Purchase and distribute local food targeting purchases from socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers

Our intent with this project is to provide traditional, wild harvested foods to local ekwok tribal members who live year-round in ekwok. Harvesters in remote areas have access to these products and seek buyers through informal networks. NVE will develop a network of local and regional harvesters, purchase these traditional food products and transport them to ekwok via regional air service. The procured foods, to include wild-harvested herring eggs and salmon berries, will be distributed upon arrival in ekwok. The underserved population of local tribal members will be the beneficiaries of the freshly harvested, then frozen product. Quarterly performance reports will be submitted to capture the number of producers, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, distribution sites, and underserved locations as well as funds expended for each category. Annual reports will provide percentages of new marketing opportunities and purchases distributed beyond current food distribution networks. Ekwoks goal in this program is to support opportunities for equitable access to a healthy diet and traditional values through sourcing and distribution of traditional, culturally vital foods to ekwok tribal members. This project will support an estimated 50 local and regional harvesters of wild food products. Ekwok seeks to develop sourcing relationships with berry gatherers and herring EGG harvesters from alaska native communities in western and southeastern alaska. Ekwok residents have purchased wild-harvested products from individual sellers, who typically advertise the availability of their product through local forums. This project seeks to identify harvesters that can participate in this project, develop an organized network of sellers in advance of the harvest seasons to benefit local harvesters and the community of ekwok and which can be used from season to season. This project would benefit 40 native households within the native village of ekwok. A shipment of fresh foods from anchorage stores must travel 350 miles by air at great expense. While those foods may satisfy winter dietary needs, the majority of choices are not culturally relevant and may even serve to erode traditional food knowledge. Berries and herring eggs are important cultural foods to ekwok's tribal members.