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Nonprofit Assistance Directory
Nonprofit Guides › South Dakota
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South Dakota Nonprofit Resource Guide
"Under God the People Rule" — The Mount Rushmore State
8 Area Agencies on Aging66 Counties18 Resource CategoriesSanford Health (Mayo CC Network) · Avera Cancer InstituteSioux Falls VA · Black Hills VA
About This Guide
This guide was created to help individuals and families in South Dakota navigate long-term care with more clarity and confidence. Whether you're planning ahead or facing an immediate care need, finding the right support can feel overwhelming.
Inside, you'll find a curated list of nonprofit organizations across South Dakota, including caregiver support services, disease-specific foundations, veteran resources, and community-based programs. Each listing includes verified contact information and a brief description to help you quickly understand what's available.
Our goal is to make it easier for you to explore your options, connect with trusted long-term care resources in South Dakota, and take the next step with confidence.
💡 Quick Tip: Dial 2-1-1 anywhere in South Dakota for immediate referrals to local nonprofits, social services, food assistance, and more.
We strive to keep this directory accurate and up-to-date. However, nonprofit organizations change, merge, or close over time, and web addresses can change without notice. Always verify contact details directly with each organization. If you find an outdated listing or are a nonprofit that isn't listed and would like to be included, please reach out to us at hello@LTCareNav.com.
All 18 Resource Categories — Click to Expand
Alzheimer's Association — Greater Iowa Chapter (South Dakota)
Type: Disease-Specific Nonprofit
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Greater Iowa Chapter serves SD, IA, …
24/7 helpline (1-800-272-3900), care consultations, support groups in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Mitchell, Watertown, and Pierre, early-stage programming, caregiver education, Walk to End Alzheimer's events statewide, and research advocacy. South Dakota's rural communities — especially west river and tribal communities — face extreme memory care access challenges. Memory care specialists are concentrated almost entirely in Sioux Falls and Rapid City.
1-800-272-3900 | alz.org/greateriowahttps://alz.org/greateriowa
Sanford Memory Care Center — Sioux Falls (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Academic Memory Care — Sioux Falls (SD-Unique)
Region: Sioux Falls metro and eastern South Dakota (Sanford USD Medi…
Sanford Health's Memory Care Center in Sioux Falls provides comprehensive cognitive evaluations, neuropsychological testing, Alzheimer's diagnosis, and care planning. Sanford Health — with 47 hospitals and 224 clinic sites across 26 states and nine countries — is South Dakota's largest health system and a major force in Great Plains healthcare. Sanford's telehealth network extends memory care access to rural SD communities. Sanford Research conducts nationally recognized dementia research including clinical trials.
(605) 333-6310 | sanfordhealth.org/memory-carehttps://sanfordhealth.org
Avera McKennan Memory Disorders — Sioux Falls (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Regional Memory Care — Avera Health (SD-Unique)
Region: Sioux Falls metro and southeastern South Dakota (Avera McKen…
Avera Health's Memory Disorders program at Avera McKennan provides cognitive evaluations, dementia diagnosis, and care coordination for Sioux Falls-area patients. Avera Health — a Catholic health system operating 37 hospitals and 215 clinic sites across five states — is South Dakota's second major health system and serves many rural SD communities through its regional network. Avera's rural outreach provides dementia care support in communities too remote for Sioux Falls visits.
(605) 322-8000 | avera.org/memoryhttps://avera.org
Parkinson's Foundation — Heartland Chapter (South Dakota)
Type: Disease-Specific Nonprofit
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Heartland Chapter serves SD, NE, KS,…
24/7 helpline, care navigator program, support groups in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, exercise programs (Rock Steady Boxing at multiple SD locations), and caregiver resources. South Dakota Parkinson's patients access movement disorder specialist care primarily at Sanford Health (Sioux Falls) and Monument Health (Rapid City). West river and tribal community patients face particular access challenges.
1-800-473-4636 | parkinson.orghttps://parkinson.org
Sanford Neurology / Movement Disorders — Sioux Falls (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Movement Disorders Care — East River SD (SD-Unique)
Region: Sioux Falls and eastern South Dakota (Sanford Health — Sioux…
Sanford Health's Neuroscience Institute provides Parkinson's evaluation, deep brain stimulation (DBS), medication management, and movement disorder specialist care for eastern South Dakota patients. Sanford's DBS program and telehealth network make specialist movement disorder care more accessible across SD's vast geography. Sanford participates in national Parkinson's clinical trials through Sanford Research.
