Supporting the Use of Indigenous Foods in Child Nutrition Programs

Research Location: Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia, USA
Conservation Partners: Traditional Eastern Woodlands Foodways Alliance (TEWFA), The Reed Center for Ecosystem Reintegration, Baltimore American Indian Center (BAIC), Seven Generations United Association, USDA, Just Harvest, NCGrowth, IndigineiTEA

Faculty Mentors

Dr. Troy Wiipongwii and Ben Friton

2025 Student Researchers

Jude Heatley '26, Major: Interdisciplinary Studies in Integrative Conservation

Cindia Romero Araujo '26, Major: Biology; Minor: Education Policy and Equity

Chloe Thompson '27, Major: Public Policy; Minor: Integrative Conservation

Project Description

A team of W&M students are working with the Traditional Eastern Woodlands Foodways Alliance Partners to conduct multidisciplinary research to support their coalition building efforts to increase the use of Traditional Indigenous Foods in Child Nutrition Programs.

Traditional Indigenous Food Systems are essential for maintaining the biodiversity and resilience of ecosystems and sustaining the health, wellbeing, and culture of Indigenous communities and other human communities.

The Traditional Eastern Woodlands Foodway Alliance (TEWFA) brings together Indigenous communities, farmers, chefs, conservationists, and schools to create a sustainable Indigenous food system, including the cultivation of a regional sustainable food supply chain centered around Indigenous plants, polyculture systems, technology, and traditional-ecological knowledge (TEK) and coordination with school administration and teachers to incorporate Indigenous foods and education into school programs.

With a combination of programs and projects that include collaboration with academics, nutritionists, chefs, entrepreneurs, farmers, and Indigenous communities, TEWFA is working towards a regional Summit in Spring 2026 than brings together collaborators to co-design and build out a regional supply chain.

In support of the organization of the Summit, students worked with TEWFA partners to conduct applied research to inform and support the implementation of Indigenous food system and incorporation of Indigenous foods into child nutritional programs. In 2025, students conducted research on how Indigenous communities define metrics of success for Indigenous food chains and documenting the factors that need to be considered for ecologically beneficial agricultural systems. In 2026, a team of three students will continue to conduct research to prepare for the upcoming coalition-building efforts at the Summit.

Students will be working on this collaborative project as part of the Sustainable Food Systems Lab, led by Dr. Troy Wiipongwii.

Project ID - Format

25-004-25 - CRP Year

25-004-26 - CRP Year

Prerequisites and Required Skills

We are looking for students with experience in public policy and data science, but these skills are preferred and not required.

Required Travel

Travel to meet with partners across the Atlantic Coast and fieldwork at The Reed Center in Middletown, Maryland

Notes for Applicants

This is a good project for self-motivated students who are interested in learning from and with Indigenous communities.