Uplifting Parents
Uplifting Parents helps single parents prosper and grow professionally by providing mentoring and financial resources for a college education. Assisting single parents in western South Dakota since 2014. Uplifting Parents believes that all single-parent families deserve the right to have access to the financial resources they need to help their families grow.
Who We Are
Uplifting Parents (UP) was created to empower single parent families by providing resources to support their advancement in education. The goal is to assist single parents in acquiring the education or certification needed to become financially sustainable and thereby provide stability and opportunity to their children. Uplifting Parents works with over thirty community partners to continue developing the program.
Those selected to participate in Uplifting Parents have the opportunity to receive one-on-one mentoring, a monthly financial stipend, parenting education and support, and crisis-diversion case management. All within a community of peer and professional support.
Prospective UP Participants
Eligibility Requirements
- 1. Single parent, male or female, enrolled in a higher education degree or certificate program with plan to graduate within 24 months of enrolling into the UP program
- 2. Currently parenting at least 50% of the time or an expectant mother
- 3. Has completed one semester with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in the last 6 months and is enrolled in at least 6 credits in the current or upcoming semester (or the equivalent for certificate programs)
- 4. Can articulate career goals and why this degree/certificate program will help them achieve those goals
- 5. Present stability in basic needs; not currently struggling with ongoing crisis or currently experiencing substance misuse
- 6. Be self-motivated and committed to reaching their educational and career goals
- 7. Be able to commit to 2 hours per month for mentoring, mentoring may be done in person or virtual
- 8. Be willing to meet with an UP approved credit counselor or other financial literacy coach and share report with UP Mentor. Reports are used for financial goal setting
- 9. Be willing to complete parenting support and financial literacy support components through goal setting with mentor
- 10. Provide 2 referrals, one must be from an academic institution and may not be a family member or friend
Apply
Community Partnerships
Uplifting Parents partners with agencies, employers, and organizations throughout the community.
Our Referral Partners are those who are direct service providers within an organization or agency that work with clients who may be eligible to participate in Uplifting Parents. We rely on our Referral Partners to serve as ambassadors and refer those prospective participants to us so they can apply to be an Uplifting Parents participant.
Our Coalition Members are the organizations that support the work being done by Uplifting Parents by serving in an advisory capacity to inform our vision, strategy, and processes. Within their company or agency, they are champions for UP, share updates and information about the Uplifting Parents program throughout their organization. Coalition Members are represented by a leader or decision-maker within the Member-organization.
The Uplifting Parents Program is Made Possible by our Community Partners
- Artemis House
- Badlands Headstart
- Behavior Management System
- Bethany Christian Services
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Mother Mentor
- Black Hills Center for American Indian Health
- Black Hills Psychology
- Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
- Black Hills State University
- Black Hills State University – Rapid City
- Black Hills Works
- Bright Start
- Career Learning Center
- Children’s Home Society
- Community Health Center – Homeless Outreach Coordinator
- Consumer Credit Counseling Services
- Cornerstone Apartments
- Department of Health
- Department of Labor WIOA & TANF
- Department of Social Services
- Diocese of Rapid City
- Disability Rights South Dakota
- Early Childhood Connections
- Elevate Rapid City
- Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Health Board
- HOPE Center
- John T. Vucurevich Foundation
- LifeScape
- Love-INC
- Lutheran Social Services
- Northern Hills CASA
- Northern Hills SOS
- Oglala Lakota College
- Oglala Lakota College Nursing Program – Pine Ridge
- One Heart
- Pennington County Housing
- Pennington County State’s Attorney’s Office Diversion Program
- Rapid City Area Schools
- Rural American Initiatives Early Head Start
- Salvation Army
- School of Mines and Technology SDSM&T
- SDSU College of Nursing
- SDSU West River Counseling Program
- Seek Learn Grow
- Shift Garage
- Sinte Gleska University
- South Dakota Parent Connection
- South Dakota State’s Attorney’s Office
- United Way, Campaign for Early Childhood Reading
- USD College of Nursing
- VOA Mommy’s Closet
- West River AHEC
- Western Dakota Technical Institute
- Western South Dakota Juvenile Services Center
- YMCA Jumpstart
- Youth and Family Services, Counseling & Strengthening Families
About Uplifting Parents
Vision
To uplift parents to achieve success in providing stability and greater opportunity for their family.
Mission
To empower single parents to achieve greater financial and socioemotional stability for their families by assisting parents in advancing their education and careers by providing mentoring services, community resources, and scholarship funding.
Mentoring Services are the Heart of the Program
UP participants are matched with an Uplifting Parents Mentor from Catholic Social Services. A major task for the mentor is to help anticipate and intercept potential crises that could derail the participant’s success. Mentoring is the heart of the program and helps provide the wraparound services that will assist that participant in achieving success and completing their degree.
- $706,000Has been awarded in monthly stipends and critical financial support
- 76% Of Uplifting Parents Program Members make it to Graduation
- 105UP graduates are now supporting important industries in our community
- 184Families have been impacted by the UP program, including 375 children