(605) 312-7100 | sanfordhealth.org/neurologyhttps://sanfordhealth.org
ALS Association — Iowa / South Dakota Chapter
Type: Disease-Specific Nonprofit
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Iowa/SD Chapter: 1128 Historic 4th S…
Equipment loans, care coordination, support groups, financial assistance, caregiver respite, and research advocacy. South Dakota ALS patients access multidisciplinary ALS clinic care primarily at Sanford Health (Sioux Falls) — the state's primary ALS clinical resource. Western SD patients may access ALS care at the University of Colorado (Denver) or Billings Clinic (Billings MT).
(515) 277-2572 | als.org/iowahttps://als.org/iowa
Sanford Cancer Center — Sioux Falls (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: South Dakota's Primary Academic Cancer Program (SD-Unique)
Region: Sioux Falls and statewide South Dakota (1305 W. 18th St., Si…
Sanford Cancer Center is South Dakota's most comprehensive cancer program — providing medical oncology, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplant, CAR-T therapy, cancer genetics, clinical trials, and survivorship. Sanford Health does not have NCI designation, but Sanford Research's substantial clinical trials portfolio and research enterprise provide access to national cancer clinical trials for SD patients. Sanford's network across the Dakotas and broader Great Plains makes it the cancer referral hub for a vast region. Sanford's partnership with Mayo Clinic (Sanford is a Mayo Clinic Care Network member) provides additional consultative access to Mayo specialists for complex cases.
(605) 312-1000 | sanfordhealth.org/cancerhttps://sanfordhealth.org
Avera Cancer Institute — Sioux Falls (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Regional Cancer Care — Avera Health (SD-Unique)
Region: Sioux Falls and southeastern/central South Dakota (3720 W. 6…
The Avera Cancer Institute is South Dakota's second major cancer center — providing comprehensive oncology, radiation therapy, clinical trials, cancer genetics, and survivorship programs. Avera Cancer Institute is affiliated with Loyola University and has a robust clinical trials program. Avera's cancer program serves SD's Catholic and broader communities, with a particular focus on patient-centered, faith-informed oncology care. Avera's regional cancer clinics extend access to patients in Aberdeen, Mitchell, Pierre, and other SD communities.
(605) 322-3894 | avera.org/cancerhttps://avera.org
American Cancer Society — South Dakota
Type: National Nonprofit — SD Programs
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Heartland region; Sioux Falls outrea…
Patient navigation, Road to Recovery transportation (critical in rural SD where cancer patients travel 1-4 hours for treatment), 24/7 helpline, support groups statewide, Relay for Life events across SD, and survivorship programming. ACS Road to Recovery is especially vital for SD's tribal communities on Pine Ridge, Cheyenne River, and Standing Rock — where transportation to Sioux Falls or Rapid City oncology is a major barrier.
1-800-227-2345 | cancer.orghttps://cancer.org
American Heart Association — South Dakota
Type: National Nonprofit — SD Programs
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Heartland affiliate; Sioux Falls out…
CPR and first aid training, Go Red for Women events, heart disease and stroke prevention, and cardiovascular research funding. South Dakota's cardiovascular profile shows extreme disparities — the Lakota and Dakota tribal communities on SD's nine reservations have among the nation's highest rates of heart disease mortality, driven by poverty, diabetes, food insecurity, and limited specialist access. Sioux Falls has strong cardiac specialty care; most of west river South Dakota does not.
1-800-242-8721 | heart.orghttps://heart.org
Sanford Heart Hospital — Sioux Falls (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Academic Cardiac Center — SD (SD-Unique)
Region: Sioux Falls and statewide South Dakota (Sanford USD Medical …
Sanford Heart Hospital is South Dakota's premier cardiac center — providing advanced heart failure management, cardiac transplantation, LVAD, TAVR, cardiac electrophysiology, and cardiac surgery. Sanford Heart is the cardiac tertiary referral hub for SD and the surrounding Great Plains region. Sanford's cardiac telehealth and stroke network extends access to rural SD critical access hospitals — enabling rapid consultation for STEMI and stroke patients who cannot immediately travel to Sioux Falls.
