AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITY HOUSE INC.

Transcription

1 (212) AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITY HOUSE INC. 842 BROADWAY NEW YORK, N.Y TO: Michael Swack, Projec t Advisor New Hampshire College School of Human Service s Masters CE D Program FINAL PROJECT REPOR T Sharon Hunt December 1983

2 INTRODUCTION The America n India n Communit y Hous e (AICH ) is a multi-purpos e service organizatio n which wa s establishe d in Sinc e tha t time, it ha s bee n th e primar y huma n service agency i n Ne w Yor k Cit y wit h Native Americans. I t is the onl y agenc y i n th e Cit y whic h i s staffe d and controlle d entirel y b y Nativ e Americans. Although Ne w Yor k Cit y i s not know n for having a larg e Nativ e American India n population, accordin g t o th e census, ther e ar e 11,500 India n residents. Whil e it is generally agreed tha t Indian s are drasticall y undercounte d i n an y urba n census, i t is useful t o compare thi s figur e t o othe r citie s i n states which hav e a substant - ial Nativ e America n population. Fo r instance, according t o th e sam e census, ther e ar e approximatel y 9,00 0 Indians an d Eskimo s i n Anchorage, Alaska; 7,30 0 Native American s i n Albuquerque, Ne w Mexico : 10,40 0 in Oklahoma City, Oklahom a an d nearl y 11,00 0 in Phoenix, Arizona. I n thi s context, th e America n India n resident s in Ne w Yor k represen t a relativel y large urba n India n population. Since it s inception the Communit y Hous e ha s develope d a wide rang e of service s to meet th e need s o f its constituency. I t wa s formerl y th e prime sponso r fo r Indian CET A (Comprehensiv e Employmen t an d Trainin g Act) an d i s now th e prim e sponso r fo r th e Job s Trainin g and Partnershi p Act fo r Native American s i n th e Ne w Yor k Cit y metropolita n area. I t also operates a federall y funde d India n Healt h Progra m which provide s limite d primary medica l car e an d referra l service s for medical an d denta l services ; health education ; limite d treatment ; an d communit y outreac h service s to Indian clients. Fou r year s ago, th e Substanc e Abuse Program wa s estab - lished throug h fundin g b y th e Ne w Yor k Stat e Divisio n o f Substanc e Abuse. The Progra m provides bot h informatio n an d referra l service s for individual s and thei r familie s an d trainin g resource s fo r agencies whic h provid e treat - ment fo r Indians. Mor e recently, the Communit y Hous e ha s establishe d a Socia l Services Progra m t o provid e emergenc y foo d an d shelte r o n a n emergenc y basis. Moreover, th e Communit y Hous e also operate s tw o majo r cultura l programs. Native American s i n th e Art s (NAIA), wa s starte d i n a s a theatr e grou p that woul d presen t America n India n artist s an d thei r work s t o th e genera l pub - lic. I t is currently funded b y th e Nationa l Endowment fo r th e Arts, Th e Com - munity House also operates a Gallery and Gif t Sho p in the Soh o section of Manhattan. I t generally mounts tw o majo r exhibit s o f traditiona l art s an d craft s a year. Las t year, i t generated $37,50 0 in income fo r th e organization. Today, th e America n India n Communit y Hous e is a $1. 3 millio n dolla r agency. However, with th e exceptio n o f its cultural programs, it is totally dependen t on federa l an d stat e fundin g fo r its operation. Further, many o f its programs are limite d t o informatio n an d referra l rathe r tha n mor e comprehensiv e services. Perhaps more importantly, th e agency' s prioritie s ar e determine d b y wha t is fundable fo r Indian program s an d no t wha t Indian s i n Ne w Yor k Cit y conside r t o be mos t important.

