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May 25, 2022 General Interest

The History of GLITC

Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council Inc., GLITC, was originally founded in 1963 as the Wisconsin Tribal Chairman’s Association, as the consequences of the federal experiment of Termination began to play out with the Menominee tribe.  Its purpose was to provide a means by which members of tribes could unite against the threat of termination and act as a mechanism for tribes to work through the challenges of governance and services for their communities. In 1965, GLITC was charted as a non-profit, non-stock corporation under Wisconsin law, and recognized as a tax-exempt organization under 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. As a non-profit, and with intertribal unity, the tribes could better develop and implement programs to help all tribal communities of Wisconsin along with one tribal community in Upper Michigan. Today, the Council is governed by a board of directors whose members consist of the tribal chairperson or president from each tribe. There are 11 members.

The mission of Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc is “to enhance the quality of life for all Native people”. GLITC fulfills this mission by providing services to Natives for their entire lifespan, from the womb into their elder years. These comprehensive and wide-ranging programs include Rural Infant Health Program, SNAP-ED, WIC, Indian Tribes of Wisconsin Youth Program, Native Breastfeeding Coalition, Native American Research Center for Health, Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Epidemiology, as well as, Elder and Aging and Disability Programs. There are 45 programs that GLITC operates, each is grant funded by State and Federal dollars. Most of the programs have home offices in Lac du Flambeau, WI. However, there are GLITC employees stationed throughout the state based on need and grant funding requirements of population to be served.

In 2019, GLITC partnered with Senior Medicare Patrol, SMP, to collaborate on two programs: the Tribal Technical Assistance Program, TTA, and the Aging and Disability Program. SMP partners with representatives from the Aging and Disability Program to deliver the SMP message throughout the Tribal communities. Together we inform and educate elders on of how to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, abuse, and errors. We do this through speaking at council meetings, attending health fairs, distributing our newsletter, and responding to our toll-free Helpline.

The member tribes of Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. are:

  • Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe Chippewa Indians,
  • Ho-Chunk Nation,
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin,
  • Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians,
  • Lac Vieux Desert Back of Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians,
  • Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin,
  • Oneida Nation,
  • Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians,
  • St. Croix Band Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin,
  • Sokaogon Chippewa Community, and
  • Stockbridge-Munsee Community.

For more information on GLITC, please visit their website at https://www.glitc.org/, and for an historical reference, please visit Menominee Termination  https://www.mpm.edu/content/wirp/ICW-97.