Family Connection Center, Inc. Granted $100,000 from South Dakota Community Foundation
October 1, 2024 // Beyond Idea Grants, Grants
Family Connections Center, Inc. recently received $100,000 from South Dakota Community Foundation’s (SDCF) Beyond Idea Grant (BIG) program for their Safe Place Emergency Shelter. Offered in partnership with the Bush Foundation, the BIG program supports community-based problem-solving efforts in South Dakota.
“Family Connections Center, Inc. is dedicated to supporting at-risk youth in Rapid City and our state through targeted support and programs,” said Joe Barb, Family Connections Center President and Executive Director. “Our mission is to strengthen and empower youth and young adults to overcome obstacles by providing housing, supportive counseling, community education, and advocacy.”
The nonprofit currently offers youth-specific transitional housing and operates a drop-in center tailored for youth aged 16-24. The programs aim to help young people overcome housing obstacles while equipping them with support and life skills for independent living.
“With the Beyond Idea Grant, Family Connections Center, Inc. seeks to address critical emergency shelter gaps in the community and state by enhancing our services for youth in need,” said Barb. “Specifically, we plan to establish a youth specific emergency shelter to provide immediate support to youth seeking housing assistance. This emergency respite shelter will offer a safe environment for youth while our dedicated case managers and community partners work on sustainable long-term housing solutions, ensuring that highly vulnerable young individuals have a secure place to stay, are not sleeping in unsafe places, and receive the necessary supports to thrive.”
SDCF has awarded nearly $3.6 million dollars from the Beyond Idea Grant program since 2022. Interested organizations can visit SDCommunityFoundation.org/BIG to review the grant guidelines and application instructions. SDCF will offer the BIG program again in 2025, with more details to be announced later this year. To qualify, a nonprofit must be IRS Publication 78 verified or have a fiscal sponsor.
“We are honored to partner with Family Connections Center, Inc. and play a small role in helping to empower our youth and young adults. Creating a shelter specifically for youth and young adults will help to create a stronger South Dakota by providing necessary services to help them have successful futures," says Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer.
SDCF is a public non–profit organization established in 1987. SDCF, with offices in Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen administers 1,200 funds benefiting hundreds of charitable organizations annually. The Foundation distributed nearly $31 million in grants in 2023 which made a tremendous difference in communities statewide. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our donors. If you have a specific cause you would like to support or would prefer to give for the general good of our state, please visit https://sdcommunityfoundation.org/giving to learn more or call 1–800–888–1842.
The Bush Foundation invests in great ideas and the people who power them. Established in 1953 by 3M Executive Archibald Bush and his wife Edyth, the Foundation encourages individuals and organizations to think bigger and think differently about what is possible in communities across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geographic area