Performing Department
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Non Technical Summary
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 local food systems and available services.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
The vision of the Salamatof Traditional Foods Program is to nourish our people with traditional foods and build sustainable relationships with the land and each other. The goals of the Salamatof Traditional Foods Program Extension Project are to:Increase the amount (pounds) of traditional and local food available to community members by at least 10%.Enhance local food system workforce development through ten paid summer internship opportunities annually.Access land and water resources on the west coast of Cook Inlet by boat to acquire seafood, game meat, and foraged food with at least 20 harvest trips annually.Acquire necessary equipment including a vehicle and trailer and install a high-tunnel greenhouse on Salamatof land.Reduce barriers to food access by providing a bi-weekly delivery service through the harvest season and distribute food to at least 50 shareholder and Tribal member households annually.Expand educational outreach opportunities by participating in at least one community event annually and creating and distributing publicity materials.Partner with at least one local organization each year to support distribution activities and educational outreach for the public.
Project Methods
Efforts:Project staff will purchase needed supplies and equipment and recruit, hire, and train personnel and volunteers to increase the capacity of the Salamatof Traditional Foods Program by summer 2024. A vehicle and trailer will allow staff to launch boats, transport personnel, transport food, and allow staff and volunteers to participate in farmers markets or public events. A high-tunnel greenhouse will be purchased, delivered, and installed on Salamatof land by spring 2025 to lengthen the growing season and increase fresh food production. At least 20 wild food harvesting trips will be scheduled and completed within the Project period. Harvested food will be processed, prepared, and delivered to at least 50 households in need within the Salamatof service area. Educational public outreach materials and surveys will be developed and distributed to Project participants and at farmer's markets or other public event(s). The Tribe will work with local partners to expand access to food within the community and increasethe amount (pounds) of traditional and local food available to community members by at least 10%.Evaluation:Data and information will be collected throughout the Project to provide baseline data for operational planning to improve the Salamatof Traditional Foods Program and measure the success of the Project. Information collected will be organized into three main categories: Staff & Volunteers, Food Harvesting & Garden, and Outreach. Data will be collected and stored in paper and/or digital logbooks to be compiled and transferred to Excel spreadsheets by the Project Co-Director.Staff & Volunteersdata will include:number of internsinternship duties/accomplishmentsinternship hoursnumber of volunteersvolunteer duties/accomplishmentsvolunteer hoursnumber of staffstaff duties/accomplishmentsstaff hoursstaff and internship costs (salaries, fringe benefits, insurance, etc.)Food Harvesting & Gardendata will include:number of harvesting tripstype/method of harvesting tripslocation of harvesting tripsgarden planting/amendment scheduletype of plants plantednumber of plants plantednumber of species collectedtype of species collectedamount/weight of food collectedfood processing techniquesfood storage techniquesfood harvesting costs (fuel, supplies, equipment, etc.)food processing costs (space, supplies, equipment, etc.)Outreachdata will include:amount/weight of food distributedtype of food distributednumber of households impactedwhere and how the project is publicizednumber/type of public eventsnumber of interactions/people at public eventsnumber of new partnershipsassessment questionnaire/feedbackoutreach costs (marketing/publicity, supplies, fuel, etc.)To measure the success of Project goals, outputs, and outcomes, data will be collected, analyzed, and compared with 2023 Salamatof Traditional Foods Program data by Salamatof staff. Increased Project participant satisfaction and knowledge and community impact will be measured through the design, distribution, collection, and analysis of a participant feedback survey.Monthly staff and board meetings will be conducted to monitor the progress of the Project and ensure that milestones are met in alignment with the Project timeline. A final report will be completed to modify, improve, and expand the Program in the future and meet all grant award requirements.