Family Connection

A huge thank you to the Sioux Valley Optimist Club of Sioux Falls, SD for their amazing donation of handmade wooden toys to Family Connection. Children with incarcerated loved ones will receive these thoughtful and beautifully made toys. For many of them, these cars will be more than just toys...they will be symbols of the care, creativity, and generosity of people who believe in their happiness and well-being. Thank you for giving them strength for today and Hope for tomorrow.

Thank you South Sioux Falls Kiwanis Club for their Carbs for Kids 5K raising money to help children in our community. Great day and amazing runners.

Sammons Financial wanted to make sure every child received a board game through our Children's Connection program. We were able to purchase 87 games with their additional gift. Thank you to our "Angels" for helping us build HOPE and HEALING for children with incarcerated loved ones.

Thank you to members of Hannah Circle from Grace Lutheran Church-Sioux Falls for donating funding for us to purchase 55 board games for our Children's Connection program. They are helping us to break the inter-generational cycle of incarceraiton.

A HUGE thank you to Chrys for starting a jeans-day fund to help children with incarcerated loved ones. The employees of Empire Place Fazoli's donated $372 to our Children's Connection group therapy program to help break the generational cycle of incarceration. We are grateful for our "Fazoli's Angels".
Pictured (L-Kelly & R-Chrys) Not pictured Breanna & Christina) Thank you for helping those that so many choose to forget.

Santa had some extra help this year. Elf Marin and Sleigh Driver Jenn delivered huge bags of wonderful donations from Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Board games, TP, coloring books, crayons, snack items, stamps, gift cards and much more. Blessings to everyone for giving the families we serve HOPE for the holidays and the New Year to come. Thank you for helping those that so many choose to forget.

A huge thank you to St. Michael's Catholic Church of Sioux Falls and their Angel Tree delivery elf...Mark for bringing some much needed necessities, children's activities, board games, snack items and much, much more! Thank you for Giving Hope for families that must be apart!

Thank you to two amazing women from Sammons Financial. Brenda and Lisa organized a board game donation drive and recruited some amazing angels to wrap the games for our Children's Connection program. Children with incarcerated loved ones receive weekly group therapy and other therapeutic activities to break the generational cycle of incarceration. Board games are not only a fun activity, they:
* Benefit brain & language development
* Promote social interactions with family and friends
* Improve cognitive function
* Teach patience/impulse control
* Allow time away from screens
* Encourage critical thinking
* Help children learn how to win or lose gracefully
This simple, yet powerful connection is just one example of how together we can brighten the lives of the at-risk children in our community and create meaningful change.
Thank you Sammons Financial for giving Hope for families that must be apart!

Please support the Kiwanis Club of Sioux Falls Mums for Kids sale this Saturday. All donations stay local and support at-risk children in our community. Kids need Kiwanis!

A great big thank you to Kiwanis Club of Sioux Falls for their generous grant for our Children's Connection Program. Their gift will provide 300 "To-Go" kits for children that have incarcerated parents/loved ones, but are unable to attend a group therapy setting. They will receive activities and resources that will help them through the incarceration process. Thank you to Amanda Clark, Board Treasurer-4th from the right, for attending the check presentation. Kids need Kiwanis!

Sammons Financial volunteers ROCK! They had a board game gift wrapping event for our Children's Connection program. Each child receives a board game of their choice to encourage social engagement. Gracias...Merci...Shukran...Spas Ibo...Thank You for giving HOPE for families that must be apart!

Thank you to Holy Spirit Parish of Sioux Falls for their generous donations. Games, activities and supplies for our Children's Connection kiddos, a beautiful afghan and denim quilt for our Hospitality Suite, personal care items and household supplies for Hope House, postage stamps, grocery gift cards and cash donations. We are so grateful for their support and they are helping us give HOPE to families that must be apart.

Thank you to the Parish of St. Michael for their delivery elves that braved the cold weather and snow to make the holidays and the new year a little brighter for those we serve. Our Hope House ladies will have breakfast items to get them started for the day, snacks and activities for our Children's Connection kids are always a hit and all of the other household items makes our house a home. Thank you for giving Hope to families that must be apart.

