Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services: The Nest

Program overview

The Nest is a guaranteed income program from Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services that provides 150 Indigenous mothers with $1,250 in no-strings-attached monthly payments until their child’s third birthday—at least $45,000 for each participating family.

Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services (Hummingbird) was founded in 2021 by Camie Jae Goldhammer (Sisíthuŋwaŋ-Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ Oyáte) to better serve urban Indigenous mamas and their families. Hummingbird now runs more than five unique programs, including The Nest guaranteed income pilot, which was born when Hummingbird providers began asking: “How can we create a space where Indigenous mamas know that they are enough?”

Working by, for, and with birthing parents, Hummingbird providers recognized a unique opportunity to reimagine the social contract within Indigenous communities. Hummingbird envisioned a program that would provide wraparound care for birthing people, grounded in core beliefs—including that every parent is the perfect parent for their baby and that abundance and generosity are a community responsibility.

Indigenous birthing people are disproportionately impacted by poverty and maternal–child health disparities, with some of the highest rates of housing insecurity and maternal and infant mortality in King County and the surrounding areas. But that is not the story Hummingbird wants to center. Instead, Hummingbird’s narrative is rooted in the belief that Indigenous birthing parents are enough—and that they deserve to honor their reproductive destinies, support their community, and raise their children in healthy, thriving environments.

“We knew that we had to create something that would allow birthing people the space to breathe. When people get both guaranteed income and culturally specific services, it reduces stress and increases their ability to love and attach to their child, which is what heals historical trauma.”

— Camie Goldhammer (Sisíthuŋwaŋ-Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ Oyáte), LICSW, IBCLC, Founding Executive Director, Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services

In addition to $1,250 a month provided through The Nest, birthing parents are surrounded with a holistic continuum of care, including access to an Abundance Auntie who provides direct family support and wraparound resources, as well as a large community with intentional and culturally specific activities. This includes programs adjacent to The Nest, such as an artist residency where birthing parents can interact with an Indigenous artist and ground themselves in shared ritual and practice.

“We create spaces for Nest participants to re-ground in what it means to be an Indigenous parent. An amazing thing that came out of a recent workshop was that one of our residents worked with the community to come up with a birthing song that everyone contributed to and was able to incorporate into their own story.”

— Såhi Velasco (Indigenous CHamoru), Storytelling Program Manager, Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services

As a community organization, Hummingbird is guided by a Cultural Advisory Council. Members of the Council are leaders who have been consistent voices and advocates for the community. The Council serves a number of roles within Hummingbird, including sharing cultural knowledge with staff and families, supporting program planning, and ensuring that community and culture remain integral to Hummingbird’s work.

“The Council was a huge part of designing The Nest program, and maintains a vital role in its administration.”

— Goldhammer (Sisíthuŋwaŋ-Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ Oyáte)

Partnership in practice: How Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services used AidKit to safeguard The Nest without compromising cultural integrity

In tailoring a platform to meet the unique vision of the Council and Hummingbird team, AidKit had the privilege of supporting and uplifting the profound work Hummingbird has done to bring a community-held dream to life. The resulting partnership is a powerful example of what becomes possible when vision and values align to create systems that are built for, by, and with those they intend to serve.

1. Protecting data privacy

When it came to selecting a disbursement partner, the protection of applicant and participant data was a top priority.

Hummingbird had previously been in the contracting process with another technical provider but quickly realized that the security of their families’ data could not be guaranteed.

“The other provider wanted to use data on our families, to see where people were spending their money, and serve them ads. I get that this is how some apps work, but that is not how we work.”

— Goldhammer (Sisíthuŋwaŋ-Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ Oyáte), Founding Executive Director, Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services

Initially, the team considered handling disbursements internally, similar to a payroll process, but their partners at Perigee Fund recommended contracting with an experienced third party. AidKit was appealing because the platform never sells or otherwise profits from participant data and has strict internal controls and systems related to the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of data.

