Native Mind is an indigenous-led organization dedicated to restoring balance, strengthening systems, and advancing self-determination within indigenous communities.

Rooted in cultural values, community responsibility, and respect for tribal sovereignty, Native Mind exists to address systemic inequities that prevent Native individuals and families from accessing essential services and needs.

Native Mind is fundraising for the Planting Seeds of Health: Restoring Traditional Native Food Gardens project on the 2.5 million acres of Traditional Lands of the Tohono O’odham Nation located in the southern part of Arizona that borders Mexico. The project’s first phase will be implemented on four acres allocated by Baboquavari High School’s agriculture sciences classes. This project was developed to ensure that fresh, garden-grown traditional foods are accessible across the reservation, despite geographic and transportation barriers.

Throughout the reservation, families face daily challenges accessing healthy food. With no public transportation, only one full-size grocery store, and a few convenience stores serving a vast geographic area, many families must travel long distances just to buy groceries. For many households living below the poverty level, this simply is not possible. As a result, families often rely on processed, shelf-stable convenience store food with diets having minimal access to fresh produce. This and travel barriers have contributed to serious health concerns in the communities including high rates of diabetes, increasing obesity and rising cases of cancer.

For generations, traditional foods and plants sustained Native communities physically, culturally, and spiritually. Restoring these traditional gardens helps reconnect people to the land, their culture, and healthier ways of living. The four-acre garden at Baboquivari High School will be created and managed under the guidance and teaching of agricultural and cultural staff, and will incorporate new and traditional agriculture practices. This garden will also become a community gathering space for learning, cultural exchange, and healing. Elders can share traditional agricultural knowledge, and multi-age youth will gain hands-on experience with traditional food systems and the O’odham harvesting calendar.

Produce and plants grown will be distributed primarily through local Cooperative Garden hubs, where participating families receive shares of the harvest. Priority will be given to elders, low-income households, and individuals with chronic health conditions, including diabetes. To reach remote areas, Native Mind will utilize a mobile distribution approach, organizing scheduled pop-up delivery days in outlying communities, ensuring equitable access for residents who are unable to travel to garden sites. Additional distribution will occur through community gatherings, cultural events, and partnerships with Tribal health, youth, and senior programs, and fresh produce will be integrated into existing services and traditional practices. Student and family participation is central to the model, with participants taking home food they help grow while learning traditional agriculture, food preparation, and preservation techniques. Our distribution approach supports food security, cultural preservation, and improved health outcomes, while building a sustainable, community-driven food system rooted in Native values.

Taught by agriculture sciences staff and cultural staff, students will learn:

• Aspects of O’odham customs, beliefs and process of farming, planting and food preparation
• Traditional uses of plants such as medicines, cosmetics, building materials, tools, clothing and food
• Current plant science techniques
• Benefits of creating Cooperative Garden hubs
• Entrepreneurship

We invite you to join Native Mind in restoring health, culture, and community by bringing fresh, nourishing food back to the Tohono O’odham Nation. Starting at Baboquivari High School, your tax-deductible contribution will help launch a network of traditional food gardens across our 2.5-million-acre homeland—revitalizing ancestral practices, increasing food access, and planting the seeds for lasting wellness.

Donations will support:

• Garden site preparation
• Soil improvement and compost
• Traditional seeds and plants
• Irrigation systems and water access
• Gardening tools and equipment
• Community workshops and training
• Youth and elder participation programs
• Transportation costs to remote sites

We gratefully accept one-time donations and kindly ask that you consider a monthly gift. By becoming a monthly donor, you create a steady, reliable source of support that allows us to plan, grow, and sustain traditional food gardens year-round. Your ongoing commitment ensures we can consistently cultivate and distribute fresh, healthy food to the community—nourishing families today while building a stronger, more food-secure future. All donations are tax-deductible. Please help us spread the word and share this campaign with your community.

Together, we will transform open land into living sources of nourishment, culture, and resilience. Thank you.