FAST Blackfeet

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The Blackfeet Nation has long faced significant challenges related to food insecurity, health disparities, and the loss of traditional food systems. These issues, compounded by economic instability and the impacts of climate change, have created a critical need for sustainable, culturally grounded solutions. FAST Blackfeet was founded to address these challenges by reclaiming our food sovereignty, promoting nutrition and growing education, and providing accessible, healthy food to our community. As our organization has grown, so too have the demands on our dedicated staff, who are the backbone of our programs. However, the increasing workload, coupled with limited resources, has made it challenging to retain and support our staff effectively. Any staff turnover threatens the continuity and effectiveness of our services, directly impacting our ability to meet the needs of the community. This grant presents an opportunity to strengthen our organization’s capacity by investing in staff retention and wellness. By focusing on these areas, we can ensure that our team remains motivated, supported, and equipped to continue the vital work of addressing food insecurity and promoting sustainable practices. The grant will allow us to implement wellness initiatives and provide professional development opportunities all of which are essential for maintaining a stable and effective workforce. Ultimately, this investment in our staff will translate into more robust and sustainable programs, better service delivery, and a greater overall impact on the Blackfeet Nation. By securing this grant, we aim to build a resilient team that can continue driving our mission forward, ensuring a healthier, food-secure future for our community.

This project will increase access to foods that fit a traditional Blackfeet diet. The project leverages FAST Blackfeet’s ability to educate community members on healthy and traditional eating through the Ō´yō´•ṗ´ (We Are Eating) Food Pantry and other programs. This contributes to long-term food insecurity prevention in the Blackfeet Nation.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Since its founding, our organization has operated out of rented storage facilities across the community. The organization has spent several years investigating its options for building a new Food Resource Center. This investigation led us to purchase six acres of land and complete initial designs for the future facility. With a recent electrical fire temporarily closing its current rented space, the need for a permanent home to sustainably support our expanding work and serve the community is greater than ever. We are undertaking a capital campaign to raise $8.5 million to build the facilities we need to deepen and sustain our work of improving food security, providing nutrition education, and reclaiming and building food sovereignty within the Blackfeet Nation.

Covid-19 Response

This project will increase access to foods that fit a traditional Blackfeet diet. The project leverages FAST Blackfeet’s ability to educate community members on healthy and traditional eating through the Ō´yō´•ṗ´ (We Are Eating) Food Pantry and other programs. This contributes to long-term food insecurity prevention in the Blackfeet Nation.

This project utilizes FAST Blackfeet programs to continue food access for food insecure Blackfeet Nation residents by sustaining a program of healthy food outreach through retaining a network of local MT agriculture growers to leverage the availability and quality of food distribution and ensure the best use of foods provided.

The intent of this project is to increase food storage capacity through addition of freezers and a cooler along with an electrical upgrade to utilize the pantry more efficiently. Widening our receiving door will create a safe, efficient work environment which will help volunteer retention and improve conditions for staff.

This project will increase access to foods that fit a traditional Blackfeet diet. The project leverages FAST Blackfeet’s ability to educate community members on healthy and traditional eating through the Ō´yō´•ṗ´ (We Are Eating) Food Pantry and other programs. This contributes to long-term food insecurity prevention in the Blackfeet Nation.

COVID-19 Response

The O’yo’p’ On Wheels Program will create a part time position to service 8 outlying communities on the Blackfeet Reservation with regular scheduled food deliveries. We will utilize our existing client data-base to reach families in these communities. A consistent delivery schedule will increase participation in our overall food program

Emergency supply relief for the Blackfeet Nation

This project utilizes the existing relationship between the Blackfeet Tribe, ARMP, the FDPIR, and FAST Blackfeet to create the Blackfeet Community Food Resource Center, enhancing control over our local food economy and creating centralized food production/distribution. It leverages food insecurity data collected on FAST Blackfeet CFSA by increasing food access.

Collect food prices on certain food products sold in Native communities.

The ultimate purpose of this project is to utilize the information collected in the Blackfeet Reservation CFSA in the summer of 2016 by creating new material that will present findings in a variety of ways including: creative infographics, Facebook posting, community events, and other public gatherings. In this way, the new material will increase awareness of issues of food insecurity on the Blackfeet Reservation, allowing leverage with existing community programs to further educate people on the importance and role of Food Sovereignty and use of Traditional Foods.