(605) 333-1000 | sanfordhealth.org/hearthttps://sanfordhealth.org
National MS Society — Heartland Chapter (South Dakota)
Type: Disease-Specific Nonprofit
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Heartland Chapter serves SD, NE, KS,…
MS Navigator helpline, peer support, educational programs, assistance programs (financial, equipment, transportation), wellness programming, and advocacy. South Dakota MS patients access specialist care primarily at Sanford Health (Sioux Falls) and Monument Health (Rapid City). Rural SD MS patients face significant challenges with infusion therapy access and specialist monitoring.
1-800-344-4867 | nationalmssociety.orghttps://nationalmssociety.org
American Diabetes Association — South Dakota
Type: National Nonprofit — SD Programs
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Heartland region; Sioux Falls outrea…
Diabetes education, peer support, advocacy, and research funding. South Dakota's diabetes burden is most severe in its nine tribal nations — where Type 2 diabetes prevalence is among the nation's highest. Oglala Lakota County (Pine Ridge), Dewey County (Cheyenne River), and Corson County (Standing Rock) have extraordinary T2D rates driven by historical trauma, poverty, food deserts, and limited preventive healthcare. South Dakota's rural non-tribal communities also face growing diabetes burdens.
1-800-342-2383 | diabetes.orghttps://diabetes.org
Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board — Diabetes Programs (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Tribal Nations Diabetes & Health Programs (SD-Unique)
Region: South Dakota tribal reservations and statewide (1 Water Towe…
The Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board (GPTCHB) is one of the nation's most important tribal health advocacy organizations — representing and supporting the health programs of South Dakota's nine tribal nations (Oglala Sioux, Rosebud Sioux, Cheyenne River Sioux, Standing Rock Sioux, Crow Creek Sioux, Lower Brule Sioux, Flandreau Santee Sioux, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, and Yankton Sioux). GPTCHB's Special Diabetes Program for Indians coordinates diabetes prevention, management, and complication prevention across SD reservations. The Oyate Health Center in Rapid City provides urban Indian health services. IHS Aberdeen Area serves SD's tribal communities statewide.
(605) 875-0506 | gptchb.org | Oyate Health Rapid City: (605) 355-0540https://gptchb.org
Sanford Diabetes Center — Sioux Falls (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Academic Diabetes Care — East River SD (SD-Unique)
Region: Sioux Falls and eastern South Dakota (Sanford Health — Sioux…
Sanford's Diabetes Center provides comprehensive T1D and T2D management, diabetes technology (CGM, closed-loop insulin delivery), diabetes in pregnancy, and clinical research. Sanford Research conducts nationally recognized diabetes research — including studies in T1D immunology and diabetes disparities in Great Plains populations. Sanford's diabetes telehealth program extends specialist access to rural SD communities.
(605) 312-1000 | sanfordhealth.org/diabeteshttps://sanfordhealth.org
Sanford Research — Rare Disease & Genomics Programs (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Independent Biomedical Research Institute (SD-Unique)
Region: Sioux Falls and statewide South Dakota (2301 E. 60th St. N.,…
Sanford Research is South Dakota's primary biomedical research institution — an independent research enterprise with hundreds of millions in endowment, conducting studies in cancer biology, rare diseases, child health, genomics, and population health. Sanford Research's Genetic Medicine Program provides rare disease evaluation, genomic testing, and genetic counseling. Sanford Research's clinical trials portfolio connects SD patients to cutting-edge therapies for rare and common diseases. Sanford Research is unique among community health systems nationally in the scale of its research infrastructure.
(605) 312-1000 | sanfordresearch.orghttps://sanfordresearch.org
South Dakota Developmental Disabilities Division / USD Center for Disabilities (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: I/DD Services & UCEDD — South Dakota (SD-Unique)
Region: Statewide South Dakota (USD Center for Disabilities: Vermill…
The University of South Dakota's Center for Disabilities is South Dakota's federally funded UCEDD (University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities) — providing research, training, and technical assistance on intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, and rare conditions. South Dakota's DD Division coordinates Medicaid waiver services for individuals with I/DD across the state. SD's reservation communities face particular I/DD service access challenges given the concentration of poverty and limited provider availability.
