Dear Jack,

 

Native and tribal communities are facing incredibly high levels of food insecurity—and it’s a direct result of years of displacement and forced removal from their ancestral lands by the U.S. government.

 

Now, many Native people live far from grocery stores with fresh, whole foods, forcing them to pay 10 times as much for groceries—most of which are outside their traditional diet—at the convenience stores closest to them. 

Congress can help by allowing Native communities to control how food programs are administered and remove restrictions. Tell lawmakers to honor Native American communities today!

Jack,

 

For Native Americans, the fight for sovereignty isn’t just about self-governance—it includes the fight for water, land, education, employment, cultural preservation, health care and, of course, food.

 

Native American and tribal communities experience higher rates of food insecurity than any other racial group. Most tribal reservations are far removed from grocery stores. So, despite the rich food traditions of their culture, many people living on or near reservations have limited food options and often can only shop at convenience stores or gas stations with extremely minimal access to fresh fruits and vegetables. 

 

Historically, the food distributed to Native and tribal communities by the U.S. government has been outside their ancestral diet—like bleached flour, refined sugars, processed meats, dairy and starchy food products—all of which contribute to many of the health issues faced by Native people. 

 

The government can help by supporting Native food sovereignty, enabling Native people to develop, design and maintain food systems that would give them the freedom to have the sustenance they need to thrive today, and for generations to come. 

 

Help honor Native American and tribal communities by telling Congress to respect the right of Native people to govern themselves.

The U.S. government forced many Native communities into geographically remote locations when they were removed from their ancestral lands. Now, Native communities have had their hunting, foraging and farming traditions disrupted, pushing indigenous people to depend on processed food. This has led to high rates of food insecurity.

 

What’s more: because reservations are far from grocery stores that sell healthy foods, fresh produce and meat, prices for the foods that are available can be up to 10 times more than prices at grocery stores in larger or urban areas.

 

Solutions are available. Giving Native and tribal communities the authority to administer government programs could more effectively work to end hunger in their communities. This would give Native communities access to nutritious foods and culturally relevant produce that’s locally grown. And it would support tribal businesses. 

 

We must ask Congress to help. Tell Congress: Allow Native communities to control how food programs are administered and remove restrictions!

The support of a farm bill that allows for Native and tribal communities to thrive opens the doors for future generations to thrive. Congress must act to help our communities now. 

 

Sincerely,
Feeding America

Daily Kos, PO Box 70036, Oakland, CA, 94612.