Co-ops Build Better Food Systems

$100,000. That was the goal. Thanks to you, and together with 165 other fellow food co-ops, we were able to donate an outstanding $140,000 to North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFS), a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing Indigenous food systems and promoting cultural preservation within Native American communities.

The NATIFS donation was made possible by National Cooperative Grocers through a nationwide cause promotion to increase food access at the local level, while simultaneously funding efforts to promote and restore Indigenous food sovereignty on a larger scale. Last November, food co-ops around the country participated in the promotion by lowering prices on all Field Day products while also donating five cents for every Field Day product purchased: lower prices for you, higher donation for NATIFS.

Collectively, co-op shoppers put approximately 280,000 Field Day items in their carts! At our Co-op: 18,616 Field Day item for a Skagit Valley Food Co-op contribution of over $930.

In case you didn’t already know, Field Day is the Co-op’s value brand that affords better access to organic, nutrient-dense foods (including canned organic produce) along with household products at a competitive price, for everyone. At a time when grocery trips increase for seasonal celebrations, being able to purchase these items is an opportunity for people to eat better on a budget throughout the holidays and every day.

NĀTIFS was founded by Lakota Chef Sean Sherman (James Beard Winner known as the Sioux Chef). Through initiatives like the Indigenous Food Lab, NĀTIFS offers training programs, educational workshops and support for Indigenous entrepreneurs to empower individuals and foster economic development.

By addressing economic disparities, food insecurity and the loss of Indigenous food knowledge, NĀTIFS aims to restore health, wealth and cultural identity to Indigenous populations. The organization's commitment to promoting Indigenous foodways education, facilitating food access and revitalizing ancestral knowledge underscores its mission to create positive social impact and support underserved communities.

13 Moons at Work

Local Impact: 13 Moons at Work + Native Northwest

Your Co-op wanted to do more. Because much of NATIFS’ work is currently Midwest-focused we sought to amplify the nationwide promotion by creating local impact with our own donation: Skagit Valley Food Co-op pledged to match our contribution toward the NATIFS campaign with a donation to 13 Moons at Work. Not only did we match our NATIFS donation of $930, we tacked on 5% of sales Native Northwest in the month of October to the total, in recognition of Indigenous People’s Day//Month. That’s $6,020!

Native Northwest was featured in the October 2024 Natural Enquirer; it is a local organization dedicated to supporting Indigenous art and artists, whose Indigenous-designed products we carry in our Mercantile.

13 Moons at Work is a Community Environmental Health Program of the Swinomish Tribe, whose land is here in Skagit County, not far from the Co-op and adjacent to much of Skagit’s rich agricultural lands.  Part of their work involves evaluating Indigenous health, a difficult task due to the many intangible aspects of health. The strategy is to focus a paradigm of health in lieu of disease, and to think about less tangible aspects of health via the proxy of first foods (also called traditional foods or “Swinomish foods”). The Swinomish apply the Indigenous Health Indicators concepts to its climate change work, as well as to food sovereignty and informal learning.

The program has also developed and launched the 13 Moons curriculum, based on the 13 lunar phases of a calendar year. The lunar cycles indicate seasonal changes, so each moon is named for the seasonal events that take place during that time. For example, the “Moon when the Frog Talks” usually begins in mid-to-late February and signals the coming of spring and the time to harvest new greens such as nettles and miner’s lettuce. The curriculum provides a variety of informal educative workshops and activities for all ages that are specific to the harvest cycle. The activities reflect the foods, resources, traditions, technologies, and practices associated with each of the 13 moons, supporting and bolstering the IHI. Foods and medicines made during 13 Moons workshops are shared with the community at Elder lunches and community dinners, among other events. The curriculum has been made available to other tribes to implement at a larger, regional scale.

Accompanying the 13 Moons curriculum is other program work, including increasing access to fresh, local produce. 13 Moons at Work operates the 13 Moons community garden and the Swinomish preschool’s mini 13 Moons garden. Fruits and vegetables from the garden are freely shared in the community via produce carts, at Elder lunches, and in the main kitchen.

A Powerful Partnership: Organically Grown Company

Then, to build out this cooperative circle of giving even further, the Co-op applied for Organically Grown Company’s Mission Grant in an effort to join forces with our Portland-based produce supplier as part of a multi-pronged effort with national, regional, local implications, and ripple effects at every level. The ask? Additional funds for 13 Moons.

Typically, OGC’s Mission Grant is awarded to help support produce departments like ours with equipment and other immediate produce-related needs. A monetary donation for the Co-op to pay forward did not fall within the grant’s scope. We applied anyway.

Organically Grown Co. generously awarded us 2,500 additional dollars to give to 13 Moons!

NCG Cause Promo Contest

Lastly, the November Field Day promotion was a contest for member food co-ops: co-ops with the best execution would be awarded prize money. We believed receiving the OGC grant would improve our chance of winning the contest, so in our OGC Mission Grant application, we also pledged to donate the NCG prize money amount to 13 Moons at Work, should we win. And guess what?! We got 2nd place, adding another $2500 to the donation total.

Together, we are all helping 13 Moons continue its work to promote Native food sovereignty, with its implied consideration for climate, natural resources, local farming, Native foodways, and food access right here in Skagit Valley.

And that, is the beauty of cooperation: good keeps growing, and the ripples continue…