Feeding South Dakota

Target demographics: food-insecure children, families and elders across our state.

Direct beneficiaries per year: more than 190,000 people in South Dakota who are considered food-insecure.

Geographic areas served: South Dakota

Programs: Food Bank Program, where Feeding South Dakota is able to accept, store, and distribute large donations of food. We have the capacity to accept a semi-loads of food, then work with our network of 350 non-profit partners across the state to get that food into every county in South Dakota. Some food comes from donations made by manufacturers to the Feeding America Network, which Feeding South Dakota is a part of. Other food comes from local grocery stores – like produce that is approaching the end of its shelf life, but is still good. Feeding South Dakota is able to accept and distribute this food to individuals in need, preventing this food from being thrown away. Feeding South Dakota operates the only Food Bank in our state. Donors and partners provide food and monetary donations to Feeding South Dakota. With financial donations, Feeding South Dakota can purchase, procure, and transport food to our facilities. Our partner non-profits, known as agencies, include youth programs, senior centers, community kitchens, food pantries, homeless shelters, and domestic violence shelters. More than 66 percent of the agencies partnered with Feeding South Dakota report that if the food bank was eliminated, there would be significant or devastating effects on their programs. Mobile Food Pantries travel across South Dakota distributing free food to individuals and families in need. These distributions supplement the work of agency partner pantries, shelters and meal sites operating in fixed locations. The Mobile Food Pantry Program began in January of 2013 and is now serving 45 of the most underserved communities where individuals and families lack access to adequate and nutritious foods. Typically each family receives approximately 30-70 pounds of fresh and frozen produce, dairy, meat, breads and other non-perishable food items. The type of food distributed varies depending on what is available at the current time. South Dakota’s public schools provide free or reduced meals to children at risk of hunger through the National School Lunch Program. The program effectively combats hunger during the school week, but it does not address the needs of children when school is not in session. This is where Feeding America and Feeding South Dakota fill an important void with the national BackPack Program. This program provides at-risk children with nutritious, easy-to-prepare foods during weekends and holidays when school is not in session. Food is distributed through the schools because of their relationship with students, easy access and safe environments. The Rapid City BackPack Program currently provides more than 1,800 weekend packages of food to at-risk, chronically hungry school children. In addition, Feeding South Dakota distributes more than 3,200 packages of food each week to children in the Sioux Falls School District and 10 surrounding communities. Through this program, more than 5,000 children statewide are given a greater opportunity to learn and grow. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), most commonly known as "The Senior Box Program" is a USDA program administered through Feeding South Dakota that distributes free food to limited income senior citizens. Eligibility requirements include being at least 60 years old and living on a limited income. The boxes average 25 to 27 pounds of food and contain a minimum: 2-lb block of cheese, juice, shelf-stable or powdered milk, cereal, canned fruits, canned vegetables, pasta or rice, a canned meat or entrée such as beef stew or chili.