(605) 677-5311 | usd.edu/cd | dss.sd.gov/disabilitieshttps://usd.edu/cd
NAMI South Dakota (National Alliance on Mental Illness — SD)
Type: Mental Health Advocacy Nonprofit
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Sioux Falls headquarters; NAMI affil…
NAMI Helpline, NAMI Family Support Group, NAMI Connection Recovery, Family-to-Family and Peer-to-Peer education, and advocacy. NAMI South Dakota has been a central voice in SD mental health reform — South Dakota's mental health system faces profound challenges including severe rural provider shortages, a historically underfunded state psychiatric hospital (Human Services Center in Yankton), and catastrophic mental health disparities on tribal reservations where suicide rates can be 3-4 times the national average.
(605) 271-1871 | namisouthdakota.org | Helpline: 1-800-950-6264https://namisouthdakota.org
SD Dept. of Social Services — Division of Behavioral Health
Type: State Government Mental Health Agency
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Pierre — DSS headquarters; community…
South Dakota's Division of Behavioral Health oversees community mental health, substance use, crisis services, and the state psychiatric hospital (Human Services Center, Yankton — SD's only state psychiatric inpatient facility). South Dakota's behavioral health system operates through a network of community mental health centers — Behavior Management Systems (Rapid City), Avera Behavioral Health, Keystone Treatment Center, and others. SD ranks among the worst states for mental health access in rural and tribal communities.
(605) 773-5991 | dss.sd.gov/behavioralhealth | Crisis: 988https://dss.sd.gov/behavioralhealth
Oyate Health Center / Urban Indian Health — Rapid City (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Urban Indian Mental Health & Behavioral Services (SD-Unique)
Region: Rapid City and western South Dakota (1416 N. Hwy 79, Rapid C…
Oyate Health Center provides culturally grounded primary care, behavioral health, and substance use services for Rapid City's large Native American urban population — one of the most significant urban Indian communities in the Great Plains. Rapid City has one of the highest concentrations of urban Native Americans in the nation, with a community facing profound poverty, trauma, and health disparities. Oyate's mental health services — incorporating traditional Lakota healing practices alongside Western clinical care — are a nationally recognized model for urban Indian health.
(605) 355-0540 | oyatehealthcenter.orghttps://oyatehealthcenter.org
SD Dept. of Social Services — Division of Behavioral Health / Substance Use
Type: State Substance Use Agency
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Pierre — DSS; community treatment pr…
South Dakota's Division of Behavioral Health coordinates substance use disorder treatment, prevention, harm reduction, and recovery support. South Dakota's substance use crisis has multiple dimensions — methamphetamine is deeply entrenched in both rural white communities and on tribal reservations; opioid use disorder has grown substantially; and alcohol use disorder in tribal communities (particularly on Pine Ridge, where alcohol is banned on the reservation itself, pushing drinking to border towns) is among the nation's most severe. SD Helpline: 1-800-920-4343.
(605) 773-5991 | dss.sd.gov/behavioralhealth | SD Helpline: 1-800-920-4343https://dss.sd.gov
Keystone Treatment Center — Canton (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: South Dakota's Premier Addiction Treatment Center (SD-Unique)
Region: Canton and statewide South Dakota (1010 E. 2nd St., Canton, …
Keystone Treatment Center is one of South Dakota's most respected addiction treatment facilities — providing residential, intensive outpatient, and continuing care for adults with alcohol and substance use disorders. Keystone's evidence-based treatment model and long track record make it a primary destination for South Dakotans seeking structured residential recovery. Keystone serves patients from across the state and region.
(605) 987-2647 | keystonetreatment.comhttps://keystonetreatment.com
Alcoholics Anonymous — South Dakota
Type: Peer Recovery Support
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Sioux Falls Intergroup: (605) 336-04…
South Dakota AA intergroups coordinate meetings across all 66 counties — from Sioux Falls and Rapid City to Aberdeen, Mitchell, Watertown, Pierre, and the communities surrounding SD's nine reservations. AA meetings in border towns near Pine Ridge, Rosebud, and Cheyenne River reservations are critical community resources for recovery support.
