Tribal commodity programs in 12 states to benefit from stimulus money

This story was filed on August 19, 2009

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that Recovery Act funding is now available for tribal organizations and states operating commodity programs on reservations. Tribes in 12 states will receive money from the act for equipment and buildings. I see a lot of tribes missing from the list, which probably means they didn’t submit a proposal or they simply don’t need the money. Or perhaps there was so little money available to spread to 560 federally recognized tribes. Here is the release, including the 18 tribes that will dip into the funding pot:

WASHINGTON, August 19, 2009 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that Indian Tribal Organizations and States operating the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) will receive approximately $1 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to purchase equipment and improve facilities needed to provide food assistance.

“It is imperative that people in the United States have access to safe and nutritious food, and through the Recovery Act, we’re investing resources to enhance the availability of food on Indian Reservations and tribal lands,” said Vilsack. “The Obama administration is committed to increasing the health and nutrition of people throughout the country, and these Recovery Act investments will help further that goal.”

Through FDPIR, USDA purchases food that is provided to low-income households, including the elderly, living on Indian reservations, and to Native American families residing in designated areas near reservations and in the State of Oklahoma. Currently, there are 271 tribes receiving benefits under FDPIR through 98 Indian Tribal Organizations and 5 State agencies. Almost 100,000 individuals receive a monthly FDPIR food package.

Today’s announcement is the first in a series of FDPIR Recovery Act allocations; altogether $5 million in Recovery Act funding will be provided. Indian Tribal Organizations and government agencies benefiting from today’s announcement include:

Arizona: Gila River Indian Community Navajo Nation

California: Riverside/San Bernadino County Indian Health Southern California Tribal Chairman’s Association Yurok Tribe

Idaho: Nez Perce Tribe Shoshone-Bannock Tribes

Kansas: Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas United Tribes of Kansas and Southeast Nebraska

Mississippi: Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

North Carolina: Cherokee Tribe of North Carolina

New Mexico: Pueblo of Acoma

Nevada: Yerington Paiute Tribe

Oklahoma: Muscogee Creek Nation

South Dakota: Lower Brule Sioux Tribe

Washington: Quileute Indian Tribe Quinalt Indian Nation Spokane Tribe of Indians

Wyoming: Shoshone Tribe

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Jodi Rave

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