Dakota Family Solutions

DAKOTA FAMILY SOLUTIONS CONTINUES TO OFFER A NUMBER OF SERVICES FOR LOCAL FAMILIES, INCLUDING SUPPORTIVE SERVICES/GROUPS, EDUCATIONAL/PREVENTATIVE RESOURCES/EVENTS, ALONG WITH SOME MENTORING. A POINT OF SPECIAL EMPHASIS IS STILL ON TEEN, YOUNG AND SINGLE MOTHERS. IN 2021, DAKOTA FAMILY SOLUTIONS PROVIDED 3 HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES FOR CREDIT. 4 TEEN MOMS PARTICIPATED IN AT LEAST ONE OF THESE CLASSES AND 3 COMPLETED ONE CLASS EACH. THESE CLASSES FOCUSED ON PREGNANCY, LABOR AND DELIVERY, INFANT CARE, PARENTING AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. THIS INCLUDED A TOTAL OF 81 MEETINGS (54 SPRING/27 FALL SEMESTER) FOR ALL THREE CLASSES. DFS WAS ABLE TO TEACH WITHIN MY REACH, AN EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM, FOR HEALTHY AND SAFE RELATIONSHIPS TO FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE HEALTH STUDENTS AT THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL. WE WERE ALLOWED 7 DAYS OF TEACHING WITH 4 CLASSES EACH DAY. MORE THAN 100 STUDENTS WERE IN ATTENDANCE FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE 28 CLASS PERIODS WE TAUGHT. DFS OFFERED YOUNG MOMS (MOSTLY IN THEIR TWENTIES) A SUPPORT GROUP (16 SPRING/12 FALL WEEKLY MEETINGS) THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. A VARIETY OF TOPICS WERE COVERED SUCH AS HOW TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN BOUNDARIES WITH KIDS AND HOW TO LIVE A LIFE FREE FROM DISTRACTION AND BEING INTENTIONAL WITH TIME. WE HAD 24 YOUNG MOMS PARTICIPATE IN ONE OR MORE OF THESE 28 MEETINGS AND WE PROVIDED CHILDCARE FOR 37 CHILDREN DURING ONE OR MORE OF THEM AS WELL. ALSO, 37 PLAYGROUP SESSIONS WERE OFFERED FOR YOUNG MOMS AND THEIR CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHERE MOMS COULD BUILD CONNECTIONS AND THEIR CHILDREN COULD PLAY TOGETHER. WE HAD 19 MOMS AND 37 CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN ONE OR MORE OF THESE SESSIONS. A SMALL BIBLE STUDY WAS OFFERED IN THE SUMMER FOR ANY MOMS INTERESTED. 6 MOMS ATTENDED ONE OR MORE OF THE 4 WEEKLY MEETINGS AND DFS PROVIDED CHILDCARE FOR 9 CHILDREN FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE MEETINGS. ANOTHER WEEKLY SUPPORT GROUP WAS PROVIDED FOR SINGLE MOMS (14 SPRING/12 FALL SESSIONS) THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. WE HAD 17 SINGLE MOMS ATTEND ONE OR MORE OF THESE 26 MEETINGS WHICH COVERED HOW TO IDENTIFY AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH SAFE PEOPLE AND FINDING FAITH WHEN LIFE IS TOUGH. 16 CHILDREN WERE PRESENT FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE SESSIONS WHICH INCLUDED A MEAL. IN 2021, DFS OFFERED 4 CLASSES ONLINE AND IN-PERSON FOR COMMUNITY WOMEN. THERE WAS A TOTAL OF (14 SPRING/22 FALL) WEEKLY MEETINGS. 19 WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN ONE OR MORE OF THESE 36 MEETINGS. THEY LEARNED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT FORGIVENESS IS, AND STUDIED CHANGES THAT PROMOTE HEALING IN RELATIONSHIPS. DFS PARTNERED WITH TWO LOCAL CHURCHES WHO HOSTED 4 OF OUR 5 EVENTS FOR THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WE SERVE. WE PAID FOR USE OF THE FACILITY FOR THE OTHER EVENT. 