Youth & Family Services, Inc. Awarded $10,000 by South Dakota Community Foundation

South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) recently awarded a $10,000 South Dakota Fund grant to Youth & Family Services, Inc (YFS). Funding will assist YFS with the Middle School (MS) Program which promotes healthy, early adolescent development to assist youth to transition into responsible, capable adulthood.

“This grant from the South Dakota Community Foundation will assist the YFS Middle School Program to promote the healthy development of middle school age youth through formative experiences and supportive relationships,” said David Miller, YFS Chief Program Officer. “The YFS Middle School Program guides and equips youth to meet the unique challenges they face during the years of early adolescence.”

Under its mission, YFS works to support children and their families in being capable, caring and contributing members of the community. YFS created the MS Program using their vision that all children develop healthy bodies, inquiring minds, wholesome relationships, compassionate hearts, creative spirits, the conviction to stand up for themselves and others, and the courage to build a better society. The MS Program provides hands-on academic experiences, skill-building, leadership and workforce development, mentorship opportunities, hands-on STEM exploration, literacy activities, entrepreneurship, career exploration, life skills, and social-emotional learning to prepare youth to take their place in society. 

“We are proud to assist YFS in their work with the youth in the Middle School Program,” says Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer. “Youth are learning valuable lessons through a wide variety of education and recreational activities to help them learn to be responsible, capable adults.”

 To learn more about funding opportunities offered by SDCF, please visit our website at SDCommunityFoundation.org.