2010 Partner Agencies

Career Advantage- Advance

Provides individualized vocational, situational and residential assessment, as well as job development, coaching, career planning and follow-along support. They provide a bridge to employment by working directly with many local employers to assure an individual’s job success. Over 50 people receive and benefit from job placement.

Larry Franklin or Matt Simet

692-7852

American Red Cross-Brookings County

Provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. It also provides water safety, First Aide and CPR training and services to military families. 2400 individuals participated in various training opportunities offered by Red Cross in 2010. Red Cross Brookings Chapter also responded to 5 fires in Brookings and Aurora this past year while dispensing financial aide for food, shelter and clothing in the amount of $7,000.

Dayle Sundberg

692-6772

Boy Scouts of America - Sioux Council

Prepares youth to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law with adult role models and positive youth development activities.

Jim Thalacker

507-530-0554

Boys and Girls Club of Brookings

Offers a wide variety of programming for youth of the Brookings area. Activities are designed to develop self-esteem and assist youth in reaching their full potential. The program serves 1380 youth (330 average daily attendance during the school year and 370 average daily attendance during the summer months). Currently in their impact programs they are seeing an 85%-90% success rate or improvement in knowledge.

Vanessa Merhib
692-3333

Brookings Area Camp Adventure

Gives children with wide ranges of disabilities between the ages of 6 and 18 an opportunity to share camaraderie, raise self-awareness, and increase self esteem in a variety of activities during a two-week day camp during the summer.

Linda Brandt
692-5789

Brookings Area Crime Stoppers

A non-profit organization made up of local citizens who are interested in asisting local law enforcement agencies with combating crime and improving community safety.

Tim Wheelborg

697-5015

Brookings Area Habitat for Humanity

Unites partnerships to empower families in need and to build communities through fulfilling dreams of homeownership and beyond. Habitat is committed to the development and uplifting of families and communities. Over 40 homes have been built in partnership with families in Brookings County. Our A Brush With Kindness program helps families give new life to their existing homes with exterior painting or small maintenance projects. With numerous volunteer opportunities from office work, to food preparation, to home construction and painting, Brookings Area Habitat for Humanity needs you. For more informaiton, please call:

Barb Johnson
692-5601

Brookings Area Mental Health Association

Works for improved care and treatment of the mentally ill with funding for medication on an emergency basis and transportation to medical facilities. The program also offers community outreach through educational programs / brochures and sponsors public forums on public health issues.

Edd Nowlin
627-9134

Brookings Area Transit Authority

Provides public tranportation for all residents of Brookings County and also supports other area non-profit programs with delivery of transportation services. Destinations include but are not limited to medical facilities, employment, youth activities, church, shopping, social events and coordinating services. Medicaid provider with all vehicles / wheelchair accessible. In 2009, 120,000 one-way rides were provided to residents of Brookings County.

Brenda Schweitzer
692-5416

Brookings Area Special Olympics

This program is open to all individuals with intelectual disabilities in the Brookings area ages 8 and above. Athletes master a sport skill, learn teamwork and sportsmanship.

Suzy Gehring

697-6937

Brookings County Youth Mentoring

(BCYMP) promotes one-on-one mentoring to youth in the community. The program seeks to ensure that all youth in Brookings County have the guidance and support of a caring, stable adult. The mentor relationship is intended to empower youth to reach their full potential. This past year, BCYM connected over 140 volunteer mentors with youth in this county.

Jo Woodard
697-0444

Brookings Backpack Project

Assists children and youth who may not have enough to eat at home by providing them with easy-to-prepare weekend meals and snacks during the academic year. In the past year, the Project has served over 300 children in Head Start and the Brookings School District. The Project now serves during the summertime. Volunteer opportunities include: packing food bags, delivering food bags to school and summertime food sites or unloading groeries at the staging site.

April Flemming 697-2882

http://www.brookingsbackpackproject.org/home

Brookings Domestic Abuse Shelter

Provides 24-hour emergency shleter, hotline and crisis intervention to individuals experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Also provides legal (including court accompaniment), medical advocacy and weekly support groups for women and children. Resources include referral services, public outreach and educaiton, food, clothing, diapers and limited financial assistance. In 2010, the Shelter assisted 4,379 clients via phone or in person.

