Growing Health
Restoring Food Sovereignty for the Blackfeet Nation
Established in 2021, our Growing Health program equips aspiring tea and vegetable producers to help build our local food economy. As the program continues to develop, it is allowing us to take our first step in directly promoting the production of local food. By doing so, we’re both creating a source of income for producers and increasing the availability of Indigenous teas and fresh produce in our community.
Producers receive material resources like raised garden beds, starter plants, and supplies. We provide them with educational videos and workshops, as well as learning opportunities with families and neighbors to grow our community’s knowledge base. Producers can sell their surplus teas and produce to the Ō’yō’·ṗ’ Food Pantry, offering them practical experience in selling to a local business and allowing our pantry to offer traditional, healthy foods to clients.
Growing Health also organizes FAST Blackfeet’s bison harvest, a well-attended public event where community members learn about this important traditional food. In 2023, we processed nearly 900 pounds of meat for the food pantry, while the bones were used in a cooking class and elders received the hide and organs as gifts.
Hunters Against Hunger
In addition to herbal tea and vegetable production, the Growing Health Program also includes the Hunters Against Hunger initiative. This program encourages local hunters to donate all or part of their big game harvest to FAST Blackfeet, helping feed our community.
To make it easier for hunters, FAST Blackfeet covers the cost of processing the donated game, which is then distributed through the Ō’yō’·ṗ’ Food Pantry. This partnership not only provides much-needed protein to community members but also supports sustainable food practices by utilizing local resources.
