Dakota Center Inc

THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER, INC. ASSISTS ITS CLIENTS IN REACHING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AS STUDENTS AND INDEPENDENT SENIOR CITIZENS.

YOUTH PROGRAMS : YOUTH PROGRAMS ENCOMPASSES SEVERAL WAYS THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER, INC. IMPACTS AT-RISK YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. FIRST IS THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM PROMOTES PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC GROWTH, VALUE DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOR CHILDREN IN FIRST GRADE THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL. DAKOTA STREET CENTER, INC. PROVIDES A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE YOUNGSTERS RECEIVE HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON READING AND MATH SKILLS TO MEET STATE STANDARDS. CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, NUTRITIOUS MEALS, ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES AND POSITIVE SOCIAL INTERACTION ROUND OUT THE PROGRAM. IN 2019, NIOST (NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME) RATED OUR PROGRAM HIGH QUALITY. DURING THE UNUSUAL PANDEMIC YEAR OF 2020, MUCH OF THE CONTACT WITH OUR YOUTH CLIENTS WAS ACHIEVED ON-LINE AND OVER THE TELEPHONE. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM WILL BE IN FULL SWING IN THE FALL OF 2021. DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, AFTER SCHOOL BECOMES THE SUMMER DAY CAMP. THE SUMMER CAMP CONTINUES ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AND ADDS MORE FUN ACTIVITIES. READING IS EMPHASIZED TO HELP IN PREVENTING SUMMER BACKSLIDE FOR OUR KIDS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAMPERS ARE OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO SWIMMING ONCE EACH WEEK AND THERE IS A WEEKLY FIELD TRIP FOR LEARNING AND FUN. EACH DAY, THE CENTER PROVIDES A NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST AND LUNCH AND, OF COURSE, SNACKS. AGAIN, THE COVID PROTOCOLS DID NOT ALLOW A FULL SPECTRUM SUMMER CAMP IN 2021. SOME CHILDREN ATTENDED A SHORTENED AND MORE RESTRICTED PROGRAM. THEY WERE GLAD TO BE TOGETHER!FINALLY, THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER SUPPORTS A LIVELY BASKETBALL AND CHEERLEADING PROGRAM SERVING CHILDREN AGES 7 THROUGH 18. THE TEAMS COMPETE IN THE CITY OF DAYTON RECREATION LEAGUE AND THE KINGDOM SPORTS CENTER AAU PROGRAM.

