Berakhah House

Since 2010, the Berakhah House has been providing emergency shelter for homeless veterans in Sioux Falls. This program was created as a true community partnership to address the growing need to serve homeless veterans. The Sioux Falls Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Volunteers of America, Dakotas and the Catholic Diocese joined together in this public/private/government partnership to serve local veterans.

The program provides services under the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans contract with the Sioux Falls Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. The goal is to rapidly reduce homelessness among veterans using short-term intensive services designed to reduce barriers to community housing. The Sioux Falls VA homeless case managers refer individuals to the Berakhah House to provide safe, monitored, and structured housing for veterans.

The length of stay for the majority of residents is 60 days. During their stay veterans are provided meals, supportive services, and group activities designed to overcome barriers to independent living.

The Berakhah House provides:

• Short-term emergency housing
• A safe, secure, and respectful environment
• Enhanced individual growth
• Employment options
• Financial counsel
• Housing opportunities 

Veterans Services Center

Volunteers of America, Dakotas - Veterans Services Center was established to provide drop-in services for veterans and their families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The facility is centrally located in the downtown area of Sioux Falls and within walking distance of other community resources. The Veterans Services Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The Veterans Services Center offers the following:

• Laundry facilities
• Showers and bathrooms
• Computer access for job searches and resume preparation
• Referrals to VA and other community services
• Snacks
• Veterans Advocacy 
• Housing referral services

Emergency Support for Post 9/11 Veterans

Veterans Per Diem – Transition in Place Program

Veterans Per Diem Program is a VA-funded partnership with Volunteers of America, Dakotas where eligible homeless veterans can be housed in community-based apartments for 6-24 months. Upon completion of the program, veterans will assume the lease and this will become their permanent housing.

Services

During their time in the program, veterans will work closely with a Volunteers of America Dakotas case manager and a VA case manager to eliminate barriers to housing, employment and other issues that will lead to independent living. Assistance with:

• Rent
• Furniture
• Food
• Utilities
• Transportation
• Coordination with community resources

Axis180

Provides young adults ages 16-21 the opportunity to transition out of unsafe environments into independent living while at the same time helping them learn the skills necessary to sustain their new living environments on a long-term basis. Specifically, the program assists participants with education completion, employment training and placement, financial management skills, daily living skills, and interpersonal skills. The program provides young people with a safe, supportive environment while they learn the skills necessary to succeed on their own.

The Axis180 Program offers:

• Safe, affordable shelter
• Life skills education and training
• Interpersonal skill building
• Education completion
• Job preparation skills
• Mental and physical health care
• Case management
• 24-hour crisis on-call

The goal of Axis180 is to assist homeless young people in making a successful transition to self-sufficiency, prevent long-term dependency on the social services system, and provide an option for older youth who need assistance in transitioning into adulthood.

HomePlace Capital Campaign

Runaway and Homeless Youth

Safe Place

Volunteers of America, Dakotas is the only organization in South Dakota that participates in the 
National Safe Place activities for the city of Sioux Falls and is listed on the National Runaway Switchboard.  Safe Place is a network of locations such as schools, fire stations, libraries, grocery and convenience stores, public transit and other appropriate public buildings.  All employees at designated Safe Place locations are trained to contact the Family Crisis Intervention 24-hour crisis line, if a youth needs help. Safe Place serves youth ages 10-17.

Currently, there are 18 stationary sites and 29 mobile sites in the city of Sioux Falls.  These sites ensures geographically the city will be covered so that youth do not have to venture far to find assistance. Stationary sites include:

• 11 Fire stations
• Bowden Youth Center – Volunteers of America, Dakotas
• Independent Living Preparation Program – Volunteers of America, Dakotas
• LifeMarks – Volunteers of America, Dakotas
• Children’s Inn
• Lutheran Social Services – E. Presentation location
• Sioux Area Metro headquarters
• Sioux Area Transit station
• Sioux Area Transit hosts 219 mobile sites as all buses are Safe Place sites.

If you need immediate help and don’t know where to turn, please TXT 4 HELP.  Text the word SAFE and your current location (address, city, state) to 69866 for help.  You will receive a text with the address of the nearest Safe Place location as well as an opportunity to text with a mental health professional.

Youth can also contact FCIP directly for Safe Place services by dialing 605-366-6757.  Help is here for you.

The mission of the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) is to help keep America's runaway and at-risk youth safe and off the streets. The organization serves as the federally designated national communication system for runaway and homeless youth. The network serves the following purposes:

• To alleviate the immediate needs of runaway youth
• To reunite children with their families whenever possible and to encourage the resolution of family problems through counseling
• To strengthen family relationships and encourage stable living conditions for youth to help them choose a future course of action

These goals are in keeping with the philosophies of the National Runaway and Homeless Youth Act that provides grants to support this program. Runaways can receive shelter, case management, counseling, and transportation assistance to return home or to another safe place as agreed upon by youth, parents or guardians, and Volunteers of America, Dakotas staff.

Street Outreach

Volunteers of America, Dakotas' Street Outreach Services provide education and prevention services to youth. Street outreach breaks with tradition by taking services to youth, rather than expecting them to come to the organization. Volunteers of America, Dakotas staff serve as a link to runaway/homeless youth and the programs and services they need to leave the street.

Identified by their bright yellow shirts, sweatshirts, or jackets, the Street Outreach team reaches out to young adults ages 16-21, in parks, malls, rec centers, fairgrounds, or wherever they may be congregating. Youth involved with Street Outreach receive encouragement, case management services, and other resources to help support them with healthy lifestyle choices. 
The goals of Street Outreach Services are:

• To establish relationships with youth to help them leave the street
• To alleviate the immediate needs of street youth
• To reunite youth with their families, when possible
• To help youth decide on a future course of action
• To provide resources and hygiene kits to those at risk

If you are homeless, runaway or at-risk of being, please feel free to
contact Street Outreach at 605-359-7524.