The Tribal Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (Tribal SHIP) is a collaborative partnership involving multiple tribal programs that promotes physical activity, promotes access to healthy foods, and enhances community recreational spaces. Some of our partners include: White Earth Tribal Community College, our community K-12 Schools, Tribal Natural Resources Program, and the Minnesota Department of Health. This program is supported by the Minnesota Department of Health. ​

Program Components 

• Support of the Farmer’s Market and healthy food initiatives 
• Healthy community activity partnerships 

• Community recreational spaces refurbishments 
• Increasing access and safety on reservation lakes 
• Honor Overall Wellness and Health (HOWAH): Employee Wellness Program 

Benefits to the Community 
Healthy food access and knowledge of traditional Indigenous foods are pressing issues in our communities. The Farmer’s Market located in Mahnomen has become a place where fresh foods raised in the area can be purchased every Thursday evening during the summer and all community members are welcome. Nursing staff are available to provide blood sugar and blood pressure checks and there are healthy food demonstrations with samples. This program also provides opportunities for our community members to become more physically active through the Bike Rodeo’s, community clean-ups, elder chair exercise, bike trails, and skate park improvements. We also support increasing recreational access and safety on reservation lakes by adding water safety stations to house life jackets, placement of buoys for safe swimming, and docks for fishing.