OUR COMMUNITY
North Rapid is largely a Native American community located within the city limits of Rapid City, South Dakota. Rapid City has a population of approximately 85,000 people with approximately 20,000 being Native Americans. A large percentage of the people we are in relationship with live below the poverty line. We see families that struggle with poor nutrition, inadequate housing, substance abuse, drugs, and unemployment. The high school drop out rate among Native youth is high. Approximately 50% of youth fail to graduate. There is also the very real struggle of institutional racism which runs deep and creates many barriers to success of the Native person.
OUR WORK
We are a ministry without walls and our philosophy is to go out and connect with people from our community where they are at. We host community events such as kids clubs, carnivals, concerts, school supply distributions, Christmas toy drives, etc. We seek also to meet basic needs through food bank distribution, weekly community meals, support groups, individual mentoring, winter clothing, blankets for the elders, and more. We are holistic in that we seek to meet spiritual, physical, social and emotional needs.