RE: Re: ONE Spirit~Pine Ridge Rez Fresh Food Co-op Awesome!
----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: ONE
Date: Dec 26, 2008 7:31 PM
----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Black Wolf
Date: Dec 26, 2008 10:26 PM
There is a cure for hunger: It is called food.
For the past 5 days Michelle has been out of food for her family. Her two children are able to get breakfast and lunch at school during the week but the only food at home has been rice and potatoes.
Bernice, a grandmother caring for 7 grandchildren, called yesterday. She had just received an order of food through Project SHARE. I could hear the excitement in her voice as she told me that they were so happy to get the food because they had been eating pasta for several days.
Another mother wrote "Thank you for sending us the food. My children love fruit, something they never get, so they gobbled it up in no time."
PLEASE HELP Victims' Assistance of Indian Country (VAIC) is requesting help with providing food for the many elders and families they serve. Examples include an elder who told me she had no food but that she does have some tea; and a mother who is 7 months pregnant and did not eat so her two children would have enough food. While VAIC and ONE Spirit work together to find ways to resolve the crisis, you can help insure that there is enough food so no one goes hungry. $50.00 will buy enough food for the elder for two weeks through project SHARE and will feed the family for a week.
Project SHARE On Pine Ridge and Cheyenne River Reservations
The Project SHARE food co-op, managed and operated by ONE Spirit and the Lakota people, is providing fresh fruit, vegetables and meat to over 100 families and elders representing over 800 people. Every month, increasing numbers of people ask to be part of the food program. This is the only food program on the reservation that delivers food that is both high quality and has high nutritional value.
Given the high unemployment (90%) and an average family income of $6000.00 per year, families time and again find food in short supply. Children attend after- school programs to take advantage of snacks as it is often the only food they will have for dinner. Government food programs are not designed for sharing societies. The Lakota people believe in and practice sharing.
Families share what they have with extended family, relatives, and neighbors. Those that are eligible for food stamps (EBT) and commodity programs also share with others. This means that food runs out or is in short supply long before the next government allotment. There are no food banks or food resources available to regularly meet basic food needs not covered by the government programs.
There is also an extremely high incidence of diabetes and other health problems that are likely related at least in part to diet. Government programs provide a high starch diet with little fruits and vegetables.
How does project SHARE help?
SHARE helps in two ways. First of course it brings fresh fruits, vegetables and meats to the families at a time each month when it is most needed. Second it provides employment and promotes self sufficiency. On Pine Ridge, the Lakota people unload the food trucks, sort the food, and deliver it to the homes. On Cheyenne River, a group of Vietnam Vets, through a compensated work therapy program, do the work required to get the food to the people. In both instances, the workers obtain food for themselves and their family and they help their people.
How do I participate?
1. Donate a SHARE of food. Click on the donate button at the top of the ONEspirit page to make a donation. (http://nativeprogress. org)
2. For more information about the program and how you can participate, contact:
ONE Spirit SHARE Food Program
Mike Glinsky
mglinsky@nativeprogress.org
Learn more about SHARE at their Web site: www. sharecolorado. com
No comments:
Post a Comment