| A healing place within the community for American Indian youth and families to thrive in safety and wholeness. |
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ADYC Branding is Under Construction!
ADYC communications branding is Under Construction! For a sneak peek at branding check out our Strategic Intent!
| | | Introducing ADYC's New Strategic Intent! | | |
Over the past 18 months ADYC has worked closely with Social Venture Partners as a Grantee to not only receive financial support, but to partner with an incredible group of volunteers to create our Strategic Intent. The Strategic Intent is grounded in tradition and guided by purpose to shape Ain Dah Yung Center’s path forward to strengthen our people, systems, and community over the next three years. Visit our website for the full document.
Strategic Intent | Ain Dah Yung Center
| | At our annual meeting in May our board and leadership team celebrated and honored our Social Venture Partners volunteer team for their guidance and commitment to ADYC. | | Youth and Family Services Programs | | |
Culture is Prevention Youth Retreat
Ain Dah Yung Center held another successful Culture is Prevention Youth Retreat at Wolf Ridge from June 12th-June 14th. Our staff and cultural contractors hosted 42 youth and 8 caregivers; in total we had 71 participants at our retreat. Relatives participated in classes such as: baaga’adowewin “traditional lacrosse”, porcupine quill bracelet making, deer hide scraping and teachings, drum teachings, Ojibwe language, Lakota language, therapeutic sensory class, parent education, canoeing, and adventure ropes course. This retreat is held every year for our youth to connect to nature, be in community, and teach cultural practices so our youth have the best opportunity to thrive. We are grateful for American Indian Family Center and their youth for screen-printing this year's t-shirts, and for this retreat to be funded by the MN Department of Health, MN Department of Human Services, and the Carlson Foundation.
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Native Youth Horse Therapy Camp
In April of 2025, Ain Dah Yung Center partnered with Four Directions Behavioral Health and Chi Maingan's 7th Generation to host the third Native Youth Horse Therapy Camp. Staff took 20 youth between the ages of 8-12 for a 3-day camp where they worked with licensed therapists, cultural teachers, ADYC staff, and four-leggeds to learn about the Seven Grandfather Teachings and themselves. The end of the camp culminated in a horse ceremony in which youth placed their horse masks on a four-legged and rode while a singer shared horse songs.
This spring break opportunity has been a fixture of our ADYC year and something that our youth look forward to every year! Thank you to our funders, MN Department of Health and the MN Department of Human Services; Lisa Fulton and her staff at Four Directions, ADYC Ninijanisag and Zhawenimaa staff, and all the parents and guardians of our youth that prioritize their positive engagement with cultural learning and activities.
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Canoe Building
The ADYC Ninijanisag program focuses on prevention and engagement. Chi Miigwech to Ramsey County Title V funding that allowed our Young Men's Group, led by staff member Zack RedBear, to build a canoe. Urban Boat Builders guided the group through a multi-week process. Urban Boat Builders empowers youth to succeed in work and life through woodworking and experiential learning. The canoe was successfully launched at Lake Como with youth and families celebrating the accomplishment!
| | Meeting of the Minds is a space for Mino Oski Ain Dah Yung residents to engage with each other, build community, and share ideas and suggestions on what will make Mino Oski Ain Dah Yung feel like home, such as programming, educational opportunities, and resources. The group meets monthly and alternates between meetings and outings in the community. In the spring seven residents and four staff took a trip to Top Golf, playing games, sharing food, stories, and quite a few laughs. | | Individual Donors Make a Huge IMPACT! | | |
William Kent Krueger, award winning author and St. Paul neighbor, has been a long-time friend of Ain Dah Yung Center. Check out his bio and long list of mystery novels on his website: William Kent Krueger | Official Website | Historical and Crime Fiction Author
Recently Kent visited ADYC to say hello and check in with our Executive Director, Sheri Riemers. WKK asked if there was any way he could help ADYC. As a non-profit serving youth, we always need help with reliable transportation. Fast forward several months with a generous donation from WKK and supplemental funds from another individual donor, ADYC was able to purchase a beautiful Kia Carnival Mini-van. Adding a smaller, easier to manage van to our fleet has given our staff the opportunity to transport smaller groups and not have to maneuver a 12 or 15 passenger van. Chi miigwech WKK and all donors for your passion and support of our community!
| | ADYC Staff Health and Wellness | | | | |
Ain Dah Yung Center’s leadership has prioritized staff health and wellness. Chi miigwech to our foundation partners Pohlad Family Foundation and Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, for their support and investment in the health and wellness of our team. Summer is a perfect time to come together to enjoy the natural beauty of Minnesota!
In July our team headed out for a day on the St. Croix River, taking time to reconnect as a team and share lunch while enjoying our outdoor surroundings. Taking care of those who take care of others is imperative.
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On August 19 we hosted our All Staff Retreat at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum focused on wellbeing and team building. We were honored to spend a few hours with Shelly Belgarde guiding us through techniques and traditional practices with her Holistic Health & Wellness Workshop - Heal your Mind, Body and Soul. After lunch we connected with the outdoors, focusing on Shelly’s teachings on how to restore balance to our overall well-being.
We wrapped up our day with a staff-led team building exercise, sharing personal stories and experiences with support and much laughter.
| | The Indigenous People's Day Celebration will be held at the American Indian Magnet School on October 13th from 11 am to 2 pm. This year's theme is "Honoring our Ancestors: Guiding Us Through Seven Generations Past, Present, and Future." | | | | |