Sioux Falls: (605) 336-0402 | Rapid City: (605) 348-2886 | southdakotaaa.orghttps://southdakotaaa.org
| Agency | Address / Phone | Counties Served |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Council of Governments (NECOG) AAA necog.net | 318 S. 1st St. Watertown, SD 57201 (605) 882-5115 | Clark, Codington, Day, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Marshall, Roberts, Spink counties (northeast SD — Watertown hub; glacial lakes region; dairy and crop agriculture; Coteau des Prairies; significant Norwegian and German heritage; Prairie Lakes Health Care anchor) |
| East River Council of Governments — AAA ercog.com | 216 S. Jefferson Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57104 (605) 367-5400 | Brookings, Davison, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, McCook, Miner, Moody, Sanborn counties and eastern SD (east river — Sioux Falls metro; Avera Health and Sanford Health anchors; SDSU in Brookings; Mitchell; most populous SD region; I-90 corridor) |
| Sioux Falls AAA / Southeast Area AAA sioux-falls-aaa.com | 3101 W. 41st St. Sioux Falls, SD 57105 (605) 978-2620 | Lincoln, Minnehaha, Turner, Union, Yankton counties (Sioux Falls metro and southeast SD — SD's largest city; Avera McKennan, Sanford USD Medical Center anchors; Sanford Research; University of South Dakota medical programs in Vermillion; fastest-growing SD region; significant Latino and refugee communities) |
| Lewis & Clark Behavioral Health AAA lcbhs.org | 2001 E. Cherry St. Mitchell, SD 57301 (605) 995-2850 | Aurora, Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Douglas, Gregory, Lyman counties (south-central SD — Mitchell area; Missouri River corridor; Lake Andes; Crow Creek Sioux and Lower Brule Sioux reservations — Buffalo County is one of the poorest counties in the nation; isolated agricultural and tribal communities) |
| West River AAA / Rapid City Regional westriveraaa.com | 730 Quincy St. Rapid City, SD 57701 (605) 394-2671 | Custer, Fall River, Haakon, Jackson, Jones, Meade, Pennington, Shannon (Oglala Lakota County) counties (western SD — Rapid City hub; Black Hills; Monument Health anchor; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (Oglala Lakota County — one of the nation's poorest counties); Ellsworth AFB; Wind Cave and Jewel Cave national parks; tourism economy) |
| West Central AAA / Pierre-Fort Pierre westcentralaaa.org | 110 N. Washington Ave. Pierre, SD 57501 (605) 224-5634 | Faulk, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Potter, Sully, Stanley counties (west-central SD — Pierre state capital; Lake Oahe; Cheyenne River Sioux nation nearby; isolated agricultural and government communities; Sanford Pierre Medical Center anchor; extreme rural isolation in Jones and Hyde counties — some of the lowest population densities in the US) |
| Northwest Area AAA nwaaa.net | 317 Seaton Ave. Mobridge, SD 57601 (605) 845-2990 | Campbell, Corson, Dewey, McPherson, Walworth, Ziebach counties (northwest SD — Mobridge hub; Standing Rock Sioux Reservation (Corson and Sioux counties — straddles SD/ND border); Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation (Dewey and Ziebach); some of the most geographically and socioeconomically isolated communities in the nation; Missouri River breaks; severe healthcare access challenges) |
| Black Hills Area AAA bhaaa.org | 1003 N. 5th St. Spearfish, SD 57783 (605) 642-5112 | Butte, Lawrence, Meade counties (northern Black Hills — Spearfish, Deadwood, Lead; Lawrence County gold mining heritage; Black Hills State University; Northern Hills ambulance district; Deadwood gaming and tourism economy; significant outdoor recreation economy; aging retirement community drawn by Black Hills landscape) |
SD National Family Caregiver Support Program (DSS / AAA Network)
Type: State Government Caregiver Program
Region: Statewide South Dakota (coordinated through 8 AAA regions; f…
South Dakota's NFCSP provides caregiver counseling, training, support groups, temporary respite, and supplemental services through the 8-AAA network. Contact your regional AAA or SD Office of Adult Services & Aging (605-773-3656) to access caregiver support. West river and tribal community caregivers face the most acute support shortfalls — serving family members with dementia, disability, or serious illness in some of the nation's most geographically and economically isolated communities.
