Food Sovereignty and Security in Native Communities

Restoring Indigenous Food Sovereignty

For Native communities, food sovereignty is the inherent right to define their own food systems — to grow, harvest, share, and sustain traditional and local foods in ways that reflect their cultural values, protect the land, and strengthen self-determination. It goes beyond simply ensuring access to food; it restores the deep relationships between people, land, and culture that were disrupted by colonization. Food sovereignty empowers Native nations to reclaim their agricultural traditions, rebuild sustainable food systems, and ensure that future generations can feed themselves with dignity and cultural pride.

Since its founding in 1986, Running Strong has worked to strengthen Native communities through programs rooted in local leadership and traditional cultural values. Food sovereignty and food security are central to that mission. From community gardens to mobile markets and youth feeding programs, Running Strong partners directly with tribal communities to combat hunger, reduce reliance on distant food sources, and restore traditional agricultural practices.

Food Sovereignty: Investing in the Future of Tribal Communities

The cornerstone of Running Strong’s food sovereignty efforts is the Medicine Root Garden Program at the Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Nine-month garden education program: Community members learn to grow, harvest, prepare, and eat fresh produce, receiving tools, fencing, and seedlings to start their own home gardens.
Hands-on demonstration gardens and greenhouses: Located at the community center, these serve as teaching hubs for various growing techniques.
Economic empowerment: Graduates sell their produce at the community’s EBT-friendly Farmers Market and through the Mobile Market, generating income and increasing local access to fresh food.
Community impact: In FY25, the program produced 25,000 pounds of fresh produce, reaching residents across the reservation.

Running Strong also supports additional community-led food sovereignty initiatives:

Walker River Paiute Tribe (Nevada): Revival of the tribe’s community garden and orchard, creating local jobs, establishing a drip irrigation system, and supplying the tribal food pantry with fresh produce.
Slim Buttes Agricultural Development (Pine Ridge): Longstanding support includes tilling gardens, distributing seeds and seedlings, and training families in sustainable growing methods.

Together, these projects not only increase access to healthy foods but also restore pride connection to the land.

Food Security: Ensuring Needs Are Met Today

Running Strong’s food security efforts address immediate hunger needs through consistent and far-reaching food distribution.

Food Pantries and Food Boxes: In FY25, 17,339 food boxes (over 511,000 lbs. of food) were distributed through tribal partners in South Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma, Nevada, and Wisconsin.
Summer Youth Feeding Program: Provided 9,800 lunches and 9,800 take-home snacks at three Cheyenne River sites, feeding 200 children daily throughout the summer.
Backpack Food (Smart Sacks) Program: Delivered over 23,000 weekend food packs to students at schools serving the Cheyenne River, Standing Rock, and Menominee tribes.
Emergency Food Response: Running Strong met food needs at the Walker River Paiute Tribe when the USDA’s funding for food banks was disrupted, limiting the availability of many foods.
New Food Pantry Infrastructure: A modified shipping container pantry at Oyate Ta Kola Ku now operates twice weekly, providing fresh and shelf-stable food to local families.

Running Strong’s food sovereignty and food security programs are guided by the principle that Native communities know best what they need to thrive. By combining traditional food knowledge with modern tools and resources, Running Strong is helping tribes restore self-reliance, improve health outcomes, and reclaim their right to define their own futures.

Through nearly 40 years of partnership, Running Strong continues to sow the seeds of sovereignty — ensuring that Native families not only have food today, but also the power to feed their nations tomorrow.