Tyler Childers Boosts Food Security in Browning with Generous $120,000 Donation

BROWNING, Mont. — FAST Blackfeet, a passionate nonprofit in Browning, received a generous boost from country music star Tyler Childers, who donated $120,000. This funding came after Childers’ performance at the Under the Big Sky festival in Whitefish.

Iris Sharp, the Assistant Director of FAST Blackfeet, shared how meaningful this support is for their small organization, which began in 2018. “Having someone with such a big platform recognize our work gives us hope,” she said. This isn’t Childers’ first contribution; he also supported them last year through a fundraising event for the Blackfeet Nation. Those donations helped stock their food pantry and even purchase a new truck to aid their services.

The need for support is stark. Research from FAST Blackfeet reveals that over two-thirds of individuals on the Blackfeet Nation face food insecurity—more than four times the national average. Last year alone, the organization distributed over 390,000 pounds of food, ran nearly 40 educational classes, and supported 50 local garden producers.

FAST Blackfeet aims to offer not just food, but healthy, culturally relevant options like bison meat and native plants. They also empower the community by teaching cooking and gardening skills. “We want to help people reclaim their food sovereignty and the knowledge we lost through colonization,” Sharp emphasized.

In a broader context, food insecurity is a pressing issue across the U.S., with recent statistics showing that about 38 million people experience hunger at some point each year. Organizations like FAST Blackfeet play a crucial role in tackling this crisis by not only providing nourishment but also fostering community resilience and education.

For more information about their work, check out FAST Blackfeet’s website.

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Tyler Childers,FAST Blackfeet,Food security,Donation,Blackfeet Nation,Food pantry,Food sovereignty,Nonprofit