(605) 773-3656 | dss.sd.gov/aginghttps://dss.sd.gov
AARP South Dakota — Caregiver Support
Type: National Advocacy Nonprofit — SD Programs
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Sioux Falls state office)
AARP South Dakota provides caregiver resources, advocacy, and volunteer programs. AARP SD has been active in home care workforce policy and Medicaid home- and community-based services expansion — critical priorities given South Dakota's rural and tribal community caregiving needs. South Dakota expanded Medicaid in 2022 (ballot initiative) with implementation in 2023.
1-866-554-5378 | aarp.org/sdhttps://aarp.org/sd
South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs (SDDVA)
Type: State Veterans Agency
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Pierre — SDDVA headquarters; County …
SDDVA provides free VA claims assistance through County VSOs in all 66 counties, South Dakota veterans benefits (property tax exemptions, education assistance), and the SD Veterans Home in Hot Springs. South Dakota has a notably high per-capita veteran population — with particularly strong veteran communities in the Black Hills (Ellsworth AFB), along the Missouri River, and in rural agricultural counties with high military enlistment traditions. Ellsworth Air Force Base near Rapid City (28th Bomb Wing, B-21 Raider) is a major economic and military anchor.
(605) 773-3269 | vetaffairs.sd.govhttps://vetaffairs.sd.gov
Sioux Falls VA Health Care System (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Federal Veterans Healthcare — Eastern South Dakota (SD-Unique)
Region: Eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota (2501 W. 22n…
The Sioux Falls VA Health Care System is South Dakota's largest VA facility — providing the full spectrum of primary care, mental health, surgery, and specialty services for eastern SD veterans. Sioux Falls VA is affiliated with the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. Sioux Falls VA's rural CBOCs extend access across eastern SD's vast agricultural counties. Mental health — particularly PTSD and suicide prevention — is a critical focus given SD's rural veteran population.
(605) 336-3230 | va.gov/sioux-fallshttps://www.va.gov/sioux-falls-health-care/
Black Hills VA Health Care System — Hot Springs & Rapid City (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Federal Veterans Healthcare — Western South Dakota (SD-Unique)
Region: Western South Dakota and surrounding region (500 N. 5th St.,…
The Black Hills VA Health Care System — headquartered at the Hot Springs VA campus — serves western South Dakota and the surrounding region. The Hot Springs VA Medical Center is one of the oldest continuously operated VA facilities in the nation, with a historic campus dating to 1907. The Black Hills HCS's CBOCs in Eagle Butte and Pine Ridge provide critical VA access for tribal veteran populations on Cheyenne River and Pine Ridge reservations. Ellsworth AFB near Rapid City (home of the B-21 Raider) generates significant veteran community activity.
(605) 745-2000 | va.gov/black-hillshttps://www.va.gov/black-hills-health-care/
Disabled American Veterans (DAV) — South Dakota Department
Type: Veterans Service Organization
Region: Statewide South Dakota (DAV chapters in Sioux Falls, Rapid C…
DAV provides free VA claims assistance, transportation to VA appointments (DAV Voluntary Service Driver program — especially important in rural and west river SD), advocacy, and peer support for disabled South Dakota veterans statewide.
1-800-827-1000 | dav.orghttps://dav.org
Jewish Community of Sioux Falls / Sioux Falls Jewish Federation (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Jewish Communal Organization (SD-Unique)
Region: Sioux Falls and statewide South Dakota (510 S. Prairie Ave.,…
South Dakota has one of the nation's smallest Jewish populations — primarily in Sioux Falls, with small communities in Rapid City and Aberdeen. The Sioux Falls Jewish community — anchored by Congregation Bnai Isaac and the Jewish Federation — provides community programming, elder support, and social services. South Dakota Jewish residents needing extensive Jewish social services typically connect with Jewish Family Services in Omaha (402-330-2024) or Minneapolis (612-546-0616).
