October's Spotlight is on American Indian Health and Family Services (AIHFS)
Mission: To empower and enhance the physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental wellbeing of American Indian/Alaska Native individuals, families, and other underserved populations in SE MI through culturally grounded health and family services.
Vision: AIHFS will be nationally recognized as a leading Urban Indian health and community center supporting healthy Native people, families, and communities.
Since 1978, American Indian Health & Family Services (AIHFS) has been a nonprofit health and community wellness center. The center’s approach integrates traditional Native American healing and spiritual practices with contemporary Western medicine in both treatment and prevention through the use of the Integrated Care Model.
AIHFS is a Title V Urban Indian Health Organization and a Federally Qualified Health Center that has obtained CARF accreditation as a certified “Health Home.” A health home is a healthcare delivery approach that focuses on the whole person and integrates and coordinates primary care, behavioral health, other healthcare, and community and social support services. AIHFS is located in southwest Detroit and serves a seven-county area.
Details
Events to support American Indian Health and Family Services
AIHFS Events
October 1, 2024–October 1, 2025
AIHFS hosts a variety of events, programs, classes, and workshops, as well as an annual Pow Wow which is typically held in August. Please check out their offerings online or follow them on social media for updates.
Resources
AIHFS offers sliding scale medical and behavioral health care to those with or without insurance. They provide services to all people in need regardless of their ethnicity, nationality, gender, race, religion, age, or sexual orientation. Alaskan Natives, American Indians enrolled in a federally or state recognized tribe, or first or second degree descendants of enrolled tribal members are eligible for services at no cost.
They also provide a plethora of other resources to the community and offer numerous traditional and cultural events, workshops, and classes. For example, every summer they have a backpack giveaway for the youth. For more information about these and other resources available, please call (313) 846-3718
Volunteering
They do have volunteers at the agency from time to time for events like their annual Pow Wow, to do career talks with the youth, and for garden workdays. For more information contact Kimara at [email protected]
Donations
Please consider making a donation directly to AIHFS on their website by clicking the link on this page.
Besides financial support, different groups and businesses have donated toiletries, food, and school supplies. Inquiries can be sent to Kimberly at [email protected]
Why Zing loves AIHFS
Zingerman's is honored to support AIHFS and their dedicated work to empower American Indian/Alaskan Native individuals and families, while graciously keeping their doors open to anyone else in need. It's crucial to acknowledge the oppression these communities have faced and the responsibility we have to lift them up, to ensure they have access to important and life changing services like these, and to support them in celebrating their heritage and culture.