American Indian Community Resources

  • Ain Dah Yung Center

    1089 Portland Ave, St. Paul, MN 55104

    651-227-4184

    To provide a healing place for American Indian youth and families to thrive in safety and wholeness. The Ain Dah Yung Center – which means “our home” in the Ojibwe language – is an emergency shelter for runaway and homeless American Indian youth

    • Beverley A. Benjamin Youth Lodge: A culturally grounded transitional living program available to youth between the ages of 16-21 who have no parental substitute or foster home to which they can safely go.
    • Emergency Shelter: Provides culturally specific emergency shelter to American Indian youth who are homeless, runaway, in a family crisis, or involved with juvenile corrections.
    • Ninijanisag (Our Children) Program: A multifaceted program focusing heavily on engagement and prevention – working to ground youth in Native culture while designed to combat chemical and commercial tobacco abuse, teen dating violence, gang relations, sex trafficking and other self-compromising behaviors among at-risk youth between the ages of 8-17.
    • Street Outreach: Provides street-based support to runaway or homeless youth unable or not wanting to enter a shelter.
    • Oyate Nawajin (Stand with the People): Designed to keep American Indian families together and strong by providing the knowledge, skills and resources they need to provide a safe, stable environment for their children.

     

    American Indian Family Center

    579 Wells Street, St. Paul, MN 55130

    651-793-3803

    American Indian Family Center provides employment services for MFIP clients, chemical health services, family services, mental health services, American Indian youth programs and partner with other St. Paul American Indian organizations to bring services to the American Indian community of St Paul.

    Some services that are offered by American Indian Family Center:

    • Virtual Youth Tutoring (Mondays)
    • Men’s Virtual Support & Smudge Group (Mondays)
    • Khunsi Onikan Native American Al-Anon Meeting (Tuesdays)
    • Expecting Mothers / Mothers of Infants Virtual Group (Wednesdays)
    • Youth Career Development Virtual Sessions (Wednesdays)
    • Khunsi Onikan Wellbriety/Medicine Wheel 12 Steps Meeting (Thursdays)
    • Native Youth Advisory Council (Every Other Friday)

     

    American Indian Family and Children's Services

    25 Empire Drive, St. Paul, MN 55103

    651-223-8526

    AIFACS is an organization that places American Indian foster children in culturally specific foster homes.

    • Licensing: Child Foster Homes, Respite Homes
    • Supports: Annual Training Allowance, Monthly Training, Monthly Respite, Retirement (Optional)

     

    Department of Indian Work - Saint Paul Area Council of Churches

    1671 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105

    651-789-3854

    We provide a safe, Indigenous space to empower American Indians towards self-determination, while respecting cultural and spiritual diversity.

    • American Indian Youth Enrichment: After-School and Summer Programs, Providing Indigenous Cultural, Health and Literacy Services
    • Diabetes Prevention Services: Family Education, Food Demonstrations, Youth Food Education, Community Healthy Food / Diabetes Consultation
    • Emergency Services: Food Shelf, Clothing Closet, Referral Services

     

    Dream of Wild Health

    1308 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404

    612-874-4200

    Dream of Wild Health (DWH) is an intertribal, independent 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Native American community. Dream of Wild Health is one of the longest continually operating Native American organizations in the Twin Cities. DWH owns a 10-acre farm in Hugo, MN, providing educational programs that reconnect the urban Native American community with traditional Native plants and their culinary, medicinal and spiritual use. 

    Each year Dream of Wild Health teaches Native American youth about gardening, cooking, and culture while developing job and leadership skills throughout youth programs. Dream of Wild Health runs a CSA called the Indigenous Food Share (IFS) and sells produce at three farmers markets in Minneapolis and St. Paul. We also grow indigenous foods including corn, beans and squash from a collection of rare seeds that were given to us by Cora Baker, a Potawatomi elder. Dream of Wild Health partners with dozens of urban and tribal organizations on programs that work to restore the mental, physical, and emotional health of the Native American community.

     

    Elder's Lodge

    1500 Magnolia Ave E, St. Paul, MN 55106

    651-774-3423

    Affordable, supportive housing for elders age 62 and older. Elder’s Lodge offers 42 one-bedroom apartments, a large community dining area, community garden & walking path, community patio with BBQ grill, and planned community activities & events.

