Division of Indian Work

The Division of Indian Work (DIW) has been providing culturally-specific programming to the urban American Indian community in Minneapolis for 73 Years!

For Give to the Max Day 2025 on Thursday, November 20th, DIW has a $10,000 goal, which will be used for our Ninde Doula program.  

MORE ABOUT NINDE DOULAS:  

Ninde Doulas are trained professionals who provide informational, emotional, physical, and cultural support to Indigenous families while they are pregnant, during labor and birth, and for the post-partum healing period, much like how Indigenous aunties traditionally helped bring new life into this world. 

Ninde was created several years ago when community members were seeing the rise in the opioid epidemic and how it was affecting families in our community. The epidemic was not yet apparent to those in higher leadership roles. The Ninde Collaborative started as a small group of women who wanted to see a change in their community. 

In 2016, we were able to train and work closely with five doulas. At the end of 2021, we have a total of 22 certified doulas working with American Indian and Latinx families all over the Twin Cities and now in Bemidji. 

DIW'S MISSION:  To support and strengthen urban American Indian people through culturally-based education, traditional healing approaches, and leadership development.   To this end, we focus on community and delivering programs and services directly or in partnership with other organizations.

YOUR NINDE DOULA SUPPORT:  What could your donation TODAY help support?

• $50 would purchase a hand-held breast pump, or provide lactation teas for mothers
• $50 would provide a nutritious post-partum meal, prepared by a DIW Ninde Doula
• $50 would purchase ingredients to make bone broth to give out to Ninde families

• $100 would purchase a car seat education and installation session for one parent
• $100 would provide Door Dash gift cards for pregnant families
• $100 would provide Uber  / Lift vouchers for families to attend community events / birth classes 

• $250 would support a lactation canopy set up and support at one community event
• $250 would purchase pumping backpacks and cooler bags for mothers

                                                

• $500 would provide ten (10) nutritious post-partum meal, prepared by a DIW Ninde Doula

• $1,000 would provide the doula services for one program participants pregnancy journey