Thank you to the Blue Angels from Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Sioux Falls for their amazing donation of board games, gifts, stamps, cleaning supplies, craft items, the ever important TP and many more thoughtful items. Blessings to all our "Angels"

Our quilting "Angels" from Salem Lutheran Church in Parkston, SD donated quilts, through the First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, to give to those in need in our community. Thank you quilters for keeping our families warm and snuggly this winter.

Thank you to the members of the Church of the Good Shepherd of Sioux Falls for their donation of board games for our Children's Connection program. Each child receives a board game of their choice as a gift and it also encourages social interaction with their family.

Thank you to the DeSmet Christian & Missionary Alliance Church for their donation of gloves, hats and socks for all those we serve. So often we forget that not everyone has these necessities. We are grateful for our caring "Angels" in DeSmet.

Thank you to Trinity Lutheran Church of Platte, SD for all of the amazing donations delivered by Elf Vicki. Their gifts include: 27 tied fleece blankets for our Children's Connection kids, 4 quilts for some added warm this winter, 13 welcome bath kits, 7 purses with hygience items and the always needed TP for our hospitality and transitional housing programs. Our families and their children are so grateful for the compassion of the Platte community.

Thank you to the Trinity Lutheran Church Quilters of Madison, SD for their donation of 24 "Wrapped in Love" quilts for the children and their families that stay connected to their incarcerated loved ones through Family Connection. We love our "Quilting Angels."

Thank you to the Brandon Lutheran Church Quilters for their donation of 16 quilts for us to give to our clients. Our families are so grateful to have a handmade quilt to keep them warm. They also donated cloth shopping bags that our Hope House ladies will appreciate when they are grocery shopping. We love our "Quilting Angels."

Thank you to the wonderful employees at Sammons Financial for their amazing gift of $10,000.00 for our Children's Connection program. Children's Connection was nominated to be part of their Community Impact Challenge because of our work with children that have an incarcerated loved one. This gift will not only support the children that attend our free, weekly group therapy, but will also provide resources to children that are unable to attend for a variety of reasons. Some of the items include books such as: "If You Have a Parent in Jail", "Help for Kids-Understanding Your Feelings About Having a Parent in Prison or Jail", and "My Time Book". We have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many more children in our community because of Sammons Financial and break the inter-generational cycle of incarceration.

The American flag is prouding flying over Family Connection again. Thank you to Maximum Promotions for a job well done.

Thank you to a wonderful couple from Canton that donated their beautiful living room furniture to Hope House. Our ladies are struggling with their sobriety and are so grateful to have a beautiful house to call their home. Thank you to our "Canton Angels" for helping those that so many choose to forget.

We have some give-away items from our move. We are unable to deliver these to other non-profits, so they are FREE to those in need! You must arrange for pick up by September 27th. Dining room table and 6 chairs, bunk beds and mattresses, small 3-drawer wicker stand, glider rocker, lateral 2-drawer wood file cabinet, queen bed set, computer desk with hutch and a coffee table. Please call 605-357-0777 if you are interested.

Family Connection is on the MOVE! We have sold our original house at 7th & Minnesota Avenue. Our Hospitality program and our office are moving to one of our other properties. Our new address will be 421 W 7th St. We will continue to provide our hospitality house services despite all of the complications of the move. ☼ Our new Hospitality Suite will have its own private entrance, in-room TV and no curfew. We will also be giving our house a face-lift and new colors. More updates soon!

Family Connection is so grateful for the loving hands and giving hearts of the quilters of Faith Lutheran Church for donating ten beautiful, handmade blankets for our guests.

Thank you to the confirmation class at Peace Lutheran Church for donating 13 tied-fleece blankets for our Children's Connection program. A soft, cuddly blanket is often the only comfort that many of our kiddos have during some the chaos in their lives. Our kiddos say THANK YOU!

One of the best inspirational messages that I have heard in a long time from someone much smarter than me...

If one has faith, all things have meaning.
I asked God for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked God for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve.
I asked God for courage and God gave me dangers to overcome.
I asked God for love and God gave me troubled people to help.
My prayers were answered.

Thank you to Alice and Cecilia for delivering over 40 games for our Chidlren's Connection program. They are part of the American Heritage Girls troop at St. Lambert Catholic Church and collected the games as part of earning badges and giving back to their community.

Thank you to Kiwanis Club of Sioux Falls for providing $3,500 in grant funding for our Children's Connection program. Board member, Bonnie Livingston, is pictured 3rd from the right.