257:
her experience in Africa inspired her to start the harvesting work for which
Iskashitaa is known. "As an environmental scientist, the road to sustainability is using what we have right here," she says. "We can do the right thing, which is not let food go to waste." In 2002, Eiswerth launched a project through the Tucson Youth Work Enhancement program to educate local high school teens about food resources. Together, they mapped 162 homes with 296 fruit-producing trees. Unwanted fruit harvested from these trees was then distributed to local farmers' markets and soup kitchens. In 2003, Eiswerth recruited refugee students to participate in a project identifying locations of produce that was going to waste in Tucson, as she had with the high school students. The refugee youth harvested and redistributed this food. After organizing two more youth mapping programs, Eiswerth received a grant from the
360:'s Human Rights Award, The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona's Meyer and Libby Marmis Humanitarian Award, and Interfaith Community Services' Silver Spoon Award. Iskashitaa's work has also been recognized by the White House by the Community Based Initiative through a winning video in "Portraits of Compassion". In addition, in 2011 Eiswerth, one of the six recognized, was awarded the Hon Kachina Volunteer Award in the State of Arizona for her efforts as a community volunteer.
132:, that partners with volunteers and local organizations to provide various supplemental services to refugees to complement those offered by resettlement agencies. The organization was founded by Dr. Barbara Eiswerth, who holds a Ph.D. in Arid Lands Resource Management, and is currently directed by Eiswerth. Iskashitaa has a number of programs designed to empower refugees and unite them with staff and volunteers from the community. A primary component of these programs is
25:
318:
well as assist in the acculturation process by introducing material based on life in the United States. Students often interact with Tucson locals through
Iskashitaa's other programs to practice their new language skills. College students from the University of Arizona have also taught refugees, through the Honors Civic Engagement Team (HCET).
282:
the larger Tucson community while gaining skills that serve them in
America." The organization's programs utilize connections, sharing, and English language practice to attain this objective. Iskashitaa has built a networking community among Tucson area refugee volunteers and agencies that cooperate to make this mission possible.
352:'s Garden Crusader Award, which awards the recipient $ 12,000 in cash and prizes for making a difference in their community. In 2008, Eiswerth presented her harvesting plan at a Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Roundtable. The documentary, "Iskash*taa: An Invitation to Community," created by Eiswerth, won a
317:
Iskashitaa offers ESL Classes to refugees, designed to work with every individual, regardless of education levels or diverse backgrounds, experiences, and languages. These classes focus on language acquisition and cultural exchange, and work to develop relationships between teachers and students, as
308:
Refugees teach other
Iskashitaa volunteers and staff about their own cultural dishes, typically using food that has been harvested. These interactions intend to make refugees more comfortable in an American kitchen, and introduce Tucson locals to different cultures. Volunteers and program staff also
256:
Eiswerth worked as a researcher in Malawi villages, and wrote her dissertation there. Upon her return to Tucson, she noticed rotting fruit that had fallen from trees and began the harvesting work for which
Iskashitaa is known. Her background in environmental science and land management combined with
281:
Iskashitaa
Refugee Network is a local nonprofit whose mission is to assist refugees on their journeys to fulfilled lives in Tucson, using food-based programming as an entry point to community. Iskashitaa's primary objective is to "empower refugees by creating opportunities to better integrate with
295:
Iskashitaa harvesters consist of an inter-generational group of refugees from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East as well as local
Tucsonan volunteers. This group harvests roughly 100,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables each year from backyards and local farms. This produce is then redistributed to
264:
Since then, Iskashitaa has gathered about 400,000 pounds of produce that has been redistributed to thousands of Tucson residents experiencing food insecurity. Over the years, the organization has offered
English and swimming lessons for refugees, cooking classes for the members of the community,
136:, or harvesting unwanted produce from property owners and commercial farmers. Iskashitaa's gleaning efforts have grown from harvesting a few thousand pounds of fruit each year to over 100,000 pounds annually of fruit, nuts, and vegetables: a cumulative one million servings of local produce.
