Community Corner highlights the work of Seattle Human Services’ community partners in their own words. Our goal is to gather stories and photos that illustrate their amazing work on behalf of the people of Seattle. This post was provided by Jordan Neto, senior program manager at Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB). Visit their website and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
When was your organization founded, and what role does it fill in the community?
Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB) is an Urban Indian Organization (UIO) and federally qualified health center that advocates for and provides health and human services to our patients and clients, whom we call “relatives,” while specializing in care for urban American Indians and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people. SIHB was founded more than 50 years ago by a group of AI/AN women with the goal of providing healthcare access and services for Native people, by Native people.
SIHB provides culturally-specific services to Native people living in Seattle, offering care that acknowledges the lived experiences of our relatives. We have been receiving Family Support Services funding since 2024, but provided a wide range of family-based services since our inception. We offer a range of resources to our relatives, including women, infant, and children (WIC) programming, prenatal and postpartum maternal child health care, pediatric care, behavioral health, dental care, nutrition, sexual health care, and more.
How has your organization grown or developed in recent years?
With support from Seattle Human Services directed to our Family Support Services program, SIHB continues to expand and host monthly Family Saturdays, a pediatric clinic day dedicated to child health visits with food, traditional Native crafts, resources, vendors, and many more activities.
These events have been utilized for larger public health outreach and education with resources available for topics such as vaccinations, heat safety, screen time, nutrition, car seat safety, opioid overdose education, firearm safety, and more. As of November, Family Saturdays have reached over 600 of our relatives. Families attend our events to have their child seen by a dentist and pediatrician, receive needed groceries, speak with an AI/AN counselor, or just to share a safe, fun space with community.
Tell us an example of how an HSD-funded program or service impacted one of your community members.
Our impact through Family Support Services can be seen through the feedback we receive from our relatives. At the Family Saturday held last August, staff distributed free car seats to relatives in need while also providing education on car seat safety and proper installation. One relative shared that they had received a used car seat from a friend, but it had grown mold from sitting in the garage. They shared that they could not afford to buy a new car seat on their own and felt relieved to be presented with one of high quality and new condition.
Witnessing the smiles, laughter, storytelling and gratitude among our relatives is a reminder of how important it is to continue our mission of providing spaces of care for Native people, by Native people.