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 NationCalifornia:
Riverside/San Bernadino County Indian Health Southern California Tribal
Chairman’s Association Yurok TribeIdaho:
Nez Perce Tribe
Shoshone-Bannock TribesKansas:
Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas
United Tribes of Kansas and Southeast NebraskaMississippi:
Mississippi Band of Choctaw IndiansNorth Carolina:
Cherokee Tribe of North CarolinaNew Mexico:
Pueblo of AcomaNevada:
Yerington Paiute TribeOklahoma:
Muscogee Creek NationSouth Dakota:
Lower Brule Sioux TribeWashington:
Quileute Indian Tribe
Quinalt Indian Nation
Spokane Tribe of IndiansWyoming:
Shoshone Tribe#
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complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil
Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call
(800) 795-3272(voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).
USDA News
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Jodi Rave
