Island Impact is Treasure Island and Prairie Island's commitment to harness the power of tribal gaming to create this ripple effect of generosity and drive positive change within our local communities.”

Kristin Edmundson, community engagement supervisor at Treasure Island Resort and Casino

The Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island Resort and Casino are expanding their long tradition of charitable giving through a new initiative designed to strengthen partnerships with local nonprofits, invest in employees and deepen their impact across the region.
The effort, called Island Impact, launched in 2025 as a formal corporate social responsibility platform for the tribal gaming enterprise. The program brings structure to decades of philanthropic work while introducing new programs aimed at both community organizations and casino employees.
Kristin Edmundson, community engagement supervisor at Treasure Island Resort and Casino, shared details about the initiative during a presentation to the Hastings Area Rotary Club on March 5. Edmundson said the program grew out of a long history of community support tied to the Prairie Island Indian Community and the casino.
“Treasure Island and Prairie Island since the bingo hall has been in existence, which has been 42 years now,” Edmundson said. “We just celebrated our birthday in February, so have been very philanthropic, donating nearly $30 million back into the community over that time, but without a formalized, structured program.”
Over the years, the casino and tribal community supported many organizations through donations and partnerships. However, leaders felt a more organized approach could help them build deeper relationships with nonprofit partners and create long term programs that better serve the region.
“So there was a desire for a program that allowed deeper connection, that allowed program building,” Edmundson said.
Edmundson joined Treasure Island about three years ago to help develop the program. In its early stages, the process involved extensive conversations with employees, tribal leaders, nonprofit organizations and business partners. Those discussions helped shape the direction of Island Impact and identify the areas where the casino could make the most meaningful contributions.
“We went through a lot of focus groups and then just started to build around what we wanted this new corporate social responsibility platform to be,” Edmundson said.
Island Impact now serves as the umbrella for community giving and engagement efforts by the Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island. The initiative is guided by five core pillars that help determine how the casino directs its resources and partnerships.
The first pillar focuses on cultural awareness and education, reflecting the casino’s roots in the Prairie Island Indian Community and the Dakota culture.
“This is, we are owned and operated by Prairie Island, the Dakota culture, and celebrating their history is always going to be our number one priority,” Edmundson said.
Through that focus, Treasure Island supports Native American nonprofits and cultural programs while helping bring Dakota traditions to broader audiences. The casino also partners with professional sports teams on events such as Native American heritage nights, where drummers, singers and other cultural performers share Dakota traditions with fans.
The second pillar centers on economic empowerment. This area includes support for small businesses, educational programs, scholarships and initiatives that help individuals build financial stability and long term opportunities.
Treasure Island has supported scholarships at Hastings High School, Red Wing High School and Pine Island High School, along with additional education related initiatives. Edmundson said those investments are aimed at supporting future leaders and strengthening the local economy.
Health, wellness and equity form the program’s third pillar. This category includes both physical and mental health initiatives, along with youth development programs and community partnerships that promote healthy living and equitable access to recreation and sports.
Many of the casino’s nonprofit relationships fall within this category, including blood drives and youth focused programs that create safe spaces for children and families.
The fourth pillar focuses on environmental stewardship. The Prairie Island Indian Community has been leading sustainability efforts, including renewable energy projects and land restoration work. Treasure Island is working alongside tribal leaders as those initiatives expand.
The final pillar looks inward at team members’ wellbeing. Treasure Island is the largest employer in Goodhue County, with more than 1,600 employees working across a wide range of roles. Those employees include people working traditional office schedules, as well as staff in hospitality, gaming, housekeeping and food service.
Employee feedback played an important role in shaping several Island Impact programs.
Among them is a volunteer time off program that allows full-time employees to take up to eight hours of paid time each year to volunteer with nonprofit organizations. Workers can participate in volunteer events arranged by the casino or volunteer independently with causes they support.
Another initiative, the team member relief fund, was created after employees expressed the need for support during personal emergencies.
“It wasn’t until we started the focus groups that we found out that we needed something like a team member Relief Fund,” Edmundson said.
The program provides financial assistance for employees facing major hardships such as medical crises, domestic transitions or unexpected disasters that affect their homes. The fund is largely financed by Treasure Island, although employees can also choose to contribute voluntarily.
“We have funded almost 30 team member applications,” Edmundson said.
One of the most visible pieces of Island Impact is the casino’s Charity of the Month program. The initiative allows guests to donate leftover gaming credits to nonprofit organizations.
When guests finish playing at gaming machines, they often have small remaining balances on their tickets. Instead of cashing them out, visitors can choose to donate those amounts directly at casino kiosks. The donations are collected throughout the month and directed to a selected nonprofit partner.
Since the program began in October 2020, guests have raised about $1.3 million through those donations. Monthly contributions typically range from about $25,000 to $32,000 depending on casino traffic and events.
With the launch of Island Impact, Treasure Island expanded the program by committing to match guest donations dollar for dollar.
In January 2026, the combined contributions from casino guests and Treasure Island resulted in more than $53,000 being donated to Hastings Family Service.
“Not that $25,000 isn’t a great donation either, but to be able to make that even bigger and make an even bigger impact is something that’s been really important to us,” Edmundson said.
The selection process for nonprofit partners has also changed under the new platform. Instead of selecting organizations internally, Island Impact now invites nonprofits to submit applications explaining their mission and how the funds could help their work.
The response was far larger than organizers expected. The program received 57 applications from nonprofit organizations seeking to participate.
A committee of nine Treasure Island employees reviewed those applications, conducted site visits and eventually narrowed the list to 12 nonprofit partners for the 2026 calendar year.
The selected organizations include several from the immediate region, including two based in Hastings and multiple partners in Red Wing.
Hastings Family Service served as the January partner, followed by Care Clinic in Red Wing in February. Other organizations scheduled throughout the year include the Red Wing Area Food Shelf, the Red Wing Environmental Learning Center, McGizzy Youth Media, Special Olympics Minnesota, Hope and Harbor, Can Do Canines, Walk on Tipi Awan Yangapi, Carpenter Nature Center, the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center and HOPE Coalition.
In addition to monthly donations, Island Impact provides other support for those organizations. Treasure Island offers funding and space for nonprofit events at the casino, helps coordinate volunteer opportunities for employees and sponsors existing fundraising events hosted by partner organizations.
Some nonprofits use the casino to host volunteer appreciation events, while others hold donor recognition gatherings or fundraising programs.
Island Impact organizers have also set an ambitious goal for the coming year. By the end of 2026, Treasure Island hopes to donate $1 million to nonprofit partners through the program.
That total will come from several sources, including guest donations, casino matching contributions, volunteer programs and additional fundraising initiatives tied to Island Impact events.
Edmundson said the long-term vision is to create what the program describes as a ripple effect throughout the community.
“Island Impact is Treasure Island and Prairie Island's commitment to harness the power of tribal gaming to create this ripple effect of generosity and drive positive change within our local communities,” she said.
For leaders of the Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island Resort and Casino, the initiative represents both a continuation of a decades long tradition and a new chapter in how the organization approaches community partnerships.
By bringing structure to its giving while expanding opportunities for employees, guests and nonprofits to participate, the program aims to strengthen local connections and support communities throughout the region for years to come.