(605) 362-8800 | jewishsiouxfalls.orghttps://jewishsiouxfalls.org
Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Sioux Falls (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Catholic Social Services — Eastern South Dakota (SD-Unique)
Region: Eastern South Dakota (3100 W. 41st St., Sioux Falls, SD 5710…
Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Sioux Falls provides emergency assistance, immigration and refugee services, adoption, foster care, mental health counseling, and elder care for eastern SD's Catholic and broader community. CSS Sioux Falls has been one of South Dakota's most active refugee resettlement agencies — helping integrate Somali, Burmese, Bhutanese, and other refugee communities in Sioux Falls, which has become one of the Northern Plains' most significant refugee destinations.
(605) 988-3775 | csssiouxfalls.orghttps://csssiouxfalls.org
Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Rapid City
Type: Catholic Social Services — Western South Dakota
Region: Western South Dakota (606 Cathedral Dr., Rapid City, SD 5770…
Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Rapid City provides emergency assistance, immigration services, and community outreach for western SD's Catholic community. The Diocese of Rapid City includes South Dakota's largest tribal communities — Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Cheyenne River, and Standing Rock — and the Diocese has a long history of Catholic mission engagement with Lakota and Dakota communities, a relationship that carries both historic significance and ongoing complexity.
(605) 348-6086 | diorc.org/social-serviceshttps://diorc.org
Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota (LSS SD — SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Lutheran Social Services — Statewide South Dakota (SD-Unique)
Region: Statewide South Dakota (705 E. 41st St. #200, Sioux Falls, S…
Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota is one of South Dakota's largest social service agencies — providing refugee resettlement and integration, foster care, adoption, mental health counseling, elder services, homelessness outreach, and disability programs statewide. LSS SD has been one of the most active refugee resettlement agencies in the Northern Plains — helping settle significant numbers of Somali, Burmese/Karen, Bhutanese, Congolese, Afghan, and Ukrainian refugees in Sioux Falls and other SD communities. LSS SD's refugee employment integration and English-language programs are nationally recognized.
(605) 357-0100 | lsssd.orghttps://lsssd.org
ELCA South Dakota Synod — Lutheran Programs
Type: Lutheran Church Programs
Region: Statewide South Dakota (ELCA South Dakota Synod — Sioux Fall…
ELCA South Dakota congregations coordinate food pantries, emergency assistance, refugee welcome, and community social ministry. South Dakota's strong Scandinavian and German Lutheran heritage — particularly in eastern SD farming communities and the James River valley — makes the ELCA one of the state's most significant faith traditions. ELCA congregations near SD reservations have been involved in cross-cultural ministry and advocacy.
(605) 336-0660 | sdsynod.orghttps://sdsynod.org
The Salvation Army — South Dakota
Type: Faith-Based Social Services
Region: Statewide South Dakota (Heartland Division; corps in Sioux F…
Emergency food, clothing, and utility assistance; disaster relief; homeless shelter; after-school programs; holiday programs (Angel Tree, Red Kettle). Salvation Army South Dakota operates major programs in Sioux Falls and Rapid City — including significant homeless shelter capacity. SD Salvation Army has been active in disaster response, including flooding in eastern SD and the 2019 bomb cyclone that devastated agricultural communities.
1-800-725-2769 | salvationarmyusa.orghttps://salvationarmyusa.org
South Dakota Faith Communities / United Church of Christ — Great Plains
Type: Faith-Based Social Services
Region: Statewide South Dakota (SD Conference UCC and other mainline…
South Dakota's mainline Protestant churches — United Church of Christ, United Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal — coordinate food pantries, emergency assistance, and community social ministry across the state. South Dakota's Episcopal Church has a particularly significant presence on the Lakota and Dakota reservations — with Niobrara Deanery serving tribal communities since the 19th century. Episcopal Relief & Development's Native American ministries have been an important faith-based partner for SD reservation communities.
SD UCC: (605) 334-1980 | sdneucc.org | Episcopal Diocese of SD: (605) 338-9751 | episcopalchurchsd.orghttps://sdneucc.org
Feeding South Dakota / Great Plains Food BankState Unique
Type: South Dakota's Primary Food Banks (SD-Unique)
Region: Statewide South Dakota — Feeding South Dakota (Sioux Falls —…
Feeding South Dakota is the state's primary hunger relief organization — distributing tens of millions of pounds of food annually across all 66 SD counties. Food insecurity is most severe on South Dakota's nine Indian reservations — Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Cheyenne River, Standing Rock, Crow Creek, Lower Brule, Yankton, Flandreau, and Sisseton-Wahpeton — where poverty rates of 40-60% and extreme food desert conditions create profound hunger. Feeding South Dakota's Hunger Free South Dakota initiative specifically addresses reservation food security.
