Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin to Host Joint Informational Press Conference
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tony Cartagena, Public Relations and Communications Coordinator
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
414-491-7772
TCartagena@FeedingAmericaWI.org
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin to Host Joint Informational Press Conference
Learn more about Inter-Tribal partnerships to increase Native food sovereignty
KESHENA, WI – The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, in partnership with Feeding Wisconsin,
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, and the federally recognized Tribal Nations in Wisconsin are inviting
media to a joint press conference to learn more about programs that are working towards improving
food sovereignty among Tribal members in the state of Wisconsin.
Among the initiatives that will be discussed is the ‘Tribal Elder’ program which will provide roughly
25,000 boxes of locally sourced and strategically curated foods to elders of all 11 Tribes in 2022.
“The Tribal Elder Food Box Program is grounded in recreating a localized, green and resilient food system
with healthy Indigenous foods for our precious Wisconsin tribal elders,” said Gary Besaw of the
Menominee Indian Tribe. “Foods free of pesticides, herbicides, and sustainably grown and gathered by
indigenous ranchers, fishermen, and farmers, with the understanding that these actions form the
precursor to a Wisconsin/Great Lakes indigenous agricultural cooperative. We thank all our partners for
their contributions both in funding and in food systems training as we sustainably grow our economies
and feed our elders.”
Besaw, along with growers and producers for the program, will be available for interview during the
press event.
“Knowing where and who my end product is going to makes all the difference,” said Bryan Bainbridge,
Fisherman for the Red Cliff Fishing Company. “Being able to keep it local along with improving
employment and opportunity is just another plus.”
WHAT: Press conference regarding food sovereignty for Wisconsin’s Native Tribes
WHEN: Thursday, October 13, the program will start at 12:15 p.m. and be followed by a distribution of
food to elders
WHERE: Menominee Nation Food Distribution Center, N737 Headstart Road, Keshena, WI 54135
WHO: Representatives from Tribal Nations, Feeding Wisconsin, and other officials will offer comments
“The Tribal Elder Food Box program is a great example of the nutrition security work our network of food
banks is doing to source culturally meaningful and dietary specific foods in partnership with
communities,” said Stephanie Jung Dorfman, Executive Director of Feeding Wisconsin. “We were grateful
that ARPA funds through DATCP enabled us to expand this program to all 11 Federally recognized Tribal
Nations–getting nutritious, locally, and Indigenously produced foods to elders and also putting dollars in
the hands of Tribal and Native producers.”
The following groups have collaborated on the Tribal Food programs throughout the state of Wisconsin:
Feeding Wisconsin, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection, healthTIDE, UW-Madison, Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative, Bad River Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa, Forest County Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk Nation, Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa, Oneida Nation, Menominee Nation, Sokaogon Chippewa Community (Mole Lake Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa), St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, and Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band
of Mohican Indians.
Media interested in covering this event should RSVP to Tony Cartagena (TCartagena@FeedingAmericaWI.org)