3 -2- In thi s regard, th e American India n Communit y Hous e proposes to establish a Community Economi c Developmen t Program. Thi s progra m would see k to develop several project s whic h would respon d to some of their immediat e surviva l need s i.e., employment, cultura l identity, temporary shelte r -- an d expan d th e organization's capabilit y t o gen - erate incom e fo r its own use. Thi s progra m would eventuall y becom e a separately incorporate d America n India n Developmen t Corporatio n tha t would remai n affiliated wit h th e Community House. NEED The Nativ e America n populatio n in New Yor k Cit y is mostly an invisible one. Whil e 11,50 0 Indian resident s wer e indicate d i n the census, it seems likel y tha t man y more were not counted. To o many Indian resident s ar e transient s o r homeless. Man y more simpl y ge t los t among other minorit y groups. Mos t o f them liv e i n extreme povert y an d isolation. As economi c condition s o n th e reservations hav e becom e worse, ther e has bee n a n increas e i n the number of Indian s arrivin g i n cities. How - ever, urba n unemployment is exceptionally hig h an d job opportunities ar e quite limited. Illiterac y an d lac k o f job skills ar e major obstacle s t o finding a job for many Native Americans. Federa l cutback s have als o reduced th e options fo r training programs. City lif e als o represent s a different an d alie n cultur e fo r most newly arrive d Indians. Unabl e t o find employment, thei r transitio n t o living her e is made even more difficul t b y th e lack o f suitabl e suppor t systems. A s a result, ther e ha s bee n a n increas e in alcohol an d drug abuse an d stress-relate d illnesses. Moreover, ther e ha s bee n a marke d increase in mental health problem s an d th e breakup o f familie s a s finan - cial difficultie s worsen. Whil e thes e problem s are not at al l new, the y are greate r toda y than ever before. At th e same time, the American India n Communit y Hous e onl y ha s a capacity, thoug h obviousl y limited, t o trea t th e symptoms of these problems rathe r tha n address the causes. Th e Communit y Hous e has service s that respon d to illnesses an d trainin g need s an d eve n emergenc y short - term shelters. Wha t it lacks thoug h is the capacity t o provide signifi - cant resource s fo r facilitating th e Native American' s transistio n t o Ne w York Cit y cultura l lif e an d fo r creating rea l employmen t opportunities. OBJECTIVES The objective s o f the American India n Communit y Hous e Communit y Eco - nomic Developmen t Progra m ar e to: 1) Establis h a labor-intensive busines s ventur e t o be operate d a s a subsidiary enterpris e o f the Community House ;

4 -3-2) Establis h a n Indian cultura l cente r tha t would combin e som e current activitie s of the Community House, suc h a s the theatre, with new activities, suc h as an ethnic restaurant and a meeting and resource center; 3) Establis h a community -base d residenc e fo r homeless Indians. As a result of work on these projects, th e Community Hous e wil l develop a n institutional capabilit y to address th e long-term employment, cultural an d housing need s of the Indian population in New York City. This capabilit y wil l b e ultimately, separatel y incorporated as an American India n Developmen t Corporation. PROGRAM The America n India n Communit y Hous e has designated thre e separat e projects as the core of its Community Economi c Developmen t Program. Each of these activitie s has the potential to be self-sustaining, whil e the firs t tw o may generate additiona l incom e fo r the organization as well. First, a labor intensiv e busines s ventur e wil l b e established. The busines s wil l b e a profit-making subsidiary of the American India n Community House. Th e company will star t wit h approximatel y te n worker s and wil l hav e the potential fo r long-term growth. I f it is successful, other businesse s wil l b e undertaken. Th e Center fo r Community Economi c Development of the Community Servic e Society is currently conductin g an assessment of possible products whic h can effectively utiliz e a n Indian trademark fo r marketing purposes. Second, an Indian Cultura l Cente r wil l b e established in a locatio n that is generally accessible by public transportation. Th e basis for thi s Center alread y exist s wit h the theatre and gallery. However, both of these program s have limite d visibilit y in the Indian Community. A s noted earlier, bot h of these program s alread y are doing well financially. Com - bining the m in one facility woul d be cost efficien t an d give bot h activitie s a much higher profile. In addition, the Native America n communit y has no place to congregate, to meet as individuals or as tribes, or to eat their ow n ethnic foods. Th e theatre spac e ca n be creatively use d t o provide thi s kin d of space a s well. This woul d be a major contributio n to reducing the alienation of New York City lif e fo r its resident Indians. Technica l assistance in determining the spac e an d design need s fo r the facility is being provide d by the Pratt Institute Cente r fo r Community Development. Third, th e Community Hous e will develo p a community-based residenc e for homeless Indian s in the City. Suc h a residence will not only provid e shelte r but wil l b e operated consisten t with India n traditions. Technica l assistance for thi s kin d of shelter has been formall y requested fro m th e Shelter Devel - opment Project at the Community Servic e Society.

