In the video below, Brianna Juneau reports on FAST Blackfeet, which is dedicated to improving food security, providing nutrition education, and reclaiming and building food sovereignty within the Blackfeet Nation.
FAST stands for Food Access & Sustainability Team. For more information, click here to visit the FAST Blackfeet website.
In a response to a need for affordable access to food and food sovereignty, FAST Blackfeet launched the Ō‘yō‘·ṗ’ Food Pantry in Browning, Montana. Situated in the middle of town near the Methodist Church, food insecurity has never been so pressing.
According to the program, a 2016-17 assessment revealed that 69% of individuals on the Blackfeet Reservation experienced food insecurity, a stark contrast to the national average of 12.5%. This statistic underscored the urgent need for community-driven solutions to address hunger and restore traditional food practices.
“We’re not sovereign if we’re not eating our own foods,” explained Danielle Antelope, the programs Executive Director. “The types of food that we eat are even more important because they connect us to where that food comes from and its significance. Here, it’s about that connection to Blackfeet culture.”
For Gae Bennett and her family, that connection is essential.
“It’s been hard times ever since COVID hit. I’ve probably been coming here for over a year,” she shared. “The bison – you go to buy it in the local stores, and it’s really expensive. But here, it’s free.”
Bennett’s family is one of 400 households served by Fast Blackfeet every week. The program not only provides buffalo meat but also offers other traditional Blackfeet foods, ensuring families have access to both nutrition and heritage.
Danielle added, “If you don’t have access and it’s not affordable, you won’t have the opportunity to experiment with recipes and introduce that food to your family’s plate.”
2024 marked a major milestone for the program: it was the first full year the pantry was stocked with buffalo meat, made possible through local bison hunts and purchasing.
The initiative goes beyond food distribution. It’s about reviving and sustaining traditional Blackfeet ways of life.
“Sustainability really happens in the growing health program of like, supporting local producers when we’re doing buffalo harvests and helping people be on the land and harvest their own foods and medicines.” Danielle emphasized.
At its core, Fast Blackfeet is a movement towards food sovereignty – ensuring the community isn’t just eating but thriving on its own terms. The program also offers cooking classes and recipes so participants can know what foods to use and how to use them.
Danielle said, “True food sovereignty means having people who provide the food, teach about it, and create opportunities to connect with it.”
Through initiatives like this, Fast Blackfeet is proving that food is more than just sustenance – it’s culture, identity, and a path towards a stronger future.
