Aanii (Hello) Community,
I NEED YUR HELP!! (Sorry for the wordiness you are about to encounter)
My name is Nenookaasi Ogichidaa. I am an Afro-Indigenous 2Spirits Queer Wife and mother of 3.
Many know me as a traditional singer/composer/dancer, an activist for Afro/Black, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ Rights. I also really enjoy spending time in the outdoors on crown land and getting my hands in the dirt. I am also a full-time business owner.
In March 2020 the world as we knew it was rocked with the Covid-19 Virus and changed the way we move through this lifetime. With real panic and concern for our safety, our cities were met with a lockdown. This meant that regular service and resources were not available including access to traditional & spiritual herbs/medicines.
At the time my job/role was “Indigenous Wellness Liaison” supporting our Indigenous Communities through Addiction and Mental Health. Creating traditional supports with culturally appropriate measures wrapped with a Harm Reduction approach “Meeting people where their spirits are at”.
With the panic of “what is going to happen?” and the lack of
resources available, I began to realize that this pandemic was going
to have a massive affect on our communities mental
health. I recognized that those whom are most
connected to their roots/culture/tradition tend to live healthier
lifestyles. Our people needed access to the
traditional and spiritual herbs/medicines.
A team of 4 (my wife, my eldest daughter, my best friend and I) created 188 medicines bundle care packages (sage, lavender, sweetgrass, tobacco, cedar, small abalone, matches and sanitizer and a note with instructions seal with a heart) to “Door Drop” deliver within the Tkaronto (Toronto) area. The response was beyond what we had ever expected....
To see and understand the need for our connection to Mother Earth/Spirit and the direct relationship we have with them through our cultural ceremonies is an understatement. Faces of smiles, elation, appreciation, and longing. Dance moves emerged, door bells brought in cheers “the bundles are heeeeeer”, Facebook posts and message sharing personal stories of those who needed to express the most common thing said to us...
“You have no Idea how much I/we needed this”
”This brought my children closer to me”
”I shared mine with a loved one”
The request for this experience to be made available was the
common ask...
“Will you be doing this more?”
“There is hardly anywhere to get this stuff from a source I trust”
“All the places that sell them are super expensive”
It was then that I knew this role/responsibility was the new way of life and I felt good about. April 21st 2020 Hummingbird Spirits (HBS) became an Official small business.
Our mission was and still is to provide access to quality, community supported/sourced, and quantity for a smaller dollar. We aimed to become a trusted supplier for our urban communities across Turtle Island (North and South America) and have. I am super proud of this bond and relationship of “Amplifying Community Wellness, Spirit By Spirit”
GUESS WHAT?!?!
Word of mouth has been so good to Hummingbird Spirits and because of it, this small business is needing some financial build up support to keep up with the need by purchasing new equipment and restoring lost inventory for a more efficient and time managed production.
B eing the only operations of this business, it requires me to better equipped to fulfill on my end. “Work smart, not hard if the task calls for it”
At the start of 2021 to date, my business had encountered and few but major set backs.
In January my home had a major flood and $2000 worth of inventory/packaging had to be thrown out. With orders still coming in I found a way to make it work.
In February a supply shipment was stolen from off my porch. A total of $2500. This is STILL in investigation with the currier service as they did not follow instructions.
In March the replacement shipment was held at customs and then sent back to sender. Still awaiting my refund.....
In April New shipment was reordered, lost and resent again! Partial shipment has been received.
At this point Hummingbird Spirits has become a trusted and recommended source for Traditional and Spiritual needs. I am honoured.
Today I have an ask.... So here it goes....
I NEED HELP!
Please see the list below for a direct breakdown of what I am needing to help with to build my business up. Feel free to select a need from the list that you could help out with (via purchase or donation) OR send a monetary donation in efforts to take us to the next level.
WE FOUND A PLACE IN THE JUNCTION AREA!!!!!
Help us to raise monies to maintain a home space for the next little while!
Rent - $6000 ($1500incl hydro monthly)
Internet - $320 ($80 monthly)
Delivery Vehicle Needs: $2,648 so far $2,220
*Alignment - $160
*Tune Up - $80
*Oil filter Change - $80
*Wash - $540 ($45 monlthy mandatory weekly cleaning as it is the delivery vessel)
*DeWalt Car Vacuum $160
*Gas Card - $500
Online Support: $408
Shopify Membership 1yr ($34/mo) - $408
Equipment: $2,170(Shipping included) so far $1,135
LETIME LT3000 Essential Oil Distiller (2) - $625
Essential oil Hydrosol Separator (2) - $90
Stainless Steel 500ml Measuring Cup (2) - $130
Aluminum Scissor Lifting Jack Platform (2) - $125
Thermal Label/Sticker Printer - $165
Precision Master 5.5QTn(5.2l) Stand mixer - $345
Outdoor Rubbermaid Storage Unit 77"x 55"x 28" - $690
Packaging - $2500
Mailers
Boxes
Stand Up Pouches
Take Away Kraft Boxes
Tissue Paper
Burlap Sacks
Organza bags
Lines Sacks
labels - $800
Fabric - $700 so far $500
I thank you in advance for you support. We are excited to help make this movement thrive. Together we can "Amplifying Community Wellness Spirit by Spirits". If donations go over the stated amount, it will be used to hire on staff as this is a busy season.
Chi Miigweth, To all of my relations,
Nenookaasi Ogichidaa