309:
teach refugees how to make preserved foods from their own families' traditions. Groups have prepared jams, jellies, preserves, Nepali spices, and juices, to name a few. Often, food products are sold at local stores to sustain the organization's work.
152:. The spelling of Iskashitaa was chosen by Eiswerth, as there was no written representation of the Maay Maay language at the time of Iskashitaa's inception. In its early years, the name of the organization was spelled with an asterisk, as Iskash*taa.
296:
refugee families from many countries, food shelves, and other Tucson organizations that assist food insecure families, either for free or for a nominal price. One of the organizations that collaborates with
Iskashitaa is
635:
356:"Portraits of Compassion" award. Besides these, Eiswerth was named a National Finalist in Community for Sustainable Food, and also received the Baha'i "Vision in Action Award", the
273:
Iskashitaa
Refugee Network is an Arizona nonprofit.a federal 501(c)(3), Iskashitaa's funding comes from a combination of donations, grants, and earned income through sales.
160:
Iskashitaa originally worked with Somali Bantus, but has expanded to work with refugee populations from around the world. These refugees and asylum seekers arrive from
353:
42:
388:
421:
455:
500:
300:. Members of Iskashitaa help tend the plots there, demonstrate traditional farming methods, and share Mission Garden produce with others.
89:
630:
531:
61:
108:
68:
185:
348:
handbook. Both Iskashitaa and its director have received several awards and recognitions for their work. In 2007, Eiswerth won
46:
75:
349:
57:
586:
35:
177:
396:
546:
345:
328:
258:
189:
82:
429:
357:
459:
508:
197:
484:
Henrikson, Jan (October 2008). "Neighborhood Harvest". Eating Well. Eating Well. p. 16.
326:
Iskashitaa has been published in a number of local and national publications, such as the
129:
297:
624:
265:
sewing and craft circles, and catalog sales of the goods Iskashitaa refugees make.
145:
237:
161:
24:
571:
Person, Naomi; Takahama, Valerie; Sweeney, Kathleen; Rapkins, Rochana (2009).
149:
205:
144:
Iskashitaa means "working cooperatively together" in the language of the
133:
233:
229:
217:
201:
173:
225:
221:
165:
245:
241:
193:
169:
213:
209:
181:
615:
18:
549:. Zocalo Magazine: Tucson Arts and Culture. Zocalo Magazine
587:"2007 Garden Crusader Barbara Eiswerth: Gardener's Supply"
532:"Join International Refugees for Campus Citrus Harvest"
458:. radio.azpm.org. Arizona Public Media. Archived from
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
507:. Iskashitaa Refugee Network. 2012. Archived from
428:. Iskashitaa Refugee Network. 2012. Archived from
395:. Iskashitaa Refugee Network. 2012. Archived from
636:Refugee aid organizations in the United States
545:Spigelman, Monica Surfaro (11 November 2013).
534:. wildcat.arizona.edu. Arizona Daily Wildcat.
261:to begin regularly harvesting with refugees.
8:
479:
477:
354:U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
547:"Entrepreneurs in a Cultural Urban Kitchen"
495:
493:
491:
416:
414:
383:
381:
379:
377:
375:
373:
566:
564:
128:) is a grass roots organization based in
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
449:
447:
304:Iskashitaa Cooking and Food Preservation
369:
16:Refugee organization in Tucson, Arizona
126:Iskashitaa Refugee Harvesting Network
7:
47:adding citations to reliable sources
575:. New York: Girl Scouts of the USA.
456:"The Iskashitaa Harvesting Project"
454:Telis, Gisela (27 September 2012).
530:Wade, Chelsea (27 February 2014).