Margo Dempsey or Ashley Dahl
692- (SAFE) 7233

Consumer Credit Counceling - Luthern Social Services

Offers individually tailored financial counseling, debt repayment programs, foreclosure prevention counseling, homebuyer education and bankruptcy education/counseling and financial literacy education. Counselors are Certified Credit Counselors and typically serve over 1000 clients each year.

Saila Ghandi-Erion
692-9636

Dakota Smiles Mobile Dental Program

Provides ree preventative and restorative dental care to children ages 0-21 years. In 2010, 50 children were served during the week in April when the Mobile Dental Program visited Brookings.

Brookings Area United Way / Kate Treiber

692-4979

East Central Behavioral Health

ECBH provides comprehensive behavioral health care services to individuals in Brookings County and surrounding areas. The array of services that are provided include: compresensive child/adolescent/family services, adult/family services, substance abuse services, and outpatient psychiatric care. Staff are licensed or certified in approprate areas of behavioral health.

Mike Forgy

697-850

East Central Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)

Recruits, trains and supervises court appointed community volunteers who advocate for safe, permanent nurturing homes for abused/neglected children in the court system. Last year, 19 volunteer Advocates brought encouragement and stability to 51 children n the foster care system. 100% of children served had the same volunteer Advocate from the beginning to the end of their case
Julie Wermers
697-6106

East Central Literacy Council

Provides volunteer tutors with books and materials to teach persons age 16 and older who are functionally illiterate. Functional illiteracy is the inability to read common signs, newspapers, job applications, and/or learn computer operations.

c/o Brookings Library
688-4828
Sheryl Gudvangen
696-0785

South Dakota CARES

Enables people with disabilities to live independent lives. Programs include recycling medical equipment, elderly care, caregiver workshops, farm safety camps and early intervention care for toddlers, disability prevention and early screenings for children. The Birth to Three Connections Program provides developmental screening to any child under the age of three. Over 2000 children will receive developmental screening this year in Brookings County.

Carol Ballweg
605-224-5879

Family Resource Network

Provides early childhood enrichment services to child care providers, parents and others who care for young children. Services include: training, technical assistance and general resources. The Toy and Resource Lending Library provides resources, publications, toys and equipment which promote the healthy growth and development of young children. Parents and families can access information on child care providers/programs in the Brookings community through the Child Care Referral Service.

Gail Bultman
688-5730

Council on Emergency Services - Food Pantry

Provides food and essential nonfood items in individuals in the Brookings area. In 2009, the food pantry purchased $12,657 worth of food for distribution to 1088 families (1553 adults, 888 children)

Amy Lacek

692-6056

Girl Scouts - Dakota Horizons

Promotes citizenship through educational programs, projects and outdoor activities to help girls learn the qualities of leadership and participation.

Bette Poppen
605-854-3117

Great After-School Place (G.A.P.)

Provides safe, affordable before and after school care in grades K-5, as well as summer care through age 12. Sliding fee scale for parents of need. Scholarships are available. Last year, GAP served close to 300 children before and after school.

Jan Stange
692-8066

Harvest Table

Serves a warm, no-cost meal, fellowship and love to anyone in the community every Monday night at the First United Methodist Community Life Center in Brookings. In 2010, the Harvest Table hosted close to 9,000 guests for an average of 140 meals each week. Families are also provided with a supply of groceries to take home with them once per month. Currently, the HT is experienceing an increase in guests and meals served of nearly 130% compared to prior years.

Vonda Kirkham
692-4345

Inter-Lakes Community Action 60's Plus Dining

Encourages socialization and activity while providing nutritious meals for adults age 60 and older in Brookings, Bruce, Volga and Elkton. In Brookings, home-delivered meals are available for those who qualify.

ICAP 60’s Plus Dining serves more than 150 meals each day to senior adults in Brookings County (38,000 meals last year). Participants are served in congregate and home-delivered settings.
Each meal provides a full 1/3 of the nutrients needed to maintain a healthy diet.
Special emphasis is placed on serving our “at-risk” homebound elders, allowing them to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.
Area volunteers provide more than 7,000 hours of service to the 60’s Plus Dining Program annually.

