Tightening the Opportunity Gap TM for Youth in our Community Annual Report 2018 A Letter From Our Chief Executive Officer For more than 53 years, Youth & Family Services (YFS) has been a leader, advocate, and innovator in child and family ser- vices. The breadth and depth of our programs have proven to be exceptionally successful in increasing the well-being of children, birth through age 18. It’s an honor and a privilege to present this report highlighting some of our accomplishments from this past year. Many of these achievements were made possible because of the amazing involvement and support of concerned individuals, organizations, businesses, and foundations. In addition to expanding its outreach services, YFS has also been able to keep administrative and fundraising costs below 13%. YFS board members and staff continue to work with parents, educators, law enforcement, other non-profit organizations, and community leaders to ensure the services we provide are effectively meeting the needs of children. Our nine programs deliver comprehensive outreach to underserved youth and families by providing high quality early childhood education, preschool, child care, afterschool and summer youth development programming with academic support and enrichment, intensive case manage- ment for at-risk youth, father involvement and parent engagement, parenting education, mental health counseling and trauma treatment, nutrition and health advocacy services, and violence and substance abuse prevention. Although our services have been a critical component in helping many families become capable, caring, and contributing members of the com- munity, we know more needs to be done. Our programs are filled to capacity, we have waiting lists, and our facilities are overcrowded. After years of planning, our board and staff made the decision to expand our current East Adams Street campus to more effectively meet the growing needs of children and families in our community. We broke ground on this exciting expansion project on April 9, 2018. Construction has been going well. The new building and remodeling work are scheduled to be complete by early 2020. This expansion will allow us to further develop our current services and address the following issues: • Working families need quality care for their children, especially very young children. This issue is particularly acute among low- and moderate-income parents who are in school, the workforce, or both. • Middle school youth have unique needs. Our expansion project includes the development of a program designed especially for middle school youth to provide mentoring, support, and engaging programs while they transition through early adolescence. • For healthy development, children need both their mothers and their fathers. YFS’ Fatherhood First will expand to engage additional children and fathers or positive male role models. • Outdoor learning space offers numerous benefits to children.Being outdoors improves children’s physical and mental health. Our expansion will add more than 30,000 sq. ft. of safe, fun, and interactive outdoor learning space. • Children living in chaos, with food insecurity, or in inadequate housing usually also have unmet health needs. YFS will expand health advocacy programs to help families connect with appropriate services. • Methamphetamine, marijuana, and alcohol use by youth are at an all-time high in our community. This issue is of special concern for youth because of the way these substances affect brain chemistry. YFS’ expansion project will allow for increased prevention education. • Individuals in healthy relationships are happier and more productive. YFS’ Stronger Family Program will work with teens and adults to support relationship skills and strengthen their path toward economic stability, mobility, and employability. As part of this great community, we share a responsibility for the future of our society. By exercising compassion for our neighbors, we’re building a foundation for prosperity while inspiring others to stand up and make a difference. Together we can help achieve YFS’ vision that children in western South Dakota develop healthy bodies, inquiring minds, wholesome relationships, compassionate hearts, creative Susan Fedell spirits, the conviction to stand up for themselves and others, and the courage to build a better society. Chief Executive Officer YFS Leadership Youth & Family Services Board of Directors 2017–2018 Chief Executive Officer Susan Fedell Margo Julius, President JC Joyce, Secretary Tonya Johnson, Vice President Greg Schweiss, Treasurer Program Directors Sen. Stan Adelstein Pat Goetzinger Hon. Craig Pfeifle Darcie Decker, Nutrition Services Charles Arbeiter Kenna Hagan Matt Pickman & Community Outreach Scott Barbour Mary