Chickasaw Nation, Amazon Partner for Youth Nutrition Program

ADA, OK – The Chickasaw Community has partnered with Amazon Business to expand and improve the “Packed Promise” program for its residents.

“The Chickasaw Nation’s Promise Program continues to grow and meet the nutritional needs of Chickasaw children throughout our treaty region by providing a sustainable food supply to increase access to food, food safety and food quality,” said Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby in his 2024 term. Language of the State.

Launched in 2015, the Packed Promise program is a nutrition development service that increases food access, food safety and food quality for Chickasaw children.

Children’s development, health and well-being depend on access to safe and secure food. In Oklahoma, 25.6 percent of children are food insecure, meaning they go hungry or do not receive the minimum amount of food prescribed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In rural Oklahoma, 15.5 percent of households are food insecure, said Joy Standridge, Chickasaw Community Director of Nutrition Services. “In the Chickasaw community and the State of Oklahoma, we have a high rate of food insecurity,” Standridge said. “There is a high rate of hunger. For children, it’s usually one in four.”

Lack of food often results in poor nutrition. Malnutrition caused by not having access to healthy, nutritious food to maintain a nutritious diet including fresh fruits and vegetables can have a significant impact on a person’s overall health. “To ensure our children reach their full potential, we must work together,” Standridge said.

Packed Promise is a food delivery service. Families approved for the program receive the ability to shop online through Amazon Business each month. Families receive a child allowance per month to spend on Amazon.

Also, an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card is sent to each child in the household to purchase fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables at WIC-participating grocery stores or participating farmers’ markets. Chickasaw Nation. The EBT card is reloaded each month the child participates.

Packed Promise began in 2015 as a federal grant from the USDA Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act to End Childhood Hunger. The Chickasaw Nation was one of five awardees and one of two nationally awarded tribes.

At the end of federal grants, in 2019, the Chickasaw Nation invested tribal dollars in the Packed Promise program.

To provide more options for participants, Packed Promise launched online shopping services in partnership with Amazon Business this year. Eligible families select food from the Chickasaw Nation’s online store available through Amazon Business.

The partnership has also helped ease the burden of serving rural customers, Standridge said. “Packed Promise was designed to overcome the common obstacles of living in a food desert such as lack of transportation, long journeys to food sources and lack of grocery stores. As a change from the traditional approach of the central supply, the home supply segment creates an experience similar to online shopping where families choose nutritious, shelf-stable foods of their choice from a grocery shopping website.”

A larger selection of items, 275, faster delivery times and the ability to order food on demand are all positive aspects of the new partnership.

“Packed Promise customers are excited about the variety of products and the convenience of shopping online,” said Standridge. “Many have spoken about the speed of delivery. Customers had never seen two days worth of food, and in some cases, one day. ”

Recently, a father called the Packed Promise staff to thank the program and said that it not only helped financially, but also changed his family’s eating habits such as eating beans, tomatoes and green vegetables. some they don’t choose to buy. . She said it provided healthy options for her family.

Children are also getting involved in choosing what to order and customers are now able to order and request toppings that meet their dietary needs, Standridge said.

To be eligible, children must be ages 4-18, students in pre-K through 12th grade, and eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. Benefits are available to Chickasaw residents living within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation and in Atoka, Caddo, Canadian, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Hughes, Pittsburg, Pottawatomie and Seminole counties.

This year, Packed Promise served an average of 1,900 Chickasaw school children each month.