Native American Community Services of Erie And Niagara Counties Inc

Since its founding in 1975, NACS has grown into a key human service provider to the greater Buffalo-Niagara community. Although NACS is one of the only comprehensive service organizations in 17 Upstate New York counties that focuses primarily on the needs of the Native American population who are living in urban areas and off Nation-territories, all but one of their programs are open to and utilized by all people of the community - Native and non-Native alike. We currently offices in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Lockport, Rochester, and Syracuse. NACS utilizes trauma-informed practices and has developed innovative programs and approaches to significantly improve the lives of those who engage in their programs and services.

NACS began as a single program to address poverty and unemployment in the Buffalo Native American community and was originally incorporated as the “Native American Manpower Program.” Through this initial work, other pressing needs of local Native families were identified, such as issues with substance use and abuse. Following the establishment of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in 1978, further programs were initiated that began to focus on advocacy and support for Native American children and families. Soon after this expansion, the corporation changed to its present name so to reflect these additional services. 

Youth programs and casework services were first made available in the 1980’s. Native American Foster Care and more culturally based approaches to alcohol and substance abuse prevention programs were initiated later that decade. In the early 1990’s, NACS was one of the first agencies to begin addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS in the local Native American community. By the 2000’s, NACS had expanded its programs to include services to Elders and the developmentally disabled. In 2009, NACS co-produced a documentary titled “Unseen Tears” that explored the intergenerational impacts of historical trauma on the local Native population. Soon after, culturally specific interventions to address those issues such as the Healthy Generations project, Stages of Life Empowerment (SOLE), and the Healing Our People through Empowerment (HOPE) approach were developed, along with language preservation and a cultural resource library. NACS helped initiate the statewide Gathering of Good Minds, which is a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, that is based in traditional teachings. Today, NACS is also a leading cultural competency trainer for other organizations, businesses, foundations and various government entities and systems.

Current Program Components:

NACS continues to strengthen and/or expand programs toward addressing the vast needs of our community. Our programs are now organized within ten components, focused in the following key areas:

Ø Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention

Ø Community & Cultural Services

Ø Economic Empowerment

Ø Educational Achievement

Ø Family Preservation & Strengthening

Ø Foster Care

Ø Health & Wellness

Ø Managed Care Services

Ø Youth Services

Ø Special Initiatives

NACS’ aim, through our “Tradition of Caring” is to help strengthen individuals and families mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and financially, while also building a greater sense of community. It’s our belief that a healthy and thriving Native American population contributes to the vibrancy of the whole Buffalo, Niagara, Rochester, and Syracuse Region!

NACS’ aim, through our “Tradition of Caring”, is to help all lives that come into our care to strengthen mentally, emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually, while also building a greater sense of community.