14:
593:. Gardener's Supply Company. 2007
186:Democratic Republic of the Congo
23:
34:needs additional citations for
1:
313:English as a Second Language
58:"Iskashitaa Refugee Network"
652:
631:Charities based in Arizona
122:Iskashitaa Refugee Network
350:Gardener's Supply Company
124:(previously known as the
178:Central African Republic
346:Girl Scouts of the USA
329:Arizona Daily Wildcat
291:Iskashitaa Harvesting
259:United Way of America
190:Republic of the Congo
140:Meaning of Iskashitaa
43:improve this article
358:Church Women United
462:on 19 August 2014
432:on 19 August 2014
399:on 19 August 2014
198:Equatorial Guinea
119:
118:
111:
93:
643:
616:Official website
603:
602:
600:
598:
583:
577:
576:
568:
559:
558:
556:
554:
542:
536:
535:
527:
521:
520:
518:
516:
497:
486:
485:
481:
472:
471:
469:
467:
451:
442:
441:
439:
437:
418:
409:
408:
406:
404:
385:
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
51:
27:
19:
651:
650:
646:
645:
644:
642:
641:
640:
621:
620:
612:
607:
606:
596:
594:
585:
584:
580:
570:
569:
562:
552:
550:
544:
543:
539:
529:
528:
524:
514:
512:
511:on 19 July 2014
499:
498:
489:
483:
482:
475:
465:
463:
453:
452:
445:
435:
433:
420:
419:
412:
402:
400:
387:
386:
371:
366:
338:Zocalo Magazine
324:
288:
279:
271:
254:
158:
148:people, called
142:
130:Tucson, Arizona
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
649:
647:
639:
638:
633:
623:
622:
619:
618:
611:
610:External links
608:
605:
604:
578:
560:
537:
522:
505:Iskashitaa.org
501:"Our Programs"
487:
473:
443:
426:Iskashitaa.org
410:
393:Iskishitaa.org
368:
367:
365:
362:
323:
320:
298:Mission Garden
287:
284:
278:
275:
270:
267:
253:
250:
157:
154:
141:
138:
117:
116:
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
648:
637:
634:
632:
629:
628:
626:
617:
614:
613:
609:
592:
591:gardeners.com
588:
582:
579:
574:
567:
565:
561:
548:
541:
538:
533:
526:
523:
510:
506:
502:
496:
494:
492:
488:
480:
478:
474:
461:
457:
450:
448:
444:
431:
427:
423:
417:
415:
411:
398:
394:
390:
384:
382:
380:
378:
376:
374:
370:
363:
361:
359:
355:
351:
347:
343:
339:
335:
331:
330:
321:
319:
315:
314:
310:
306:
305:
301:
299:
293:
292:
285:
283:
276:
274:
268:
266:
262:
260:
251:
249:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
155:
153:
151:
147:
139:
137:
135:
131:
127:
123:
113:
110:
102:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
595:. Retrieved
590:
581:
572:
551:. Retrieved
540:
525:
513:. Retrieved
509:the original
504:
464:. Retrieved
460:the original
434:. Retrieved
430:the original
425:
401:. Retrieved
397:the original
392:
389:"Who We Are"
341:
337:
333:
327:
325:
316:
312:
311:
307:
303:
302:
294:
290:
289:
280:
272:
263:
255:
159:
146:Somali Bantu
143:
125:
121:
120:
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
422:"Our Staff"
334:Eating Well
322:Recognition
238:South Sudan
162:Afghanistan
625:Categories
364:References
277:Objectives
69:newspapers
573:Sow What?
150:Maay Maay
99:July 2024
342:Sow What
286:Programs
206:Ethiopia
134:gleaning
269:Funding
252:History
234:Somalia
230:Ukraine
218:Liberia
202:Eritrea
174:Burundi
83:scholar
597:4 June
553:4 June
515:4 June
466:4 June
436:4 June
403:4 June
340:, and
244:, and
226:Rwanda
222:Russia
188:, the
184:, the
176:, the
166:Bhutan
156:People
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
246:Syria
242:Sudan
194:Egypt
170:Burma
90:JSTOR
76:books
599:2014
555:2014
517:2014
468:2014
438:2014
405:2014
344:, a
214:Iraq
210:Iran
182:Cuba
62:news
232:,
45:by
627::
589:.
563:^
503:.
490:^
476:^
446:^
424:.
413:^
391:.
372:^
336:,
332:,
248:.
240:,
236:,
228:,
224:,
220:,
216:,
212:,
208:,
204:,
200:,
196:,
192:,
180:,
172:,
168:,
164:,
601:.
557:.
519:.
470:.
440:.
407:.
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