5 -4- Taken together, thes e project s represent a majo r ste p for the American India n Communit y Hous e to move beyond short-ter m surviva l and fundin g fo r referral an d treatment. Eac h of the projects responds to a fundamental concer n o f the New York City India n popula - tion. I n so far as possible, they wil l b e geographically located near eac h other. Fo r the first tim e in its history, th e Community House will b e fostering a long-term developmen t capacit y fo r its constitutency, in addition to its needed socia l services. Thi s cap - acity wil l ultimatel y be separately incorporated as a CDC, affiliate d with the AICH. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILIT Y The America n India n Communit y Hous e is a $1.3 million dolla r human service agency tha t has consistently grow n sinc e its inception in I n addition to its funded programs, it is operating a major income generatin g ventur e wit h a craft sho p and gallery tha t bring s in $37,50 0 for the organization. Th e Board of Directors is broadbased. and consists of 15 members. The y represen t th e following tribes; Lakota, Atzec, Easter n Ban d Cherokee, Caughnawag a Mohawk, Shinnecock, Winnebago, Si c Nations Mohaw k and Delaware. A n Advisory Board for the Community Economi c Developmen t Progra m has been estab - lished consistin g of AICH Boar d member s and partially o f other Ne w York Cit y India n residents. The Coordinato r of the Program, Sharo n Hun t has been on the staff of AIC H for the past year, in the dual capacit y of Director of Social Services and Coordinator fo r Community Economi c Development. Ms. Hunt has extensiv e experienc e i n community organizin g and development and recently complete d a graduate degre e progra m in the field. Initially, she wil l b e assisted b y both pai d and pro buono technica l consultants. Both the Pratt Cente r fo r Community Developmen t and Community Servic e Society are currently providing technica l assistanc e without a fee. Mr. Michae l Crawfor d wil l b e working as a business planne r wit h the Community Economi c Developmen t Program. Mr. Crawford bring s year s of business an d fund raisin g experienc e t o AICH and together Ms. Hunt and Mr. Crawfor d wil l serv e a s the Community Economi c Developmen t team.

6 AMERICAN INDIA N COMMUNIT Y HOUSE CURRENT PROGRAM S Job Trainin g - AICH is the prime sponso r of the Jobs Trainin g and Partnership Act for Nativ e American s in the New York metropolita n area. Th e programs offe r counseling, vocationa l training, adul t basic educatio n an d higher educatio n preparation. Approximatel y 375 Indian s ar e served in the program annuall y wit h 40 % placed in private secto r job s an d 40% go into trainin g o r higher education, Indian Healt h - The AICH Healt h Progra m offer s primar y medica l and dental car e service s on a referral basi s a s well as limited treat - ment services. I t also sponsor s healt h educatio n foru m fo r the Indian community. I n 1982, th e program had 2,641 visits fro m the Indian community. Th e program is federally funde d India n Healt h Service. Substance Abus e - The Substance Abus e Progra m provide s informatio n and referra l service s fo r American Indian s an d families as well as provides resourc e material s fo r agencie s an d professionals servin g Indians. A Hotline servic e is provided an d a newsletter, "Smal l Trails", is published. Th e program als o maintain s a resource librar y for us e by people workin g wit h India n population s throughou t the State. I t is funded b y the New York Stat e Divisio n of Substance Abuse. Native American s in the Arts (ANIA ) - was created a s a theatre grou p in lat e to present America n India n Artist s an d their work s to the genera l public. I t is only on e of two American India n theate r companies nationwide. Th e National Endowmen t fo r the Arts ha s funded the grou p to produce a "livin g history " play fo r the current season. Gallery an d Craft Sho p - The Gallery and Craft Sho p is a visual art s program tha t present s fiv e t o six exhibitions of contemporary America n Indian Ar t eac h year. Las t year, i t also presente d tw o major exhibits of traditiona l art s and crafts. Th e Shop had gross sale s las t yea r of $37,500. Social Service s - The Social Services Departmen t was established in 1983 t o meet the emergency foo d an d shelter needs of the American Indian populatio n in New York City. Th e Department has a foo d pantr y which is stocked wit h traditiona l food s and can provide emergenc y shelter fo r a maximum of ten days fo r homeles s people. I t also pro - vides advocac y service s fo r America n India n residents.