23 MOMS AND 42 KIDS PARTICIPATED IN ONE OR MORE OF THESE 5 EVENTS/OPPORTUNITIES CREATED JUST FOR THEM. 29 VOLUNTEERS AND 3 STAFF MEMBERS WERE INVOLVED IN ORGANIZING AND IMPLEMENTING THEM. AT CHRISTMAS, DFS PARTNERED WITH 2 LOCAL CHURCHES AND A LOCAL BANK TO PROVIDE BABY ITEMS, TOYS AND GIFT CARDS TO HELP RESTOCK OUR BABY STEPS BOUTIQUE. THIS IS A SMALL STORE WHERE WE HAVE THINGS AVAILABLE FOR THE MOTHERS TO SHOP FOR WITH POINTS THEY EARN BY ATTENDING OUR PROGRAMMING. WE ALSO PROVIDED ABOUT 40 ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING SESSIONS FOR WOMEN WE SERVE. IN 2021, A TOTAL OF ABOUT 70 WOMEN WERE SERVED THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS/EVENTS, INCLUDING ABOUT 63 CHILDREN WHO WERE OFTEN INVOLVED WITH SERVICES AS WELL. DFS ORGANIZED A COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOCAL RECREATION CENTER TO PROVIDE CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR ABOUT 120 RESIDENTS AT THE LOCAL NURSING HOME. THIS WAS OUR SECOND TIME DOING THIS PARTICULAR OUTREACH. THE AUTISM SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM CEASED THE MONTHLY MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR AS PARTICIPATION DROPPED DRASTICALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC. IN 2021, DFS HOSTED AN OUTDOOR FAMILY CAMP TALK-A-LOT EVENT FOR OUR AUTISM SUPPORT GROUP FAMILIES WITH 8 ADULTS AND 16 CHILDREN IN ATTENDANCE. 7 VOLUNTEERS AND 3 STAFF MEMBERS ORGANIZED AND IMPLEMENTED THIS EVENT. WE ALSO PROVIDED PASSES FOR THE SPRING LAKE PARK HOLIDAY LIGHTS DRIVE FOR 11 FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM. IN TOTAL, 14 FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM WERE INVOLVED WITH DFS IN 2021. THIS INCLUDED 16 ADULTS AND 23 CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN PERSON FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE TWO EVENTS PROVIDED FOR THEM. THIS YEAR WE DID A DAKOTA FAMILY SOLUTIONS EVENT AT THE COTTONWOOD PUMPKIN PATCH FOR ALL OF THE FAMILIES WE SERVE. THIS INCLUDED ALL OF THE TEEN, YOUNG, AND SINGLE MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN AS WELL AS SOME OF THEIR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS; AND OUR FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM. WE COVERED THE COST FOR EACH PERSON TO ATTEND. A TOTAL OF 35 ADULTS AND 49 CHILDREN ATTENDED AND 17 VOLUNTEERS AND 3 STAFF MEMBERS WORKED TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. THERE WERE 103 TOTAL PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE. OUR COMMUNITY HOPE INFERTILITY SUPPORT GROUP MET 1 TIME WITH 1 WOMAN BEING ENCOURAGED BY OUR 2 VOLUNTEER LEADERS. THIS GROUP HAS BEEN GREATLY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC. IT WILL BE PHASING OUT AND OUR CONNECTIONS WILL BE DIRECTED TO A NEW ENTITY WHO IS STARTING SOMETHING NEW IN OUR AREA FOR THOSE DEALING WITH INFERTILITY ISSUES. IN 2021, WE CONTINUED OFFERING FREE TUTORING SERVICES ONLINE/IN-PERSON FOR LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TWICE A WEEK. ABOUT 10 STUDENTS ATTENDED ONE OR MORE OF THE 65 SESSIONS OFFERED BY 2 STAFF MEMBERS AND 1 VOLUNTEER. ALL OF OUR SERVICES WERE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE.