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"Bringing our people together to build a healthy community with strong leaders for all generations."

Old Harbor Alliance: Strengthening Culture, Community & Food Sovereignty

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Founded in 2014, the Old Harbor Alliance is a nonprofit organization rooted in the remote Alutiiq village of Old Harbor, on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Our mission is to build a thriving, healthy, and sustainable community through educational, cultural, and food sovereignty programs. We serve the residents of Old Harbor, Tribal Members of the Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor (ATOH), and Shareholders and Descendants of the Old Harbor Native Corporation (OHNC)—a collective membership of over 1,200 individuals.

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Old Harbor is a unique and vibrant community that blends traditional Sugpiaq Alutiiq culture with a subsistence-based lifestyle and the realities of modern American society. With fewer than 300 residents, we face significant challenges—economic hardship, loss of language and traditions, high transportation costs, and health disparities. In response, our community comes together to find solutions that respect our heritage and look toward the future.

At the heart of our work is the promotion of Alutiiq culture and heritage, community wellness, and food sovereignty. Our initiatives include:

· The Sitkalidak Bison Herd, established in 2017, provides a sustainable, healthy alternative to commercial red meat and supports our efforts to combat diet-related health issues like diabetes.

·  Sitkalidak Sunrise Farm, where we cultivate fresh vegetables and fruits for our community to reduce reliance on expensive, imported foods.

· Sitkalidak Processing Plant, which allows us to process locally harvested and raised foods, ensuring year-round access to nutritious, culturally relevant meals.

Old Harbor is only accessible by plane or boat, and food prices are often 2–3 times higher than those in the Lower 48. With 95% of Alaska’s food being imported, we are especially vulnerable to disruptions—something the COVID-19 pandemic made starkly clear. That’s why our efforts to reclaim food sovereignty are more important than ever.

Through advocacy, education, training, and hands-on programs, the Old Harbor Alliance is working to ensure our community’s resilience—honoring our past, strengthening our present, and shaping a sustainable future