The idea for Northern Hills Sources of Support originated from a community-wide needs assessment sponsored by a local church in 2013. The question was asked: What is one thing that can be done or is needed to have a positive impact on our community? The agreed upon outcome of this assessment was that we needed a community resource center that would house a database of the many organizations providing assistance and services to those in need in the Northern Hills region of South Dakota. This database would allow for better access and efficiency in helping others. A small task force comprised of church and community members from various assistance organizations began the project of establishing the community resource center, aptly naming it Northern Hills Sources of Support (SOS). In 2017, Northern Hills SOS became a registered not-for-profit organization. In 2019, they hired an Executive Director to handle daily operations and to help grow the organization.
Throughout the process of building and establishing this organization, light has been shed on the very real and very deep issues of poverty, homelessness and inadequate housing, and hunger in our Northern Hills communities. Though these issues might not speak to us personally, to turn a blind eye to them or to say they don’t exist in our community is no longer an option. One need only engage in a conversation with a true expert on these matters, such as a school counselor, a drug and addiction counselor, a mental health professional, or a domestic violence advocate, to realize the scope and magnitude of these issues within our community. This is precisely what members of the Northern Hills SOS task force and Board of Directors have been doing over the last several years.
We operate a small office in downtown Spearfish, independent of any church affiliation, as a “first-stop” for those in need and to help answer the pressing question: “Where do I go for...?” We offer a stream-lined approach to finding resources in the Northern Hills. Our office offers a safe, caring environment, to those experiencing poverty and other life hardships that need support and answers to their questions.
Additionally, it has become abundantly clear that increasing poverty awareness within our community should be an objective of Northern Hills SOS, which we accomplish through our daily operations as well as community events, like our Hunger Banquet event and our Poverty Simulation event. We truly enjoy sharing our story and our mission to community members, as a way to raise awareness about local issues and to begin addressing these issues on a community-wide level.
Another point brought to light is the need for Northern Hills SOS to act as a communication hub for assistance providers. There are over 80 service and assistance organizations within Spearfish and the surrounding communities. The people in our communities are extremely generous with their time, their monetary support, and their donations of food, clothing, and otherwise. Northern Hills SOS has a unique opportunity to make an impact on the community by helping to coordinate these organizations, services, and donations. These collaboration efforts further our goal of identifying gaps and eliminating overlaps in services in our area. Additionally, these collaborations and public awareness events truly set us apart from other state programs and hotlines. We offer a direct line to services in the Northern Hills and we understand the issues because we are based here.
We have grown from our original plan of having an office offering just a database-type service. We now realize we can serve our community on a much deeper and more meaningful level by offering not just “first-stop” services, but also by walking with an individual or family along their journey. Our over-arching mission has grown to include building relationships with those in need, raising poverty awareness within our community, and serving as a central hub for communication and organization of assistance providers in the Northern Hills area.
Throughout the process of building and establishing this organization, light has been shed on the very real and very deep issues of poverty, homelessness and inadequate housing, and hunger in our Northern Hills communities. Though these issues might not speak to us personally, to turn a blind eye to them or to say they don’t exist in our community is no longer an option. One need only engage in a conversation with a true expert on these matters, such as a school counselor, a drug and addiction counselor, a mental health professional, or a domestic violence advocate, to realize the scope and magnitude of these issues within our community. This is precisely what members of the Northern Hills SOS task force and Board of Directors have been doing over the last several years.
We operate a small office in downtown Spearfish, independent of any church affiliation, as a “first-stop” for those in need and to help answer the pressing question: “Where do I go for...?” We offer a stream-lined approach to finding resources in the Northern Hills. Our office offers a safe, caring environment, to those experiencing poverty and other life hardships that need support and answers to their questions.
Additionally, it has become abundantly clear that increasing poverty awareness within our community should be an objective of Northern Hills SOS, which we accomplish through our daily operations as well as community events, like our Hunger Banquet event and our Poverty Simulation event. We truly enjoy sharing our story and our mission to community members, as a way to raise awareness about local issues and to begin addressing these issues on a community-wide level.
Another point brought to light is the need for Northern Hills SOS to act as a communication hub for assistance providers. There are over 80 service and assistance organizations within Spearfish and the surrounding communities. The people in our communities are extremely generous with their time, their monetary support, and their donations of food, clothing, and otherwise. Northern Hills SOS has a unique opportunity to make an impact on the community by helping to coordinate these organizations, services, and donations. These collaboration efforts further our goal of identifying gaps and eliminating overlaps in services in our area. Additionally, these collaborations and public awareness events truly set us apart from other state programs and hotlines. We offer a direct line to services in the Northern Hills and we understand the issues because we are based here.
We have grown from our original plan of having an office offering just a database-type service. We now realize we can serve our community on a much deeper and more meaningful level by offering not just “first-stop” services, but also by walking with an individual or family along their journey. Our over-arching mission has grown to include building relationships with those in need, raising poverty awareness within our community, and serving as a central hub for communication and organization of assistance providers in the Northern Hills area.