Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the current issue facing many…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the current issue facing many salamatof community members is a lack of food security. The cost of purchasing nutritious food is high due to transportation costs associated with bringing produce into remote areas. Food insecurity is a critical problem in rural alaska, as IT affects overall mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Many community elders and those who can no longer hunt, fish, or gather for themselves lack access to culturally appropriate food. Access to traditional foods can also be difficult due to lack of transportation, health, or financial burdens such as fuel prices. To address this issue, salamatof native association, INC. (snai) is expanding the salamatof traditional foods program to reach a greater number of community members in need of nutritious, traditional, and wild-harvested foods.salamatof native association, INC. (snai) is a native corporation formed under the alaska native claims settlement act of 1971 with headquarters located in kenai, alaska. Snai serves the rural communities of kenai, soldotna, kasilof, nikiski, sterling, and cooper landing on the kenai peninsula in southcentral alaska. The salamatof tribe and snai work together to provide services and benefits to tribal members and shareholders.snai is committed to preserving and strengthening salamatof cultural heritage, traditions, subsistence practices, and intergenerational transfer of knowledge for a healthy and self-sufficient community. The purpose of the salamatof traditional foods program extension project is to expand access to local food in an area where many people struggle with food security. The project will develop new methods for harvesting, processing, and distributing food through access to fishing grounds, local partnerships, and the acquisition of necessary equipment.a vehicle and trailer will be purchased for boat launch, personnel transportation, supplies transportation, and food distribution. A high-tunnel greenhouse will be purchased and installed on salamatof land in order to extend the short alaskan growing season and distribute fresh fruits and vegetables to community members. The project also aims to enhance local food system workforce development through internships and volunteer involvement. Knowledge, information, and skills gained from participation in the project will be applied to the improvement of local food systems and future employment opportunities.project personnel will acquire, process, package, and distribute locally sourced and harvested food to households in the salamatof service area to create health and well-being for all community members. New partnerships and collaborative efforts will be pursued to expand the reach of the program including the use of a shared kitchen to prepare food for distribution. Personnel will participate in public events and outreach activities and design and distribute publicity materials such as social media posts, flyers, and brochures to create a greater community awareness of the loca, l food systems and available services.