     

    Indian Health Board

    1315 E 24th St, Minneapolis, MN 55404

    Indian Health Board of Minneapolis is your community health care clinic providing access to quality health care and wellness services. We believe the best care happens when we listen and work together. While promoting and preserving our urban American Indian and Alaska Native traditions and identity, we embrace all people seeking patient-centered, culturally sensitive health care and wellness services. We provide traditional medicines like sage, cedar, tobacco, and sweet grass, as well as cultural practices like hand drumming and singing. Our services reflect and meet the needs of the local American Indian and Alaska Native communities

    • Counseling Center: IHB's Counseling Center is committed to decolonizing our healing work with clients and include traditional and cultural practices in our services.
    • Dental Clinic: At IHB, our full-service outpatient dental clinic provides adult and pediatric dentistry focused on education and prevention services.
    • Medical Clinic: IHB’s medical clinic has provided care for generations in the community. Our personalized and collaborative approach to health care is supported by the best scientific medical knowledge.
    • Health & Wellness: At IHB we provide comprehensive programs, educational classes and resources focused on healthy lifestyle choices, preventative and management care.

     

    Juel Fairbanks Chemical Dependency Services

    806 North Albert St, St. Paul, MN 55104

    651-644-6204

    To provide prevention, treatment and other associated services to enhance recovery from substance use disorders within the Native American community and other underserved populations.

    • Cultural Services: Smudging, Pipe Ceremonies, Red Road, Talking Circle, Wellbriety
    • Housing Support: Provides 20 beds for adults who suffer with substance use disorders.
    • Residential Treatment: A 245G Minnesota State Licensed Facility with 24 beds for residential treatment.
    • Outpatient Treatment: Our outpatient treatment program for men features a professional staff that specializes in working with clients who suffer from substance use disorder.

     

    Native American Community Clinic

    1213 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404

    Our mission is to promote the health & wellness of mind, body, and spirit of Native American families. We offer a full range of healthcare services that include Medical, Behavioral Health, Dental, and Substance Abuse programs. NACC approaches healthcare by addressing root causes of health disparities including access to food, housing and health insurance with services such as resource navigation, care coordination, outreach and community-based activities through the use of our peer recovery coaches and community health workers.  NACC strives to honor health and tradition by providing spiritual care and access to traditional healing through our Elders in Residence.

     

    Ombudsperson for American Indian Families

    Jill Kehaulani Esch, Esq.

    Jill.Esch@state.mn.us

    651-643-2523

    Indian families have Federal and State laws that offer assistance to them when it comes to child protection proceedings and out of home placements of Indian children. Social workers should be aware of these protections and preventative measures for potential out of home placements and the "active efforts" that must be given to Indian families. If your social worker is unsure of these measures, inform them of your Indian status. If the situation does not get better, immediately contact their supervisor, your attorney and/or an ICWA (Indian child welfare act) advocate.

     

    StrongHearts Native Helpline

    1-844-762-8483

    A safe domestic, dating and sexual violence helpline for American Indians and Alaska Natives, offering culturally-appropriate support and advocacy daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT. Anonymous and confidential. Callers reaching out after hours may connect with The National Domestic Violence Hotline, a non-Native based 24-7 domestic violence helpline by selecting option one.

     

    Urban Offices

     

    Women of Nations / Eagles Nest Shelter

    St. Paul, MN

    651-251-1609

    Women of Nations provides culturally-specific emergency services and support to all who have experienced trauma from domestic violence and sexual assault. We empower Native American communities to put an end to all forms of violence through education and prevention.

    • Emergency Shelter: A safe and confidential emergency shelter for women and children who have experienced trauma from domestic violence, sexual assault and dating violence.
    • Outreach and Community Engagement: Support Services to victims & survivors who are not in need for emergency shelter, Education & Volunteer Opportunities, Violence-Prevention Programs
    • Support Services: Crisis Intervention, Transportation, Advocacy & Case Management, Substance Abuse Disorder Counseling & Support, Safety Planning & Order For Protection Filing, Support & Educational Groups, Culturally-Specific Support Services, Youth-Specific Programming