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News & Events
Helpline Center’s news and events are the critical link between great community and the programs Helpline Center is involved in.
The caring and professionally trained staff at the Helpline Center continue to provide support and connections to a growing number of South Dakotans. We've added and expanded several programs to meet the increasing needs throughout the state. Providing hope when it's needed most will always be a core value of our work.
With increased program expansion it became clear that we needed additional office space to better accommodate our growing staff. We're thrilled to announce that at the end of 2021 we will be moving to our new location at 3817 S. Elmwood Avenue in Sioux Falls. As you might expect there are many details and logistics involved in the move, but there is also an equal amount of gratefulness to begin the new year in our very own space.
On Saturday, November 20, 2021, the Helpline will sponsor a unique event to commemorate National Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. In 1999, Senator Harry Reid introduced a resolution designating a day in November as National Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. The creation of a day recognizing survivors of suicide loss was the first national recognition of the role that loss survivors play in informing our understanding of suicide, its consequences, and its prevention.
Events for this special event will include:
- A potluck luncheon at 12pm. All families are asked to bring a dish to pass. If this recipe is a special memory of your loved one, we ask that you bring the recipe to be including in the upcoming survivor’s cookbook, “Soul Food.”
- A special program featuring a message of hope and healing by inspirational speaker, singer, and songwriter Jill Miller at 1pm
- Family games and healing activities for all ages
Register at https://bit.ly/SurvivorsDayEvent
Contact Jennie Marks 605-274-1416 or griefsupport@helplinecenter.org for more information
The Helpline Center is excited to announce the launch of a new customizable Holiday Guide feature on our website. Whether you need some help during the holidays or if you'd like to provide assistance to others, we have you covered.
This resource is available for anyone in South Dakota that is interested in finding holiday resources or who would like to volunteer or donate. Simply enter your location and select which resources you’re interested in and then simply click on the Create Guide button. The lists will continue to be updated as we are notified of additional resources and opportunities, so please check back often. If your organization would like to be listed or if you’re aware of additional resources in your community, please help us share this link to get them added.
Visit our website or call us at 211.
Join the Volunteer Connections staff for a 3-part online training focusing on the volunteer management core pillars. If you’ve been looking for a way to refresh your volunteer program and collaborate with other volunteer management leaders in South Dakota, this is the training for you!
The dates for the training are:
November 2, 9, 16, 2021
Those that register must be able to attend all three dates.
Training hours are: 8:30am-11:30am MT / 9:30am-12:30pm CT
Cost is $30 (covers cost of materials plus shipping)
Register at https://virtualvmt.eventbrite.com
Deadline to Register is Monday, October 25th.
© Julie Prairie Photography 2016
The inspiration for Compassion is a true champion of reaching out to those in need. Fern Chamberlain irrevocably changed the face of our community for the better. At her core, Fern was compassionate, and time and time again she stepped forward to lessen the suffering in our community. The sculpture does not depict Fern Chamberlain, but instead is inspired by the compassion she showed throughout her lifetime. The fingerprints of her work can be seen daily in our community. She played a role in starting multiple core non-profit organizations in our community including the Helpline Center, Active Generations, and the food pantry at Feeding South Dakota. She led the charge in creating a pathway to success for those less fortunate by speaking up and speaking out for those whose voices are not often heard. She touched thousands of lives through her life and her legacy continues to impact countless others.
To learn more, visit the website at http://compassionprojectsf.org/
The Helpline Center is currently seeking qualified candidates for several new opportunties. If you have a passion for helping others and enjoy being part of a great team, please visit our website to learn more!
Join us during the week of September 5-11 as we raise awareness and support during National Suicide Prevention week. One of the ways you can get involved is volunteering at our Light the Night with HOPE event on Thursday, September 9th at 8:30 p.m.
