On Monday, September 14th, 2009 at 1:00 PM in the afternoon, the California Valley Miwok Tribe – located at 10601 Escondido Place, Stockton, California – celebrated the fifth installment of its USDA Food Distribution program. Benefactors of the food program and their children were given access to Tribal facilities, where an array of refreshments and snacks were made available, including traditional Miwok cuisine.
The annual food distribution has become so much more than just the dispersement of food to the families in need that participate – it is a coming together of the native community in which other issues and needs are addressed; involving workshops, cultural discussions and support networking, to name a few. What started out as a service now has become a monthly event to work together and try to help each other with any other needs that may have arisen during the previous month and to keep the Indian community strong.
We would like to thank Mr. Richard Windfeathers Muniz, a good friend of the Tribe and strong in the local community, for attending and helping to distribute food to participants during his visit. Mr. Muniz is the San Joaquin county Lodge Commander of the National American Indian Veterans and is of Picuris descent of the Taos Pueblo people from Chimayo, New Mexico. We would also like to thank Food Distributor Ronald Buckman, The Tule River Tribe, the USDA and all of the participants that make this program a continued success.
