|
In November, we recognize Native American Heritage Month. This special bulletin highlights many of the recent FDPIR activities that support nutrition security in Tribal communities.
This past summer, FNS coordinated photoshoots with Lummi Nation and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to highlight their Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) Self-Determination Demonstration Projects. FDPIR staff from both Tribes provided photographers with many opportunities to see the projects in action and to document how they are providing local, Tribally-produced foods to FDPIR participants. Among other stops, the photographers visited Red Cliff’s Mino Bimaadiziiwin Farm in Bayfield, Wisconsin to witness the harvesting of organic lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radishes, and other fresh produce that is now included in FDPIR food packages distributed by Red Cliff. Photographers also joined several Lummi fishermen for a day of crabbing in Bellingham Bay near Bellingham, Washington to showcase some of the local seafood products that Lummi Nation is providing to their FDPIR participants. A few photos from the trips - taken by photographers Bryan Elsom and Angela Carbonetti – are included below and throughout this e-letter.
 |
|
Lummi Nation fisherman Tremaine Lawrence hauls in a catch of Dungeness crab. Lummi is working to provide locally-sourced crab, salmon, halibut, and prawns to FDPIR participants through its project. |
George F. Lane, Sr., an employee of Lummi Nation Commodity Foods, unpacks a box of local salmon fillets recently delivered to the food distribution warehouse. |
|
 |
 |
|
Allissa Stutte, Mino Bimaadiziiwin Farm Manager, harvests a batch of tomatoes for the FDPIR food packages distributed by the Red Cliff Bank of Lake Superior Chippewa. |
LeAngelo LaPointe, Red Cliff Fish Co. employee, stands outside of a fish processing facility located on the Red Cliff Bank of Lake Superior Chippewa reservation. The Tribe provides FDPIR participants with frozen white fish from Red Cliff Fish Co. through its demonstration project, among other items. |
|
 |
For additional photos and information about all 16 FDPIR Self-Determination Demonstration Projects currently in operation, please visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/fdpir/self-determination.
Recent updates to the FDPIR food package were made in a collaborative effort to ensure nutrition equity and further align the food package with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Each month, families will now take home more meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and vegetables! In addition, new foods such as frozen bison stew meat and frozen strawberries are now available.
Need a recipe or information to support these updates? Refer to the product information sheets, nutrition education resources, and your FNS Regional Office.
Photo source - Bryan Elsom and Angela Carbonetti
|
71 tribes shared their nutrition education plans using the $4 million in FDPIR funds available in FY 2024. FDPIR programs will hire nutrition education staff, create health and wellness policies, incorporate traditional foods in community gatherings and programs, and share gardening and food preservation knowledge among many other activities.
|
Photo Source - Bryan Elsom and Angela Carbonetti
32 NEW nutrition education resources including posters, shelf talkers, stickers, magnets, recipe cards, and brochures can be ordered and delivered for free by visiting the USDA Foods Nutrition Education Library. Over 50 more resources will be added soon! |
|
 |
Congratulations goes out to 61 Champions that have completed the Community Nutrition Champion Training (CNCT), designed and instructed by the Oklahoma Tribal Engagement Partners!
5 trainings took place in FY23, with 6 trainings scheduled for FY24:
- November 15-16, 2023 - Oklahoma City, OK
- February 2024 - Phoenix, AZ
- March 2024 - Santa Fe, NM
- May 2024 - Portland, OR
- July 2024 - Duluth, MN
- September 2024 - Sioux Falls, SD
If you are a non-nutrition professional working as an FDPIR program admin or staff, click the button below to nominate yourself or a team member to attend a future CNCT opportunity!
Photo source - Tiffany Grant, OKTEP
|
FDPIR Produce Training will be developed by the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) at the University of Arkansas through a cooperative agreement with the USDA. The training will help ITOs assess and safely distribute fresh produce to program participants. More details to come soon!
Photo Source - Bryan Elsom and Angela Carbonetti
|
A 2.5-day FDPIR Nutrition Education Symposium is scheduled for Spring 2024! This event will bring together FDPIR program staff, tribal nutritionists, public health professionals, community health champions, and affiliates from across the country to discuss the current state of FDPIR nutrition education and provide pathways for sharing, collaboration, and planning. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months!
Have you visited the FDPIR Sharing Gallery lately? A collection of resources and materials organized by format type will help you get started on nutrition education projects!
Interested in contributing content to the FDPIR Sharing Gallery? Send your recipes, photos, nutrition education materials, and other resources to USDAFoods@usda.gov. Please review our Recipe Criteria for submitting recipes.
|
|
