Partnership With Native Americans Receives $258,000 Grant From Walmart Foundation

Funds will help support healthy nutrition, education, healthy cooking and a mobile nutrition and training unit

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Jul 05, 2016, 11:04 ET

ADDISON, Texas, July 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA) announced today a grant received in the amount of $258,000 from the Walmart Foundation. The grant will help fund programs that support nutrition and healthier living on the reservations PWNA assists across the country.

The grant will be used to address the critical needs of Native Americans who suffer from the highest poverty rates in the U.S., yet receive less than one percent of the nation's charitable giving. Funds will support enhanced food distribution, nutritional education, community garden projects, cooking and canning training and provide a mobile nutrition and training unit for tribal communities in the Southwest region where PWNA currently provides other services.

"The Walmart Foundation's grant will allow PWNA to further champion improved health and nutrition for people living in the remote and often isolated tribal communities we serve," said PWNA President and CEO Robbi Rice Dietrich. "Our hope is to create healthier, more nutritious food options and support Native American partner programs working toward long-term self-sustainment."

PWNA sought the grant from the Walmart Foundation to advance a variety of essential nutrition services that will help improve health through higher quality foods and training. The funding will support – and expand – existing services offered by PWNA through its regional offices in Phoenix and Rapid City, S.D. PWNA transports food and supplies from these locations to tribal communities in the Northern Plains and Southwest regions of the country, every week, and funds community investment projects to increase food sovereignty.

Specifically, PWNA will use the Walmart Foundation grant to:

Provide thousands of children nutritious snack and juice service through food pantries
Distribute emergency food supplies for thousands of people through food pantries
Provide fresh produce distributions at eight Elder Nutrition Centers
Support ten community garden projects and provide garden training
Conduct canning and healthy cooking training in 15 communities
Equip a mobile nutrition and training unit for use in Southwest communities

PWNA has the critical assets, infrastructure and capacity to address nutritional projects in partnership with tribal communities, including a culturally relevant approach, distribution system, established network of reservation program partners, industry collaborators, in-kind donors and a reporting system for results measurement. For instance, PWNA supports community garden projects to promote food sustainability, health and nutrition, and to encourage Native American gardeners, farmers, ranchers, healthcare professionals, educators, and other professionals in community-based programs to submit proposals for health and nutrition projects that can have a sustainable impact in their local communities.

"We expect to increase availability of healthier food options through this grant by providing additional resources and funds to support new and existing community gardens," said Dietrich. "By working through food pantries and other partners, we hope to learn more about the community assets and resources available to sustain these projects beyond the life of the grant period."

"The Walmart Foundation is pleased to support the efforts of PWNA to improve the diets in Native communities and increase the knowledge and availability of healthy foods," said Carol May, Program Manager for the Walmart Foundation. "Helping improve the health of Native peoples through better nutrition is something with which we are proud to help PWNA."

Many of the Native American youth and the elderly who live in communities served by PWNA reside in food deserts. This contributes to poor diets, health issues and lack of awareness of proper nutrition and food choices. The Walmart Foundation grant will encourage and empower Native American elders, children and families to improve their nutrition and eating habits. For more information follow up on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, or visit our website www.nativepartnership.org.

About Partnership With Native Americans

Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA) is a nonprofit organization committed to championing hope for a brighter future for Native Americans living on remote, geographically isolated and often impoverished reservations. The organization collaborates with its reservation partners to provide immediate relief and support long-term solutions for strong, self-sufficient Native American communities. Established in 1990, PWNA works through its grassroots partnerships and distribution network to improve the lives of 250,000 Native Americans each year. For more information follow up on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, or visit our website www.nativepartnership.org.