NAYA’s Day One Fund Brings a New Dawn for Native Families

When a Native grandmother lost her daughter to police violence in Nevada in 2021, her world shattered. After taking leave from her job at Intel to fight for justice, she found herself broke and homeless with her son and grandson, living in their car.  

“I emailed everybody, I think, everybody that worked here for the housing to help,” the participant recalls of reaching out to NAYA’s Family Housing Program. “And Ankita reached out,” she adds, referring to Ankita Gupta, Family Housing Advocate. 

Riley Fishburn, NAYA’s Family Housing Program Manager, notes that “the Indigenous community is disproportionately represented in the homeless population, both in the Portland area and at large.” This reflects a broader national crisis where Native people experience significantly higher rates of homelessness. Research shows Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander populations, along with American Indian or Alaska Native individuals are far more likely to experience homelessness than non-Hispanic White individuals. 

For this grandmother, who moved to Portland in 2012, maintaining her connection to the community was vital. “I re-established myself here. This is where I want to continue living,” she explains.  

Flexible Funding Enables Cultural Approach 

What makes NAYA’s culturally responsive approach possible is funding from Day One, which Riley describes as “an extremely flexible fund.” Unlike traditional housing programs, Day One empowers NAYA to “use the funds in the ways that we understand will be most beneficial for our community,” including cultural practices like smudging with participants and encouraging participation in culture night—supports that “are not going to be centered in a publicly funded housing program.” 

“Being traditional myself and getting integrated in a place like NAYA, it was very comforting,” the grandmother explains. 

Riley emphasizes that NAYA utilizes a wraparound services model, ensuring families find more than just housing support. They connect families to cultural programs like powwows, culture nights, and other culturally specific services within NAYA’s broader community network. 

The program’s flexibility proved crucial for this family. When the grandmother’s son struggled with alcoholism following his sister’s death, NAYA’s Family Housing Program provided consistent support. “He’s attending community college, and he’s been sober for a few months, and just seems like we have a life again,” she shares. 

Beyond “Western” Definitions 

NAYA’s approach recognizes that families come in many forms and allows for self-identification rather than requiring traditional nuclear family structures. This inclusive approach allows them to serve Elders with adult children, young couples, and other family configurations often excluded from mainstream programs. 

Since 2022, the program has housed 104 families, with nearly all remaining housed long-term—a remarkable retention rate that Riley attributes to their continued support after housing placement. 

For families facing housing instability, the message from this grandmother is clear – NAYA is a place that offers resources and support without judgement.

NAYA’s Family Housing Program demonstrates how culturally responsive approaches can transform not just housing outcomes, but entire family trajectories. 

Gupta shared that “navigating around the many systemic barriers together with the flexibility of our funds and having cultural exchanges allowed us to share a healing moment.”

Inspired by this family’s story? Please consider a donation to NAYA today to ensure that we can be here for Native families for generations to come. Donate Now | Native American Youth and Family Center