Mission and History
Mission of Family Connection
Family Connection – Hope for families that must be apart
Introduction to our program
Family Connection was established in 1996 to provide temporary shelter, emergency supplies, services and support to the families of inmates in an ongoing effort to facilitate visitation and strengthen the family bond. The need for such services was observed when women and children visiting a husband/father who was incarcerated at the South Dakota State Penitentiary were found sleeping in their cars because they could not afford other accommodations.
History of Family Connection
A Hospitality House was opened in 1996. A second Hospitality House was opened in 2005, resulting in nine private bedrooms. We sold our origianal house in 2022 and created a Hospitality Suite for our guests. Since the opening of the first Hospitality House, there have been over 17,100 guest nights. In addition, over 11,150 meals have been served.
Values of Family Connection WE BELIEVE
- All people deserve dignity and respect
- Everyone deserves and should have a chance to succeed
- Keeping families connected during difficult times strengthens their capacity to make healthy life decisions
- In the value of community and belonging
- Service to those struggling with the absence of a loved one due to incarceration is an extension of our spiritual beliefs
- Building community awareness leads us to compassion and ultimately to action
- People coming together to deliver resources and support can break the cycle of incarceration
Vision for Family Connection
- Build the core competencies of nonprofit governance to assure effective leadership in mission implementation.
- Build the core capacity of staff and programs to fully implement the mission of the organization.
- Establish sound resource access, utilization, and evaluation practices to assure financial and organizational stability and growth.
