Sonora, CA…Sonora Area Foundation announces the establishment of the Black Oak Casino Resort Community Fund. The fund expands the philanthropic reach of Black Oak Casino Resort by partnering with the area’s largest public charity. According to Black Oak Casino Resort CEO Ron Patel, “We are very much aware of the great work Sonora Area Foundation does in Tuolumne County and saw partnering with them as an opportunity to expand the reach of our charitable giving program. Using the resources of the Foundation also offers us an opportunity to be aware of all the many relevant needs within our community.”

The two organizations have already been working together as mentioned by Black Oak Casino Resort’s General Manager Aaron Moss: “We established a scholarship fund with Sonora Area Foundation a few years back and have been impressed with how well the process works. They make it very easy for us.”

The Sonora Area Foundation is a Community Foundation incorporated in 1989, commencing operations in 1990. Its mission is to strengthen our community by promoting philanthropy through assisting charitable donors, making grants to worthy projects and programs and providing leadership on local issues.

The Sonora Area Foundation, along with two supporting organizations, the Irving J. Symons Foundation for Tuolumne County and The Symons Family Fund, has assets of approximately $43 million. The Foundation holds and administers more than 170 charitable funds set up for a variety of charitable purposes and educational scholarships. The governing boards of the Foundation and supporting organizations regularly award grants that fulfill needs in Tuolumne County and exceed $23.5 million since inception.

The Sonora Area Foundation is a member of the Council on Foundations, a national membership organization for community foundations. For information on grant applications, making a donation or establishment of a donor fund, contact the Foundation at 209-533-2596 or through its website www.sonora-area.org.

Black Oak Casino Resort is owned and operated by The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians in Tuolumne, California. For more information on Black Oak Casino Resort, visit www.blackoakcasino.com.