Uplifting Parents
Catholic Social Services of Rapid City helps single parents prosper and grow professionally by providing mentoring and financial resources for a college education through the Uplifting Parents Program (Program UP). Assisting single parents in western South Dakota since 2014, the Uplifting Parents Program 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
The Uplifting Parents Program (Program UP) was created to empower single parent families by providing resources to support their advancement in education. The goal is to assist lower-income single parents to acquire the education needed to become financially sustainable, and thus provide stability and opportunity for their children. Catholic Social Services (CSS) works with over thirty coalition partner agencies in the community to develop the program.
Those chosen to participate in the Uplifting Parents Program have the opportunity to receive up to $4,800 in assistance to be used towards getting a college education. Matched with a mentor to help them toward their goals, the Uplifting Parents Program serves as a vital resource to those we serve and has the ability to transform the lives of single-parent families.
- $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
How to Qualify
Single parent seeking advancement in higher educationDegree completion in 6-24 months
Currently parenting or expecting
Must be referred by coalition partners and fill out an application
Must be self-motivated and interested in strengthening themselves and family
Must be able to travel to Rapid City for meetings and classes
Participant must demonstrate a history of stability and potential to follow through with program requirements
Not presently struggling with addiction or substance abuse
Preference given to lower income participants
May be male or female
All religious affiliations/denominations welcome
How to Apply
All applicants must be referred into the UP program by one of our community partners. If you’re already a current student, it’s likely that your academic advisor, counselor, or success coach knows about our program and can refer you in!
If you’re still having trouble finding someone who can refer you, please complete the info form below or call us at 605-348-6086 and ask for an UP staff member. We will get you connected to one of our partners.
View Our Community PartnersAbout the Uplifting Parents Program
Mission
To uplift parents to achieve success in providing stability and greater opportunity for their family.
Vision
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.
The Uplifting Parents Program is Made Possible by our Coalition 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 Home Nursing
- 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
