th Dr. NW
  • Ezra Hatch RD/ Larry Price Loop Rd
  • Mission Highlands
  • Silver Village

Tulalip Firefighter and Paramedic Lindsay Ross, who has participated in the Santa Run for the past six years said, “This is our community that we take care of daily. We love being able to do this every year, to give back and share these memories with them. We love hanging out with the kids, but we also love visiting the elders. I know they’re a big part of the population and an important part of this community, so visiting and bringing them that Christmas spirit is important to us.”

An abundance of households were prepared to help those less fortunate as firefighters rounded up their canned goods, non-perishables, and monetary donations. 

On December 12, several Tulalip firefighters drove to the Tulalip Church of God to make a special delivery. With hundreds of pounds of food and a $904 check, the Tulalip Church of God was overwhelmingly thankful for everything that was donated by the community. 

“We are so blessed to be partnered with the Tulalip Bay Fire Department and to have such a good relationship with the Tulalip community. Everyone has been so good to us and has made it possible for us to continue helping others. I think this was our biggest Santa Run donation yet!” said the Food Bank Manager Charolette Petrie. 

The food bank is available to community members and is open every Tuesday throughout the year. Contributions from events like the Santa Run help the food bank tremendously and allow more families to get the food they need. Much like the Thanksgiving baskets distributed earlier this year, Christmas baskets will also be given out to anyone in need. If you would like to donate to the Tulalip Church of God, please visit the church at 1330 Marine Dr. NE, Tulalip, WA, or contact them at (360) 653-7876.

TPD Officers and their families celebrate with Santa and Mrs. Claus

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The mission of the Tulalip Police Department is solely based on service to Tulalip’s 2,700 or so citizens who live on the Reservation and the even higher number of non-Tulalips who make up the greater on-Reservation community. The office of the Chief of Police and his many supporting staff considers it their duty and privilege to protect all citizens living within the 22,000-acre sovereign nation that is Tulalip from crime, but also to protect and defend the rights guaranteed under the Tulalip Tribes Constitution.

For all that they do for Tulalip, the entire police department was invited to partake in a special holiday celebration with their families on December 6th in the Orca Ballroom.  

“A huge thank for all the work you do on behalf of this Tribe,” said Chairwoman Teri Gobin. “You each play a critical role in keeping our people safe. We’ve come a long way over the past few decades. As our membership has grown, our business ventures have grown, and our police force has grown. I want to let each and every one of you know that you are valued and appreciated.”

“Like Madam Chair said, I want to thank all of you for being here tonight and allowing us to celebrate you,” added Vice-Chairwoman Misty Napeahi. “We know how much your families have to sacrifice because of your commitment to keep our community safe. This means working the weekends and holidays, missing your children’s game days and award ceremonies, and other special family moments so that you can fulfill your duty to protect and serve Tulalip. My hands go up to every single family member in this room because its through your support that our officers can truly thrive.”

For the officers and support staff who brought their kids along, they were greeted by guest appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus. Children screeched with glee to chat, hug, and take a keepsake photo with their Christmas icons. 

While filling their bellies with an assortment of eats from the 4-Diamond catered buffet, officers enjoyed a rare night off to relax with their families and speak casually with Board of Directors Teri, Misty, and Mel Sheldon as they made their rounds to each table. 

As the evening celebration concluded, Chief Sutter reflected, “This was really a great night for all our unsung heroes. They were able to enjoy the moment with their families. For me, seeing officers laugh and smile with their kids while taking picture with Santa and Mrs. Clause was so cool. Our professional often keeps us from having the time to create these special moments, so it really was amazing to see the simple joys of family and friends having light-hearted fun together.” 

Santa and his reindeer visit Tulalip

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News 

It was a full house at the Don Hatch Youth Center on the evening of December 12th as families gathered for some Christmastime fun during the Tulalip Education Division’s Holiday Celebration. Loaded with fun holiday-themed activities, the youth beamed with excitement and joy as they visited the many stations at the celebration. And to help set the yuletide vibe, DJ Monie kept the crowd amped throughout the night by playing all the Christmas classics and some new mixes as well.  

