Our History

1896 -	After years of serving in the Salvation Army, Maud and Ballington Booth announced a new organization in the United States. The Booths envisioned a movement that would care for the whole person—mind, body and spirit. On March 8, 1886, the Booths formed "God's American Volunteers," which was later renamed Volunteers of America.
1920 -	Volunteers of America founders Maud and Ballington Booth asked their good friends, Frank and Emma Tremont, to start a Volunteers of America storefront mission and perform prison ministry in South Dakota. Along with their four children, the Tremonts moved to Sioux Falls and Frank became the chaplain of the South Dakota State Penitentiary.
1923 -	Volunteers of America, Sioux Falls started providing childcare in the city. Emma and Frank offered 'day and night' child care to over 20 children for just 10 cents per day.
1929 -	Volunteers of America, Sioux Falls became one of the original seven organizations to be funded by the Sioux Empire United Way.
1972 -	Threshold, another organization in the area, began offering shelter to troubled young girls who did not have a safe home environment. Threshold's services grew, offering help to young males, families, and runaway and otherwise homeless youth; it also began family crisis intervention, prevention and youth involvement programs.
1983 -	South Dakota's first alternative school and first Career Learning Center, originally called TurnAbout, began offering alternative education and employment assistance to youth and adults. TurnAbout later expanded its services to include child care and parent education.
1994 -	Threshold and TurnAbout merged to form Turning Point of South Dakota, assisting people of all ages in stepping toward a brighter future.
2000 -	Turning Point of South Dakota and Volunteers of America, Sioux Falls merged to become Volunteers of America, Dakotas, providing services to children, youth, adults, and families throughout the Dakotas.
Today -	Volunteers of America, Dakotas has reached out to the communities of Aberdeen, Brandon, Rapid City, Pierre, Watertown and Sioux Falls. The organization serves to empower nearly 45,000 people of all ages through our six program areas, Children, Youth and Families; Mental Health; Employment, Training and Disability; Housing and Homeless; Community Enhancement; and Substance Abuse and Prevention.

1896 -	After years of serving in the Salvation Army, Maud and Ballington Booth announced a new organization in the United States. The Booths envisioned a movement that would care for the whole person—mind, body and spirit. On March 8, 1886, the Booths formed "God's American Volunteers," which was later renamed Volunteers of America.
1920 -	Volunteers of America founders Maud and Ballington Booth asked their good friends, Frank and Emma Tremont, to start a Volunteers of America storefront mission and perform prison ministry in South Dakota. Along with their four children, the Tremonts moved to Sioux Falls and Frank became the chaplain of the South Dakota State Penitentiary.
1923 -	Volunteers of America, Sioux Falls started providing childcare in the city. Emma and Frank offered 'day and night' child care to over 20 children for just 10 cents per day.
1929 -	Volunteers of America, Sioux Falls became one of the original seven organizations to be funded by the Sioux Empire United Way.
1972 -	Threshold, another organization in the area, began offering shelter to troubled young girls who did not have a safe home environment. Threshold's services grew, offering help to young males, families, and runaway and otherwise homeless youth; it also began family crisis intervention, prevention and youth involvement programs.
1983 -	South Dakota's first alternative school and first Career Learning Center, originally called TurnAbout, began offering alternative education and employment assistance to youth and adults. TurnAbout later expanded its services to include child care and parent education.
1994 -	Threshold and TurnAbout merged to form Turning Point of South Dakota, assisting people of all ages in stepping toward a brighter future.
2000 -	Turning Point of South Dakota and Volunteers of America, Sioux Falls merged to become Volunteers of America, Dakotas, providing services to children, youth, adults, and families throughout the Dakotas.
Today -	Volunteers of America, Dakotas has reached out to the communities of Aberdeen, Brandon, Rapid City, Pierre, Watertown and Sioux Falls. The organization serves to empower nearly 45,000 people of all ages through our six program areas, Children, Youth and Families; Mental Health; Employment, Training and Disability; Housing and Homeless; Community Enhancement; and Substance Abuse and Prevention.