U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) provides USDA Foods to the Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc. (Five Sandoval) where Food Distribution Program Director Florence Calabaza is responsible for the efficient food distribution of food to those in need; supplying nutritious and culturally respectful foods to their distribution center (SEEN) in Bernalillo, NM; those who can walk to a tailgate pick-up point, such as in the parking lot of the Pueblo of Isleta Assisted Living Facility Elder Center; and for those who are homebound, USDA Food is delivered to those in the five Pueblo tribal members of Cochiti, Jemez, Sandia, Santa Ana and Zia and its surrounding tribal and non-tribal communities, on September 10, 2019.
For almost 50 years, Five Sandoval has enhanced the lives of tribal members through the important and longstanding services. Five Sandoval does this by sustaining and evolving their services and programs by offering employment, education, human and health services. The services are provided in such a manner that the values of tribal sovereignty, traditional culture, and community integrity are respected and preserved. Five Sandoval is proud to be a primary resource to the communities and are committed to partnering with both, tribal and non-tribal entities to maximize the opportunities for the people served.
The Five Sandoval Food Distribution Program is a federal program that provides USDA food assistance to Native American and non-Native American households living on a reservation and to households living in designated areas near a reservation that contain at least one person who is a member of a federally recognized tribe.
The USDA Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) provides USDA Foods to income-eligible households living on Indian reservations and to Native American households residing in designated areas near reservations or in Oklahoma. USDA distributes both food and administrative funds to participating Indian Tribal Organizations and state agencies to operate FDPIR. These Indian Tribal Organizations and state agencies determine applicant eligibility, distribute the foods, and provide nutrition education to recipients.
The FNS mission is to increase food security and reduce hunger by providing children and low-income people access to food, a healthful diet and nutrition education in a way that supports American agriculture and inspires public confidence.
USDA Photos by Lance Cheung with permission of Five Sandoval and Pueblo of Isleta. Original public domain image from Flickr