We're so grateful to Augustana University for allowing us to use the beautiful Kirkeby-Over football field. We're going to bring over 200 volunteers together to help us share a message of HOPE. Each volunteer will hold an LED candle and be a part of one of the letters of HOPE. With the expertise of the incredibly talented staff at Pinnacle Productions, we'll film the event with cameras and a drone and from that footage a video will be created that will premiere on World Suicide Prevention Day, Friday, September 10, 2021. To add some energy to the night, DJ Jer will be on hand sharing some music to bring the fun. You don't want to miss out!
Want to join us? Fill out our online registration and we'll keep you in the loop with additional information!
Tell us about the amazing volunteers that you know! Volunteer of the Month is an an area-wide award program presented by the Helpline Center. The Volunteer of the Month Award is given to an individual, or a group of individuals, who exhibit an outstanding commitment to volunteer service. One award is given to a winner each month in the Sioux Empire, Black Hills and Brookings County.
The Helpline Center sends out the Volunteer of the Month Nomination Form to area non-profit agencies each year. A winner is selected out of the nominations for each month, and a surprise celebration is held for the volunteer at the agency where the winner chooses to give his or her time.
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2021-2022 Volunteer of the Month program. Please use the links below to nominate.
The Helpline Center is beginning an exciting new project in which survivors of suicide loss from across the state can participate. We have recently begun collecting recipes for “Soul Food: A Loving Collection of Food and Memories.” Anyone within our survivor community may contribute a recipe to the cookbook. Here’s what we’re looking for:
- A recipe for something that was a special favorite of your loved one.
- A photo of your loved one to accompany the recipe.
- A brief description of your memory of your loved one enjoying this food.
Each recipe’s page will incorporate all of these elements on that particular page. This is a creative opportunity to remember your loved one and to share both their memory and their favorite food with those who purchase the cookbook.
At this time, we do not have an exact price for each book, but we estimate this will be in the $12-$15 range, plus shipping. Even though this is categorized as a fundraising project, we have decided to forego any profit in order to keep costs as low as possible. The cookbooks can be pre-ordered, paid for (when the final price is determined), and recipes can be submitted at the publisher’s portal at https://www.createmycookbook.com/groups/DJb9cY5Hc.
Recipes can be from any category – main dishes, soups, desserts, side dishes, baked goods, etc. We will begin the printing and shipping process once we have 100 orders for the book. The culmination of this project will be a potluck meal featuring many of these recipes on Saturday, November 20, 2021, which is National Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. More details on the observance of that day to come prior to the event.
Anyone can purchase the cookbooks, but only survivors of suicide loss may submit a recipe and photo.
If you have any questions about this project, please contact Jennie Marks by email or by phone at (605) 274-1416.
International Overdose Awareness Day Remembrance Ceremony Event
Each day 223 people die of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Join us for an evening centered on awareness and education which will include presenters sharing stories of loss and recovery with a remembrance ceremony. At the conclusion of the remembrance ceremony, luminaries will be placed to remember lives lost to overdose following by lighting of the Arc of Dreams.
Speakers include: Mayor Paul TenHaken, Angela Kennecke, Alicia Steinfurth, Marcia Lenard, Jessica Pfau, and Mary Ann & Alexa Giebink.
When: August 31, 2021
7:30-8:30pm CST
Where: Raven Industries Amphitheater
205 E. 6th Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Event Registration (encouraged but not required)
Volunteer Sign-up
Remembrance Ceremony Name Input Form
Thank you to everyone who has made this event possible: Emily's Hope, Face It TOGETHER, Ransom Church, The Flower Mill, Beal Distributing, and Raven Industries.
211 University
Special Edition: Overdose Awareness Day
In this 1 hour virtual presentation, Helpline Center staff will share tips and tricks on how to access our community resource information to support the work you do connecting individuals with a substance use disorder to support. Learn how to search and find resources through our 211 online database, various resources guides, translating resources, HelpSheets, how to create a HelpList and Community Calendars. CEU's available.
