OneHeart on a mission to end homelessness and provide hope to the community

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - OneHeart is a 4-acre transformation campus in Rapid City with a mission to create pathways out of poverty for those desiring to thrive. Julie Oberlander, Community Engagement Coordinator for OneHeart says, “They provide secure, transitional housing for those in need, food, and transportation, and offer our unique transformation programming so participants, our guests, can focus on improving their job skills, life skills, and/or education levels so they have opportunities for upward mobility.”

OneHeart hit a new record-high enrollment in the last week of March with a total of 122 people on campus, including close to 70 children. Oberlander says, “Our average length of stay is also up to about 208 days, at last check. That’s a good thing. Our data shows that when guests stay 6 months or longer, they see greater improvements in areas such as transportation, employment, and childcare.”

They have many success stories with this revolutionary program, one of which involves a teenager. “A young woman named Anna graduated from our program in February. Prior to coming to OneHeart, she was one of the main providers for her family, from the time she was 14 or 15; told her Care Coordinator that she never really had the opportunity to work on bettering herself. While on campus, she got her driver’s license, purchased a vehicle, and saved money. She earned her GED in March and plans to enter paramedic school in the fall. She left campus with an option for permanent housing, and on top of all of that, she inspired her father to begin working on his GED as well,” adds Oberlander. She also says they do not accept walk-ins and you must be registered with one of their partner organizations. Please go to the OneHeart website for a list of those organizations.

To watch the full interview please click on the video.

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