Native Americans and Alaska Natives have found and built strong communities in our cities, despite centuries of policy that removed them from their ancestral lands and forced them to assimilate. Learn more about the issues we face ⟶
Friendship House is an Indigenous-led organization that believes culture is medicine.
We are the oldest social service organization in the United States run by and for American Indians. Over the last 50 years, we have helped more than 5,835 clients recovering from substance abuse. With a model that integrates traditional Native healing with evidence-based practices, we have developed a unique approach to wellness that is holistic and leads to lasting recovery. We know that healing for Native peoples begins with culture and connection.
Opening in 2025, The Village SF is our vision for a home of urban Indian belonging, where our people are nurtured by culture and cared for and by community.
The Village San Francisco
The Village SF is our vision for a home of urban Indian belonging, where our people are nurtured by culture and cared for and by community. Once completed in 2025, it will be a cornerstone of the newly-designated American Indian Cultural District.
The Healing Center includes an 80-bed adult primary and extended residential substance abuse treatment program for men and women. American Indian traditional healing methods are integrated into individual and group counseling efforts and program activities.
The Women’s Lodge is a nine-bed residential treatment program for women and their children (0-5 years of age), supporting the parental connection between mother and child, establishing a healthy family bond and promoting positive child development.
American Indian community events and gatherings are hosted and co-hosted throughout the year. There’s a range of community holiday celebrations, the Families in Recovery Gathering and the Dancing Feathers Powwow are a few that provide support spaces to come together, recognize and celebrate American Indian culture and traditions.
The Extended Residential Treatment Program is designed for clients who have successfully completed the primary residential component. In a supportive and structured environment, residents participate in individual and group counseling sessions and cultural activities. Referrals and placement support for housing, continued education and employment are provided to help prepare residents for reentry into their respective communities.
The Friendship House Youth Program provides community centered and culturally relevant, afterschool and summer programs geared toward American Indian children, youth, and young adults up to age 24. The year round program supports academic success, healthy family & social environments, resilience to substance abuse, and positive cultural identity.
Centuries of U.S. policy have created deep inequities for Native peoples. Issues facing Indian communities reflect a long history of systemic and structural racism and oppression, including the criminalization of Indian ceremonies and languages, family separation, forced relocation, and mass incarceration.
According to the U.S. Census, over 1 in 4 American Indians live in poverty. This brings disproportionate rates of incarceration, teen suicide, unemployment, high school dropouts, diabetes, domestic violence, and substance abuse.
For many of Friendship House’s clients, it is not necessarily one single issue that is being dealt with, but overlapping and simultaneous issues. Healing and lasting recovery is greater when we reconnect to each other.
Your donation will help reclaim and rebuild a strong community for San Francisco’s Native peoples..
Guided by Native traditions, we help our people to find lasting health and well-being.
