Sweetgrass Food Lodge responds to a critical and ongoing food crisis on the Wind River Indian Reservation. According to a CDC-supported study, 65% of Native households here experience food insecurity, with over 20% facing very low food security, meaning regular disruption of food intake and reduced quality of nutrition (Porter et al., 2019). These rates are ten times higher than the national average, driven by limited access to fresh, affordable, and culturally relevant foods.

Our initiative works to change that by restoring access to traditional foods, supporting local food systems, and developing community infrastructure for storage, sourcing, and equitable distribution. We partner with community based organizations locally and nationally, local producers, hunters, and knowledge keepers to reclaim foodways. By increasing availability of wild game, heirloom crops, and traditionally prepared meals, we aim not only to alleviate hunger, but to reduce preventable diet-related illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension, both of which occur at significantly higher rates among Indigenous communities on Wind River.