Body, Soul & Spirit: Cultivating collective health on the San Carlos Apache Reservation

By Jude McGee

Photo courtesy San Carlos Apache Tribe

Nalwodi Denzhone Community (NDC) is a nonprofit located on the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Eastern Arizona, which aims to “sow seeds of hope” and encourage holistic transformation for Tribal Members living on the reservation. They examine the factors of health, particularly through the lens of food, by addressing food insecurity and aiming to create a food systems change. 

Body, soul, and spirit: That’s how Eric Shin, executive director of NDC, defines “holistic” health. He believes it includes a good diet and nutritious food that is culturally relevant. Through conscious farming and distribution, NDC cultivates cultural health as well. “This is important to us here on the reservation.” Shin said, “A lot of that has been lost over time due to various circumstances. Bringing that back brings a sense of food sovereignty.” David Martinez III, director of strategic community partnerships for Vitalyst Health Foundation, said, “There are still cultural practices for food, such as foraging, harvesting, or planting, that are critical to the San Carlos people. These practices are infused in NDC’s effort to create and reinvigorate the food system in San Carlos that represents the community.”

Through their work in food systems change and in partnership with Vitalyst Health Foundation, NDC established the “Uprooting Diabetes in San Carlos” initiative. The need for this project was revealed after a 2021 report by the Arizona Department of Health Services found that one in four Native Americans in Arizona were diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. It also noted that the mortality rate from Diabetes was 264.2% higher for Native Americans in Arizona than the average for all groups. 

NDC researched this issue and found that Tribal Members were substituting high-quality, nutrient-dense foods with cheaper, less healthy options. Despite there being vast acres of open land, NDC was the only food-producing farm. Martinez III said, “It really is a robust area, as generations of Apache have taught us, that's what makes this effort unique.”

NDC plans to address the need for a food systems change with a multifaceted approach. In addition to providing fresh produce, NDC and its partners offer diabetes education, along with healthy eating and cooking classes, thereby bridging the gap between food and health awareness. Earlier this year, NDC established community education gardens, which it continues to maintain. These gardens grow regionally specific foods that people can access and learn about. In an effort to cover all bases, NDC works within the community to enhance small businesses, providing entrepreneurial education, kitchen access, and networking opportunities to budding restaurateurs. 

“Your nutrition, physical activity, mental health, all those things can create chronic disease, and often it's shown as diabetes,” said Shin. “So Uprooting Diabetes was a way for us to create a common goal, a challenge between multiple organizations that are all concerned with health, whether it's food, medicine, or physical activity; they're giving us all one common goal to work on together.”

Vitalyst Health Foundation looks at the broad social determinants of health and the elements of a healthy community in Arizona, according to Martinez. In support of NDC’s efforts, Vitalyst is supporting the organization in creating the San Carlos Apache Healthy Foods System Rejuvenation Coalition, which includes partner organizations such as Activate Food Arizona, Arizona Food Bank Network, San Carlos Apache Healthcare Corporation, The University of Arizona, San Carlos Apache Tribal Social Service,  and Local First Arizona.

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To learn more about Nalwoodi Denzhone Community, visit https://www.apachendc.org/