Food insecurity has been a consistent issue throughout Indian country. Far too many native families are food insecure. Bringing food to these families has been at the core of our mission for almost two decades.
Through distributing food boxes, developing community and family gardens, building food pantries, summer and weekend student feeding programs, and more, Running Strong food programs benefit thousands of families each year.
This past fall, we doubled our food box distribution to nearly 28,000 boxes in one year, including expanding to the Crow Nation in Montana and to the Walker River Paiute Tribal Nation in Nevada, which operates a food sovereignty program that serves 200 families weekly.
Here’s a glance at just the past few months:
- On Pine Ridge, at our Oyate Ta Kola Ku (OTKK) Community Center, on December 16, 209 families received food boxes containing approximately 25 pounds of nonperishable food items, enough to feed a family of four for a week. More than 1,000 turkeys and hams were also taken to families in the neighboring districts.
- The Walker River Paiute reservation’s food pantry serves 200 families each week and received 242 food pantry boxes in December.
- In the Cherokee Nation, 252 families received food boxes, with another 500 boxes distributed in January
In addition to the food boxes, Running Strong also offers our “Smart Sacks” program to Native American schools. This program provides students with a take-home bag filled with food to keep them (and their siblings and other family members) from going hungry over the weekend when they do not receive the two meals they do on school days.
- At the Keshena Primary School on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Wisconsin, the Smart Sacks program serves 400 students each week. Just this month, the school received 6,750 food bags to last for the entire school year.
- In December, 720 Smart Sacks were distributed at the Takini School on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in Howes, South Dakota.
- Also in December, 720 boxes were distributed at the Wakpala School pantry on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
In total, for the 2024-2025 academic year, thanks to the Running Strong supporters, we expect to distribute more than 25,000 Smart Sacks at the three reservation schools.
Here’s what just some food program recipients want to share:
- School staff want to ensure all children have a SmartSack to take home. “We make a food bag for every student. We now put the bags on the bus” so that all the children are assured of one as they step off the school bus. “Every student has been taking their food bags.”
- A Walker River Paiute reservation elder shares, “Food pantry means I can feed my grandkids.”
- “Wopila”
- “Thank you for everything you do. It’s appreciated more than you realize.”
- “Thank you for helping us.
And in the coming days, the construction of the NEW food pantry at the Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center on Pine Ridge will be completed and readying to welcome families that need some support to meet their food needs.
Donate now to Support our Food Security Efforts
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