DIW exists to help American Indians tap into the potential that exists within them and provide the tools and skills they need to take care of their families and themselves. We help them achieve this with services provided through four program areas:

Health Services:
• Horizons Unlimited food shelf – supplements the meager food budgets of families and offers healthier food choices (e.g., bison, walleye, wild rice) to help individuals better manage chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
• Minozekwedaa Traditional Foods program – our Native Chef serves healthy meals comprised of traditional and wild foods to program participants.

Strengthening Family Circles:
• Women of Traditional Birthing – helps women refrain from using alcohol and other drugs while pregnant, weekly groups with traditional teachings.
• Nindé (My Heart) Doula Program – trained professionals provide informational, emotional, physical, and cultural support to Indigenous families during labor, birth, and the post-partum healing period.
• Home Visiting programs (Parenting Capacity Services, Family Spirit, Ashoodenim Anishinaabe) work with families/parents to set and meet goals to prevent child protection involvement; provide early childhood education on the age-appropriate development of their children; and connect them with additional community resources for other needs.
• Strong Families Support Services – works with families residing in Hennepin County to reduce American Indian children placements in foster care by connecting families to local community intervention services and providing guidance, incentives, and other supports needed.
• Family Violence Prevention program – provides those experiencing and/or perpetrating domestic violence with access to men’s and women’s anger management groups, a women’s domestic abuse support group, and legal advocacy for victims.
• Elders Resources program – supports elders with grocery delivery, transportation to appointments, social activities, and access to other communities services.
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Resources program – provides support and resources to grandparents who have taken on the role of primary caregiver to their grandchildren.

Healing Spirit Program:
• Healing Spirit House for boys – provides a supportive, safe, positive, drug- and alcohol-free environment and in-house services for long-term foster care American Indian males ages 16-21.
• STAY in the Community program – provides American Indian youth ages 14-22 who are or have been in foster care and/or who are transitioning into independent living with the basic support and tools they need for successful, independent living.
• Youth Leadership Council – works with youth ages 14-21 who are in or have been in foster care, providing them opportunities to develop advocacy skills around implementation and evaluation of foster care policy and practice.

Youth Leadership Development Program: – serves youth in 1st through 12th grades year-round through six program components:
• Academic Support & Activities – offers homework help and tutoring, cultural instruction, Dakota/Ojibwe language instruction, recreational activities and field trips, and education to prevent at-risk behavior.
• The Right Path (TRiP) – teaches the use of culture and life skills as preventative measures against alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use by providing education and cultural activities.
• Youth Intervention Program – provides more focused activities for literacy support and other academic assistance.
• Indigenous Scholars Summer Program – a literacy program for Indigenous youth in grades K-8 with a focus on cultural teachings and culturally relevant literature to ensure our scholars excel and believe in their ability to make a difference in themselves and their communities.
• be@school Attendance Campaign – two DIW Attendance Liaisons work with students, parents, and school personnel to track, monitor, and improve school attendance for American Indian youth, advocate on the importance of getting children to school on time, and educate parents and guardians on the state’s truancy law.
• Live It! Train the Trainer Curriculum – addresses the high percentages of American Indian teen pregnancies. Trained facilitators present Live It! sex education topics using culturally relevant teachings and modern methodologies.