Kimberly McCoy
256-6518

Jeanne Zeigler

692-1407

Inter-Lakes Community Action Early Head Start

Helps empower pregnant women and families with young children to develop to their fullest potential.

Cindy Dannenbring or Danielle Jensen
605-256-6518

Imagination Library

Sends an age-appropriate book through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library monthly to registered children ages 0-6 who are currently living in Brookings County.

Brookings Area United Way / Kate Treiber

692-4979

Independent Living Choices (formerly Prarie Freedom Center)

Empowers individuals with disabilities to live independently, and assists in purchasing adaptive devices and home modifications to make their premises accessible. Last year, this agency served 31 individuals in Brookings, 8 of which who were served through their Home Modification Program.

Matt Cain

605-362-3550

Kelly McGeough Foundation

Provides financial assistance to Brookings county families with children under age 18 stricken with catastrophic medical expenses.

Sandra McGeough
692-2806

LSS, Brookings Counseling Office

Provides a wide variety of mental health counseling programs, on a sliding fee scale based on income, for individuals, families, and couples.

Mel Harrington

692-5280

My Neighbor

Is a faith-based community outreach program helping families and individuals that are facing a crisis situation. The agency assists individuals to become stabel community members by offering assistance/ resources and timely financial aide for housing, utilities, personal / health care needs, and transportation. Last year, the agency assisted 527 adults and 402 children with financial assistance of over $30,000.
Dawn Twedt

691-3225

NAMI (National Association for Mental Illness)
Provides support to individuals and their families who have mental illness and teaches a 12-week Family-to-Family course.

Nancy Sonnenburg
692-8948

East Central SD RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program)

Promotes the engagement of persons 55 years of age and older as community resources in community involvement, delivery of volunteer services, and provide a quality experience that will enrich the lives of the senior volunteers. Aurora, Volga, Elkton, Sinai, White, Bushnell, Bruce and the State Parks all receive outreach through the RSVP Patrol. These senior volunteers patrol schools, water supply areas, and ditches for trash and dead animals. This provides relief for the Sheriff’s Department.

Stephanie Bultje
692-3536

Stars Special Training and Riding Skills

Provides the opportunity for persons with disabilities to have exposure to horses, grooming and riding under a supervised setting.

Larry Thomas

696-5221

Salvation Army - Brookings

Provides emergency and financial assisance to residents and transient families in Brookings County for basic needs. Salvation Army organizes the Share the Warmth Winter Coat Drive and Back-to-School Project in Brookings County. Last year, 150 individuals were provided assistance with food, lodging and transportation. The Share the Wealth drive provided 500 coats to area youth and 325 backpacks were given to area school children at the beginning of their school year. Emergency assistance is provided for fire, flood and disaster victims.

Joyce Wrage

690-9803

Senior Companions

Provides friendship and assistance to seniors allowing them to maintain their independence. Respite care is also offered to family caregivers. Activities include writing letters, shopping, errands and light housekeeping.

Kristin Fox

888-239-1210

Sioux Valley Base (Before and After School Program)

Provides a safe, fun environment for children K-5 in the hours before and after school, as well as summer care at an affordable cost. The children are able to choose from a variety of activities.

Alanna Bezdichek
627-5657

TEEN Challenge of the Dakotas

Applies spiritually motivated biblical principles to relationships in teh family, local church, chosen vocation and teh community. The program endeavors to help people to become mentally sound, emotionally balanced, socially adjusted, physically well and spiritually alive.

Mike Gilmartin

692-9753

URC Child Development Center

Provides care and education to children 4 wks-12 yrs in an intergenerational medical setting. URC helps clients to achieve intellectual, physical, social and emotional balance.

Dawn Kane
692-5351

Volunteer Service Bank

Matches volunteers in Brookings County with people and projects. We are a volunteer clearinghouse that serves as a method of exchanging services between community members. VSB has nearly 70 Escort/Transport drivers providing patient transportation In Brookings and the surrounding area for patients in need of radiation/chemotherapy treatments and for other specialty needs. Volunteer tutors also assit in both Brookings and Sioux Valley School Districts. VSB also networks with 19 other organizations and provides volunteers for them Those who are interested in volunteering, please fill out the Volunteer Intake Form . Once completed, this form can be emailed to brookingsvsb@swiftel.net

Don Boone
692-6102