Charity Blanchett of Dipping Spoon Foundation
Storyknife, September/October 2025 edition
Dipping Spoon Foundation is helping Native youth become culinary rock stars and food systems leaders through cultural identity. Founded by Charity Qalutaq Blanchett in 2019, Dipping Spoon Foundation is a nonprofit organization that hosts culinary programs for 7-12th graders.
Dipping Spoon Foundation is the first and only nonprofit organization featured so far on Calista’s Calivika website for Shareholder businesses, following an update on eligibility to include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
Blanchett has ties to Tuntutuliak and was raised in Wasilla. In times when she felt alone, she remembered that she has countless relatives, through the Yup’ik way, who give her the strength to persist.
The inspiration behind the foundation’s name came from Blanchett’s Yup’ik name, Qalutaq which means “dipping spoon.” From the dipping spoon, the water is shared among the people.
“We are living, breathing heirlooms. We are the embodiment of ancestors before us,” says Blanchett. “Both my names are rooted in acts of service and love. As an entrepreneur, that has kept me going.”
On late nights after her full-time job, Blanchett worked to make the Dipping Spoon a reality. Receiving a fellowship with the Mellon Foundation through Dillard University allowed Blanchett to fully commit to her dream of running the Dipping Spoon Foundation.
“Success is rooted in who we are as Indigenous people, and by bringing our traditions to light and honoring them embodies our ancestor’s success.”
Charity Qalutaq Blanchett, Calista Shareholder and Founder of Dipping Spoon Foundation.
The Dipping Spoon Foundation operates from New Orleans, Louisiana where Blanchett currently lives. Through partnerships with the Lower Kuskokwim School District and Bering Strait School District, Blanchett often visits Alaskan communities.
Dipping Spoon Foundation has hosted after-school programs for kids in Tuntutuliak, Goodnews Bay and Kipnuk.
Blanchett has developed a curriculum catering to the needs of rural Indigenous communities. They even include a seasonal hunting guide and harvest map based on what is available in the Calista Region.
During the Kenirvik culinary arts camp, 10 students were able to fly into Bethel from their respective villages to participate.
“I came to Bethel thinking I was going to change these students’ lives, when in reality my life has changed by being around our youth. These students were reserved when we started, then by the end of the week, we saw their leadership skills,” Blanchett says.
This past July, the Dipping Spoon Foundation partnered with Calista Education and Culture to document the Yuuyaraq cultural immersion camp in Quinhagak for her Mellon Foundation fellowship report.
“The little girl inside of me was beaming with pride to experience that camp,” says Blanchett. “I feel so blessed to contribute to the historical preservation and cultural documentation for our people.”
Blanchett urges entrepreneurs to persevere and find comfort in their cultural identity.
“Do not give up,” says Blanchett. “What you want is waiting for you with open arms. Success is rooted in who we are as Indigenous people, and by bringing our traditions to light and honoring them embodies our ancestor’s success.”