(605) 335-0364 | feedingsouthdakota.orghttps://feedingsouthdakota.org
South Dakota 211 / United Way of the Sioux Empire / United Way of the Black Hills
Type: Community Referral & United Way
Region: Statewide South Dakota (SD 211: dial 2-1-1; United Way of th…
South Dakota 211 (dial 2-1-1) provides free 24/7 referrals to food, housing, health care, elder services, mental health, substance use, and emergency assistance across all 66 counties. United Way of the Sioux Empire and United Way of the Black Hills fund education, health, and financial stability programs in SD's two largest metros.
Dial 2-1-1 | sd211.org | uwsioux.com | unitedwayblackhills.orghttps://sd211.org
Disability Rights South Dakota (DRSD — SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Disability Rights Advocacy (SD-Unique)
Region: Statewide South Dakota (221 S. Central Ave. #38, Pierre, SD …
Disability Rights South Dakota is the federally mandated Protection & Advocacy (P&A) organization for South Dakota — providing free legal advocacy, investigations, and systems change for South Dakotans with disabilities. DRSD has been active in psychiatric facility oversight (Human Services Center Yankton), special education, Medicaid managed care rights, and employment discrimination. DRSD's tribal outreach work — advocating for individuals with disabilities on SD's nine reservations — addresses some of the most acute disability rights needs in the nation.
(605) 224-8294 | drsdlaw.orghttps://drsdlaw.org
South Dakota's Nine Tribal Nations — Health & Social Services Overview (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Tribal Nations Health Infrastructure (SD-Unique)
Region: South Dakota's nine reservations — Pine Ridge (Oglala Lakota…
South Dakota's nine tribal nations operate Indian Health Service facilities, tribally-run health programs, and community health representative networks. Key contacts: IHS Aberdeen Area Office (605-226-7581) — oversees all SD tribal health services. Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board (605-875-0506). Oglala Sioux Tribe Health Department — Pine Ridge (605-867-5278). Rosebud Sioux Tribe Health Department (605-747-2296). Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Health Department (605-964-7724). Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Health (701-854-7258). Crow Creek Sioux Tribe Health (605-245-2542). Buffalo County is consistently ranked as one of the three poorest counties in the United States — with extraordinary health, poverty, and access challenges.
IHS Aberdeen Area: (605) 226-7581 | ihs.gov/aberdeen | GPTCHB: (605) 875-0506 | gptchb.orghttps://ihs.gov/aberdeen
SD Assistive Technology Program (DakotaLink) / CIL Network
Type: Assistive Technology & Independent Living
Region: Statewide South Dakota (DakotaLink: 1161 Deadwood Ave. #2, R…
DakotaLink is South Dakota's federally funded Assistive Technology Program — providing AT demonstrations, device loans, reuse, and financial assistance for South Dakotans with disabilities statewide. The SD Center for Independent Living (Sioux Falls and Rapid City) provides peer support, independent living skills, and benefits counseling. SD's high rural disability rate — particularly on reservations and in agricultural communities — makes AT access programs especially critical.
(605) 394-6742 | dakotalink.net | sdcil.orghttps://dakotalink.net
Ellsworth AFB / Military Community Resources — Rapid City (SD-Unique)State Unique
Type: Military Community — Ellsworth AFB (SD-Unique)
Region: Rapid City and western South Dakota (Ellsworth Air Force Bas…
Ellsworth Air Force Base near Rapid City is home to the 28th Bomb Wing — now transitioning to the new B-21 Raider stealth bomber, the most advanced long-range strike aircraft in history. Ellsworth is one of the most important strategic military installations in the nation and a major economic anchor for Rapid City and the Black Hills. Ellsworth's military community (approximately 3,500 active duty and families) is served by the base clinic, Military Family Life Counseling, and the Black Hills VA Health Care System. Military OneSource: 1-800-342-9647.
(605) 385-1000 | ellsworth.af.mil | Military OneSource: 1-800-342-9647https://ellsworth.af.mil
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