MISSION — Cold weather did not slow volunteers at the Tutuilla Food Sovereignty Center, where they packed hundreds of bags of fresh food, bringing comfort and nourishment to families across the Umatilla Reservation.

Nearly 20 volunteers gathered Jan. 15 to support the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s (CTUIR) Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), which provides fresh produce, canned and dried goods, and frozen fruits, vegetables and meat to lower-income families. 

In addition, the program works to ensure consistent access to healthy food for those in need.

Supporting these efforts, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) FDPIR is part of the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative, which promotes traditional foodways, supports tribal food markets and advances Indigenous health.

Through this partnership, the CTUIR program is able to reach more families and offer a wider variety of foods. The program is open to all residents of the Umatilla Indian Reservation who meet financial eligibility requirements. 

To help the distributions run smoothly, students from Nixyaawii Community School joined volunteers from the CTUIR Workforce Development and BOLSTER (Building Opportunities for Learning and Skills Training for Employment Readiness) program to pack and distribute bags of food. 

The volunteer team stocked the warehouse with bread, potatoes, oranges, meat and other essentials, then packed hundreds of reusable bags for pickup. Outside, cars stretched down the street as families waited while volunteers stacked bags on pallets and organized boxes of produce for each household.

Liana Stewart, 17, a senior at Nixyaawii Community School, said she enjoys helping the community while earning service hours.

“I like how we’re able to help the community and get food back to people who obviously need it,” she said. “I want to go to college to help people. I’m undecided on exactly what I want to do, but I want to give back to my community. I think it’s important to help people because everyone needs help.”

Lawanda Bronson, manager of the FDPIR for the CTUIR, said the program has reached hundreds of families, with car lines of 300 to 400 vehicles on some distribution days. In addition, the program serves members of federally recognized tribes, including surrounding tribes such as Warm Springs, Yakama and Idaho.

Through Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center’s elders program, Community Health Representatives collect large quantities of food — typically 20 to 40 bags at a time — and deliver them to elders who cannot pick up a bag themselves.

Bronson said the program recently awarded contracts to Hines Meat for ground beef and roasts, while local producers in Long Creek, Hermiston, Elgin and Pendleton provide fresh produce. 

As a result, the program now offers a wider variety of seasonal foods than ever, including squash, asparagus, carrots, melons and apples, along with canned goods and frozen juice. Previously, it focused on cheese, milk and canned meats such as tuna, chicken and beef.

As the day grew windier and sprinkles of rain fell, volunteers waved cars in, and families drove up to pick up their winter food. For both volunteers and recipients, the work reflects a simple goal: making sure no one in the community goes without food.

Volunteer Shawn Simpson said the community faces both new and ongoing challenges. He added that it was encouraging to see the high school students helping out. Simpson said it was a “great turnaround,” adding that at 33 years old, he found it inspiring to see the next generation get involved.

The next distribution events are planned for Feb. 26 and March 12, though Julie Taylor, director of the Department of Children and Family Services for the CTUIR, said the schedule might change. 
Community members who qualify can pick up their orders at the Tutuilla Food Sovereignty Center, 46678 Tokti Road in Mission, during hours announced by the Food Distribution Program. For more information, call 541-429-7322 or email lawandabronson@ctuir.org.