Helland Karen Raben Liz Kelso, Home-Based Head Start Dr. Dale Berkebile John Hey Glynda Rahn Corey Kennedy, Family Support and Kyle Blada April Hix Jenny Schmidt Advocacy Services Malcom Chapman Greg Hollibaugh Mike Stec Jeff Denison Roger Johnsen Dr. Willis Sutliff Vicki Lowry, Rapid City Head Start Angie Dietrich Lloyd LaCroix Dan Warren Amanda Moriarty, Child Development Gogie Enstad Gary Larson John Way Center Steve Flanery Kathy Letner William White Maureen Murray, Mental Health and Pam Fritz Kevin Martin Terry Whiting Prevention Services Jeff Fullerton Bill May Cathy Williams Shawn Gab Judee Oldham Phil Zacher Carrie Robley, Girls Inc. of Rapid City Administrative Staff YFS Foundation Board of Directors 2017–2018 Dr. Nadene Deiterman-Greni, Grants Coordinator Dan Warren, President Janet Gundersen-Powers, Director John Way, Vice President of Finance & Human Resources Pat Lebrun, Treasurer Tyrel Hoon, Information Technology Pat Goetzinger, Secretary Director Kelly Aves, Executive Gary Brown John Murphy Greg Hunter Lloyd Sohl Administrative Assistant Jerred Koppmann Terry Whiting David Miller, Associate Executive Michelle Lintz Margo Julius, Ex Officio Director Brianna Nelson, Communications Coordinator YFS Legacy Society Advisory Board 2017–2018 Connie Olson, Development Director Sharon Oney, Grants Administrator Eunice Johnson, Chairperson Patricia Schulte, Grants Developer Loretta Hill Mike Smith, Director of Facilities & Brian Ogle Program Advancement Girls Inc. of Rapid City • This past year 1,063 girls, ages 6-17, engaged in Founded in 1965, Girls Inc. of Rapid City was Youth programs that inspired them to be strong, smart, and bold. & Family Services’ first program. Girls, ages 6-17, are able to participate in fun and exciting educational and • YFS Girls Inc. delivers research-based, educa- recreational activities in a safe and nurturing tional and recreational programs in a fun, interac- tive way. Programs are designed to encourage environment, year-round. girls to take risks and master physical, intellectual, and emotional challenges. Throughout the year, YFS’ Girls Inc. focuses on the whole girl through a girls have the opportunity to utilize the computer combination of long-lasting mentoring relationships, lab, receive homework help, engage in individual and team sports, participate in community service a pro-girl environment, and research-based program- projects, explore the arts, and go on excursions ming. Our program highlights community action, to learn about and explore our community. Sev- sports, health, careers, and life planning. Girls are eral key areas of focus include: math and science education, pregnancy and drug abuse prevention, equipped to set goals, overcome obstacles, improve basic life skills, media literacy, economic literacy, academic performance, become more self-reliant, adolescent health, increasing self-confidence and lead fulfilling and productive lives, and become role body awareness, violence prevention, and environ- models in their community. mental education. • YFS Girls Inc. Operation SMART (Science, Math, Activities at YFS’ Girls Inc. are designed to be and Relevant Technology) encourages girls to developmentally stimulating and age-appropriate engage in science and math activities and investi- and are implemented in a creative environment. gate nontraditional, technical/vocational, or scien- tific careers. In the past year,645 girls explored, had fun, and got messy through hands-on activi- ties, career mentoring experiences, and laboratory experimentation. “I love coming to Girls Inc. because it’s like having • During the school year, the YFS Girls Inc. Lit- another family. You make new friends every day and eracy Program provides extra hands-on activities and support to girls in kindergarten through third everyone cares about you.” grade who have been identified as reading below -Kayla*, age 11 their grade level. In the summer, Readers Corner is available to all girls, kindergarten through fifth YFS Girls Inc. member grade. Reading is encouraged in the summer to keep the girls learning all year. In the past year, *Names have been changed to protect the privacy of our clients. 443 girls benefited from the YFS Girls Inc. Literacy Program. In addition, 643 children also participated in other literacy-focused programming. Child Development Center • YFS’ Child Development Center provides qual- The YFS Child Development Center offers quality ity care, a highly qualified staff, and a nurturing care, a highly qualified staff, reasonable rates, and a environment for children, ages 4 weeks through welcoming environment for children, ages 4 weeks fifth grade. This past year,414 children engaged in through fifth grade. YFS’ Child Development educational and recreational activities