An integral part of NAYA’s Foster Care Services is helping youth stay connected to their culture while in care. Indigenous youth are deserving of a sense of belonging, and our programs aim to firmly establish feelings of self-worth. May is Foster Care Awareness Month, so it’s the perfect time to highlight our culturally appropriate individual-View Article >
Providing innovative and culturally-specific childhood programming is an essential part of NAYA’s mission to serve everyone from babies to elders. So, we’re excited to announce that NAYA’s Early Head Start program has reopened at Applegate Elementary School to help families and give kiddos a cultural “head start” on their educational journeys. “The classroom focuses itsView Article >
Establishing a permanent home for NAYA and our mission to serve Portland’s Native American community is a long-time dream. Thanks to the leadership of former Speaker of the House Tina Kotek, we are a huge step closer. $1.25 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, aka ARPA funds, has been approved for NAYA campus upgradesView Article >
Responding to the growing needs of our community, NAYA continues to expand services, adding capacity in all areas. Months in the works, we are pleased to announce the addition of two key positions as we have restructured to manage our growth. We’re pleased to introduce Josh Groesz, who took the helm as Director of HousingView Article >
In late November, friends and family gathered at the NAYA Family Center campus to work on the ever-improving garden that took shape over the summer. The two-day Unthanksgiving event, November 25 and 26, was an overwhelming success! Staff were eager to have the ability to share the land with the community and offer an alternativeView Article >
Stronger Together Watch our year-in-review video here. Another year in the pandemic, and we continue to deliver the high impact services our community needs, adding much-needed capacity across all departments to support our youth, families, and elders. We are honored and grateful to be in service to our community! While our campus has remained closedView Article >
Following a rigorous, participatory research project in partnership with the Institute for Economic and Racial Equity, NAYA’s Individual Development Account (IDA) program has been deemed a sterling example of empowerment economics, supporting the organization’s mission to enhance the diverse strengths of the Native community. The IDA program is just one of the many ways NAYAView Article >
“Culture is prevention,” says Natalyn Begay, NAYA’s Health Equity program manager, and it is those words that serve as the foundation for the entire program. “Really, what that means is the reclamation of culture to increase the overall health of our community,” Begay says. First, elders are looked to for traditional wisdom. Second, those teachingsView Article >
As National Suicide Prevention Month comes to a close, NAYA recently invited guest bloggers to share their thoughts on reasons why suicide continues to impact Indian Country to such an extent, and how building opportunities to talk about the issue can build hope. Content warning: These articles discuss issues that some community members may findView Article >
As MNA first day approaches, NAYA asks all staff to be vaxxed Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent the spread and severity of COVID-19. For months, NAYA has taken the strongest possible measures to keep its staff and clients safe during this pandemic. In response to the recent record-breaking surge in coronavirus casesView Article >