SENIORS PROGRAM : DAKOTA STREET CENTER HAS A VERY ACTIVE GOLDEN AGERS PROGRAM FOR SENIOR ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE SENIORS GATHER FOR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, NUTRITIOUS MEALS (AS A CONGREGATE MEAL SITE), HEALTH EDUCATION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT. ONE OF THE GOALS OF OUR PROGRAM IS TO HELP SENIORS STAY SAFELY IN THEIR OWN HOMES AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. VISITS FROM NURSES OF PUBLIC HEALTH DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY, GENTLE EXERCISE, LEARNING COMPUTER AND FINANCIAL LITERACY, GOOD NUTRITION AND SOCIAL INTERACTION ALL CONTRIBUTE TO REACHING THAT GOAL. THE SENIORS ALSO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN SEVERAL WAYS INCLUDING A SEMI ANNUAL "BABY SHOWER" FOR NEW AND EXPECTANT MOTHERS IN THE AREA - A REAL THREE GENERATION INTERACTION!DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC IN 2020, WE KEPT CONTACT WITH OUR CLIENTS BY TELEPHONE, BY DELIVERING FOOD BANK FOOD BOXES TO THEM AND PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS/DRUGSTORES AS NEEDED. OUR SENIORS WERE ANXIOUS TO RESUME SOME ACTIVITIES OF THE GOLDEN AGERS PROGRAM AS THE PANDEMIC WENT ON. IN NOVEMBER, 2020 WE WERE ABLE TO WELCOME BACK THOSE WHO WISHED TO RETURN TO THE CENTER (WITH ALL THE APPROPRIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDLINES IN PLACE.) THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES IS SLOWLY INCREASING IN 2021 AND, WITH THE LIFTING OF MASK MANDATES, ETC., WE EXPECT TO SEE THE NUMBER GROW SUBSTANTIALLY.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS : THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER IS TRULY A COMMUNITY CENTER. IN NORMAL YEARS, MANY GROUPS USE THE CENTER FOR EVENTS RANGING FROM BIRTHDAY PARTIES TO FUNDRAISERS FOR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER OFFERS MANY PROGRAMS - MOSTLY SMALL -THAT OFFER OPPORTUNITY AND SEEK TO IMPACT THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE CENTER. FOR EXAMPLE, DURING 2020 THE CENTER PARTNERED WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN THE AREA TO HOST CROCKPOT COOKING PROGRAMS. PARTICIPANTS IN THESE PROGRAMS WALKED AWAY WITH THEIR OWN CROCKPOTS AND HANDS ON EXPERIENCE IN USING THEM. THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER SUPPORTS AN ANNUAL TRUNK OR TREAT EVENT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN WHICH IS PAIRED WITH A FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION. THERE IS ALSO A CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR THE COMMUNITY. BOTH OF THESE ACTIVITIES WERE ABLE TO BE CONTINUED IN 2021 USING THE GREAT OUTDOORS AND SOCIALLY DISTANCED/MASKED PARTICIPANTS.PERHAPS THE BIGGEST COMMUNITY PROGRAM UNDER DEVELOPMENT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS IS THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER COMMUNITY GARDEN. ON A PLOT OF LAND BEHIND THE CENTER BUILDING AND WITH THE VISION OF SOME COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, THERE IS NOW A WORKING VEGETABLE AND FLOWER GARDEN. THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER HAS BEEN TAPPED BY HOMEFULL OF DAYTON AS ONE OF SEVERAL DESIGNATED COMMUNITY GARDENS. PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE FOOD DESERT IN WEST DAYTON BY GROWING PRODUCE AT THE COMMUNITY GARDENS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE SOLD AT THE GEM CITY MARKET - A NEWLY CONCEIVED SHAREHOLDER OWNED MARKET ON THE WESTSIDE. THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER'S PARTNERSHIP WITH HOMEFULL EXPANDED IN EARLY 2020 WHEN WE DESIGNATED SPACE FOR A SEED ROOM TO GERMINATE PLANTS FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY GARDENS INCLUDING THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER GARDEN. OUR GARDEN WILL ALSO BECOME A PART OF THE PROGRAMMING WITH OUR YOUTH AND SENIORS. THEY WILL LEARN ABOUT HORTICULTURE AND GARDENING AND HAVE THE PLEASURE OF EATING SOME OF THEIR OWN PRODUCE. THE COMMUNITY WILL TRULY OWN THAT GARDEN!

YOUTH PROGRAMS : THE YOUTH PROGRAM SEEKS TO POSITIVELY IMPACT AT-RISK YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM AND SUMMER CAMP PROMOTES PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC GROWTH, VALUE DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOR CHILDREN K-8TH GRADE. DAKOTA STREET CENTER, INC. PROVIDES A SAFE,CLEAN, LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE CHILDREN RECEIVE HOMEWORK/ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON READING AND MATH SKILLS TO MEET STATE STANDARDS. CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, NUTRITIOUS MEALS, ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES AND POSITIVE SOCIAL INTERACTION ARE CORE ACTIVITIES OF THE PROGRAM. IN 2019, NIOST (NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME) RATED OUR PROGRAM HIGH QUALITY. EVEN DURING PANDEMIC YEARS, WE CONTINUE OUR MISSION.

SENIORS PROGRAM : DAKOTA STREET CENTER HAS A VERY ACTIVE "GOLDEN AGE" PROGRAM FOR SENIOR ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE SENIORS GATHER FOR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, NUTRITIOUS MEALS, HEALTH EDUCATION, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT WITH REGULAR VISITS FROM NURSES OF PUBLIC HEALTH DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY. THE MAIN GOAL IS TO HELP SENIORS STAY SAFELY IN THEIR OWN HOMES WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. THE SENIORS ALSO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN SEVERAL WAYS INCLUDING AN ANNUAL "COMMUNITY BABY SHOWER" FOR NEW AND EXPECTANT MOTHERS IN THE AREA.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS :THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER IS TRULY A COMMUNITY CENTER. MANY GROUPS USE THE CENTER FOR EVENTS RANGING FROM BIRTHDAY PARTIES TO FUNDRAISERS FOR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. WE OFFER THE DAKOTA STREET CENTER AS A LOCAL GATHERING PLACE. A PLACE WHERE LIFE IS CELEBRATED. WE ARE ALSO PLACE OF SOCIAL IMPACT ALWAYS SEEKING OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE OURSELVES, OUR PLACE, AND OUR FUTURE. WE ARE A PLACE THAT EMPHASIZES, AGAIN AND AGAIN, THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE CENTER IS TO SERVE EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY. IN 2021, OVER 14,500 PASSED THROUGH OUR DOORS.