With AidKit, Hummingbird found a partner that shared their integrity and commitment to participant privacy, never seeking to profit from program participant data.

“It’s been an extremely positive relationship.”

— Goldhammer (Sisíthuŋwaŋ-Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ Oyáte)

2. Culturally responsive eligibility verification

One of the most innovative aspects of The Nest’s technical design was the creation of an in-platform lineage tracker. This customized solution showcases AidKit’s ability to adapt to the unique needs and cultural contexts of the communities it serves.

“Collecting information on Indigenous identity and how folks do identify as Indigenous is complicated. The Nest in no way at all wants to be in a position where we are determining someone’s Indigenous identity, but we do need to make sure we are good stewards of funds and that the resources go to the communities they are intended for.”

— Lacey Warrior (Dena'ina/Alutiq/A'aniiih), The Nest Program Manager, Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services

Recognizing that not every applicant would have a tribal ID or enrollment number, AidKit worked with Hummingbird to develop a multifaceted approach that anticipated challenges in accessing documentation. The lineage tracker provides applicants with a straightforward way to demonstrate Indigenous lineage through a family tree builder and space to share additional information they feel is important to convey their Indigenous identity.

This innovative solution allows The Nest to gather the information needed to ensure resources are reaching the intended communities, while still honoring the complexity and diversity of Indigenous peoples. The AidKit platform then generates an anonymized application for review by the Cultural Advisory Council, which makes the final determination on eligibility.

By leveraging AidKit’s flexible technology and collaborative approach, Hummingbird was able to create a culturally responsive application process that respects the sovereignty of Indigenous communities and the self-determination of individual applicants.

3. Ease of use for administrators and applicants

AidKit’s platform has proven to be a powerful asset for The Nest’s administrators. By partnering with AidKit to implement a two-part application and enrollment process, Hummingbird has significantly reduced the administrative burden on staff and community partners while creating a low-barrier experience for applicants.

“The platform was so user-friendly. It made my job really streamlined during the enrollment process.”

— Tia Yazzie (Diné/Navajo), Abundance Auntie, Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services

“Working with AidKit during the build—and collecting the right information at the right time to ensure resources are going to the people who need them—was smooth. AidKit was such a low barrier, allowing people to easily provide us the information we needed to get them into the program.”

— Warrior (Dena'ina/Alutiq/A'aniiih)

With AidKit’s intuitive platform handling the logistics, Hummingbird’s team can focus their energy where it matters most: building trust and relationships with the families they serve.

Program impact

At a glance

• $7.8 million total approved for delivery.
• $1,250 monthly payments per birthing person.
• 150 families supported.
• Seven generations of Indigenous wealth taken into account.

“We are seeing an impact right away. Some families thought it was fake, asking, ‘How is this possible? How is this real that I have time and space and the financial security to take time and take care of my baby?’—as if this is a groundbreaking revelation, though it absolutely shouldn’t be.”

— Warrior (Dena'ina/Alutiq/A'aniiih), The Nest Program Manager, Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services

By centering the voices, experiences, and cultural wisdom of Indigenous birthing people, Hummingbird has created a program that not only provides critical financial support but also affirms the inherent joy and resilience of Indigenous families.

The bigger picture

Through their collaboration with AidKit, Hummingbird has demonstrated that technology, when developed with integrity, can be a powerful tool for advancing the necessary rebuilding of our country’s social contract.

“The baseline that we were coming from in designing this program is that life givers are enough, just as they are, in their true selves. The narrative surrounding Native families often focuses on challenges and deficits, which is the opposite of our goal of supporting everyone to understand that they are enough and believe in themselves as parents and community members. This program is actively working to shift that narrative.”

— Goldhammer (Sisíthuŋwaŋ-Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ Oyáte)

Looking ahead

As The Nest continues to grow and evolve, it offers a vital reminder of what is possible when we build systems that honor the inherent dignity and wisdom of the communities they serve. In the words of Lacey Warrior:

“If we were this intentional with every aspect of our society that cares for people, things would look very different.”