“We went with a little bit of a variety,” said Danielle Fryberg, Tulalip Education Division Executive Assistant and lead organizer of the Holiday Celebration. “We had cookie decorating, ornament making, stocking coloring; there was a hot cocoa station and everyone really loved that. I think it’s important to have holiday events for the kids. This is a fun time for us to come together as a community and see each other and be with our friends and family.”

A beautiful Christmas dinner was served at the Greg Williams Court. And while attendees enjoyed their meal, they were treated to the beloved Christmas flick, Elf, on an extra-large projection screen. And because the celebration was a three-hour event, Elf was followed by another holiday comedy, Christmas Vacation.

“It’s really important to bring people together to spread holiday cheer, be one as a community, and do fun activities together, and enjoy each other’s time and company,” expressed Jessica Bustad, Executive Director of the Tulalip Education Division.

On the grassy area between the Greg Williams Court and the teen center, Santa Clause parked two of his reindeer before he went inside to take photos with all the families for the evening. Kids of all ages were astounded to see the reindeer adorned with sleigh bells, and they quickly formed a line to meet, pet, and feed the reindeer. Many of the youngins made multiple trips to check on the magical mammals, perhaps to make sure they didn’t fly off to the North Pole without jolly old St. Nicholas. And speaking of Santa, he had quite the busy trip to Tulalip this year as close to one-hundred boys and girls shared a conversation with him before posing for a photo in his sleigh.

The Education Division also hosted a book fair during the Holiday Celebration, and everyone in attendance had the opportunity to select a book to take home and read over the upcoming winter break.

“Anytime the bookfair is here, I get super excited to watch all the kids pick out books,” Jessica stated. “We love books. We’re the education division; we love learning, and we feel it’s important for every child to have books in their homes. Winter break is coming up and our hope is that they’ll have some books at home during the break that they can read. Reading is fun and we need the parents and adults of the community to help the children feel that.”

Everybody who was in attendance of the Holiday Celebration dressed in festive attire; some wore Christmas PJs, others wore Santa hats, but nearly everyone wore an ugly Christmas sweater. At the midway point of the party, DJ Monie announced the start of an ugly Christmas sweater contest. Split into three categories; kids, teens, and adults, the contest helped showcase the creativity and humor of the contestants. Some of the contestants took the time to personalize their sweaters by adding additional decorations, and others simply wore a sweater featuring their favorite characters such as the Grinch, Stitch, and Buddy the elf.  

“That was fun and exciting,” said Ugly Sweater Contest participant, Sandy Pitchforth. “It was great to see all the kids who participated. The highlight of the night for me was all the crafts that were available for the children, and just being able to do things together. It was fun and we’re looking forward to the next events to happen.”

The evening ended with a raffle giveaway and each winner walked away with the gift of their choosing ranging from toys and fishing poles, to air fryers and Bluetooth speaker systems. The Tulalip Education Division’s mission to spread holiday cheer was a great success as the kids left with gifts in their hands, smiles on their faces, and memories to last a lifetime. 

“I won a raffle prize and chose a speaker because I love music,” young Sophia Williams excitedly shared. “We love playing Christmas music loud and I’m really excited to use it for that. My little cousin also won and picked a volleyball for some reason. My favorite part tonight was making a stocking, hanging out with my friend, and just having a good time. This [Holiday Celebration] helps make the community a better place for us all.”

The Education Division has plenty more Christmas joy to spread and have a number of events coming up including the Tulalip Youth Council’s Winter Break Kick-Off and the Holiday Powwow. They also have a Christmas Break schedule for those youth (grades 6th-12th) who wish to take part in a movie outing on 12/19, Ice Skating on 12/20, a Christmas Party on 12/21, and Christmas Bingo on 12/22. For more details, please contact the teen center at (360) 716- 4909.

Said Jessica, “The Tulalip Education Division wants to send love and prayers out to our community. We hope everyone has a safe and fun winter break. And we encourage you to keep learning, keep growing your brains, and have fun doing it.”