Shelter for Native survivors plans groundbreaking in 2027

Anonymous donor gives $3 million to project on Martha’s Vineyard

Bret Anne Serbin

October 26, 2026

Recognizing the disproportionate impact of domestic violence on Native women, a nonprofit organization on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts is fundraising to build a new shelter space to better serve Indigenous survivors. Kinship Heals intends to break ground on the “Aquinnah Headwaters” shelter project in 2027, according to the Vineyard Gazette.

The shelter would be the first of its kind in Massachusetts with an explicit commitment to serving Native people who have experienced violence.

The total project cost is pegged at $17.67 million. With a recent anonymous donation of $3 million, the nonprofit has raised $6.8 million — about 38% — of its funding goal.

1.Lily Echeverria. Anonymous Donor Gives $3 Million to Planned Indigenous Shelter. The Vineyard Gazette, Oct. 17, 2026.

Spotted an error? Suggest a correction.

1.Lily Echeverria. Anonymous Donor Gives $3 Million to Planned Indigenous Shelter. The Vineyard Gazette, Oct. 17, 2026.

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