Alaska currently imports 95% of its food from outside sources and is ranked 9th in the nation for food insecurity. Chignik Lagoon, a rural community accessible only by plane or boat, is no stranger to the challenges of food security. When compared to the nearest cities and hubs, food costs in Chignik Lagoon are more than twice as high due to the expense of shipping. 

“Watch Our Roots Grow” is aimed at bettering our local farm community and the underserved Native American Community. By purchasing local meats and produce from farms in our area we will be bettering our local agricultural community and raise awareness about the benefits of purchasing local, including saving money. We will aid our community with food needs to help defray the rising cost of food and educate our tribal citizens about local foods. We will hold up to 12 pantry days per year to distribute meats and miscellaneous goods that all families need to flourish.

The project purpose is to expand the tribes’ food pantry and distribution centers’ services by adding one (1) more food distribution center/pantry in Oklahoma County, for a total of four (4) food distribution/pantry locations. The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes will cover a total of twelve (12) counties with underserved tribal community members that will receive fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats (beef and buffalo) that will be directly purchased from two (2) additional local and disadvantaged farmers and producers totaling six (6) farmers and producers.

Cherokee Nation (CN) Human Services (CNHS) goal for its food and nutrition programs is food and nutrition security, meaning participants have consistent and equitable access to healthy and safe foods that promote health and well-being. To further this goal, CNHS is applying for two-years of funding, in the amount of $9,104,790 CNHS will increase food and nutrition security by equitably providing tribal elders within the reservation with pecans; honey; and lean ground beef, pork and bison. 

Tlingit & Haida will continue to distribute the purchased seafood to more than 3,000 tribal citizen households (approximately 12,000 individuals) in 18 rural Southeast Alaska communities, most of which are not connected to the U.S. highway system and experience food security concerns.

Catawba Nation’s Natural Resources Division will enter into a Local Food Purchase Agreement to provide produce, meat, dairy, and other minimally processed items to citizens of Catawba Nation and their households. At least 50% of these purchases will come from socially disadvantaged producers in our region and at least 10% of the purchases will be of culturally relevant foods such as corn, beans, squash, and bison.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the availability of a final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program. The final PEA analyzes and discloses the potential environmental impacts associated with the establishment of the RFSI program.

Funding from LFPA Plus will add a third year to our current two-year program and increase the quality and diversity of produce supplied to underserved communities. We will continue to deliver monthly fresh food boxes to 100 households in need of food in our remote, rural community. We anticipate purchasing an additional 6,000 pounds of local produce and an additional 2,400 pounds of local meat. Totaling 17,000 pounds of local produce and 6,800 pounds of local meats purchased through this program, a significant increase in local food consumption for recipients and income for local farmers.

In small communities like those in the Blackfeet Nation with few resources, help is vital to stretching food dollars where two of every three people are food insecure. The purpose of the project is to enhance the Blackfeet Tribes Food Distribution through the procurement and distribution of local, domestic food to underserved and food insecure Tribal members. The Tribe will seek out and engage local and regional socially disadvantaged farmers/producers who can provide foods for allocation to our community members.

Bishop Paiute Tribe’s Muadubu Nuumu Fresh Produce Project will provide fresh healthy produce to the Bishop Paiute Elders Program, Bishop Paiute Head Start families, and Bishop Paiute Tribal community members from this underserved community who are in need of food. Because of the location of the Tribe in an isolated rural tourist area between Mammoth Lake, CA and Yosemite National Park, the high cost of living makes food security an issue to families.