Gary Oppenheimer, Founder and Executive Director of Ample Harvest, sought to increase food access in Native American reservations. Maintaining a database of over 8,000 food pantries to connect home gardeners with excess produce to hunger relief missions, Ample Harvest found data gaps in regions encompassing Native American reservations.

Oppenheimer noticed that many reservations lacked formal street addresses, making it difficult to instruct gardeners on where to drop off their surplus produce. To solve for this issue, Ample Harvest joined forces with a UK-based tech firm to designed a unique geolocation system called What3Words. The app splits the globe into 10 by 10 foot squares, assigning each sector a distinct three-word identifier. Users can pinpoint the exact location of a pantry’s entrance by inputting these three words. Initially designed for casual location sharing, the app has expanded its capabilities to service ride-hailing apps and emergency services, providing significant benefits to tribal communities.

Ample Harvest has adapted its business model to better recognize practical challenges unique to Indian Country. While the organization typically requires participating food pantries to be non-profit affiliates, it recognized that on reservations, pantries could be just a few shelves in a store or gas station. Furthermore, due to limited cellular service in Indian Country, Ample Harvest optimized its website for faster loading times with lower res images.

Oppenheimer noted that sharing home-grown food resonates with tribal values and traditions, meaning produce offered would satisfy local tastes and cultural expectations. This initiative targets a demographic harshly affected by food insecurity, with one in four Native Americans experiencing food insecurity compared to one in 12 white, non-Hispanic individuals, per Feeding America. Native Americans also fall victim to higher instances of chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes.

Chief Henry Red Cloud, descended from a Native American war chief, has played a crucial role in directing Ample Harvest’s efforts in Indian Country, providing vital insights and guidance. Oppenheimer himself. attended the Native American Nutrition Conference to further understand the unique challenges meeting this community.

Ample Harvest has begun collaborating with several reservations to spread awareness among pantries and gardeners about its platform. They aim to connect with pantries across all 385 national reservations by the end of 2023, and will collaborate with regional food banks to support this initiative. Oppenheimer insists that every reservation should be aware of Ample Harvest‘s resources and leverage them accordingly.