The Cherokee Nation officially opened a new Elder Nutrition site in Dewey on Tuesday.

 

The site on Durham Road in Dewey is the 16th across the reservation, and leaders say it’s part of a larger push to expand services for seniors. Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner says the opening ties directly to Cherokee community values.

 

Secretary of State Shella Bowlin says the Dewey location is meant to be more than just a meal site.

 

The site will be open five days a week. Executive Director of Human Services Brittany Denny says elders don’t even have to come just for the food.

 

District 12 Tribal Councilwoman Dora Smith-Patskowski says community collaboration brought the project to life. The property on Durham Road was purchased in March 2022 and fully remodeled to house multiple Cherokee Nation services. She says the improvements come with an important message and vision.

 

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. says the expansion fills a key gap in services and reflects tribal sovereignty in action.

 

Hoskin says the expansion is funded through the tribe’s Public Health and Wellness Fund, not new federal dollars. He says the move is an example of the Cherokee Nation investing its own resources to meet community needs.