December 25, 2018 • Page 8 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com When You Defend Agriculture, You Defend South Dakota By Sen. John Thune In a 1982 radio address to the nation, President Ronald Reagan had a simple yet poignant message for U.S. farmers. He said, “I’ve always thought that when we Americans get up in the morning, when we see bacon, eggs, toast, and milk on our breakfast table, we should give thanks that our farmers are survivors. You are the real miracle workers of the modern world – keepers of an incredible system based on faith, freedom, hard work, productivity, and profit.” Reagan’s edict to the American people was as true then as it is today: farming and ranching is no easy business. In fact, if you ask most farmers and ranchers today, they’d tell you it’s less of a business and more of a way of life. They’d tell you that you’re born with it in your blood – the willingness to climb out of bed before the sun breaks in the east and, without a complaint or dragging feet, work until Mother Nature turns out the lights in the west. Farmers and ranchers care about what they do and how they do it nearly as much as they care about their family, friends, and the Lord above who knows there’s a uniqueness about them – a toughness that, despite the hardest times, will never break their faith. These are the people I’m proud to represent in Washington, and they’re why I left it all on the field when it came to writing and passing the 2018 farm bill. I work on a lot of meaningful issues with my colleagues in Washington, but when it comes to defending South Dakota’s top industry, I take a backseat to no one. I’ve never underestimated or taken for granted what it means to fight for our state’s agriculture community, and I never will. I introduced my first farm bill proposal in early 2017 and spent more than a year drafting proposal after proposal to help lay the groundwork for the bipartisan farm bill Congress just overwhelmingly approved. Without their help, I can honestly say it would look much different than it does today. And because of their help, it will help provide more of the economic certainty and security they want and need. The provision I’m proudest to have had included in the bill is the establishment of the Soil Health and Income Protection Program. SHIPP, as it’s known, is a three-tofive-year enrollment alternative to the popular Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which, while a popular program, locks up enrolled land for a decade or more. This is the first time in the 30-plus year history of CRP that farmers will have the opportunity to enroll in a short-term conserving use program like this one that has these kinds of flexible options. I wish there was enough time or room on this page to describe all of the big things in the farm bill that will benefit South Dakota, but suffice it to say, the bill contains nearly 20 provisions that have our state’s fingerprints on them – a direct result of the feedback and suggestions I received from farmers and ranchers throughout the state over the last few years. I can’t think of a better or more succinct way of explaining the government’s role in agriculture than how President Reagan described it, saying it should “act as friend, partner, and promoter of American farmers and their products.” He said, “I want with all my heart to see your burdens lifted, to see farmers who have given so much to America receive the rewards they deserve.” It’s true, and I believe the 2018 farm bill mirrors that timeless perspective. ********************************************* Pathways Shelter for the Homeless Mission: To serve the immediate needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness within the Yankton area, while engaging partners in developing long-term solutions. The shelter was founded on the belief that everyone deserves a home. What we do: Pathways aims to break the cycle of homelessness in individuals and families within a 60-mile radius of Yankton. We stay within this geographical boundary because we are the only secular emergency shelter in this area. The closest shelters are in Sioux City, IA, Sioux Falls, SD and Norfolk, NE. If someone is seeking shelter and is from outside of this boundary, we do our best to connect them with resources in their location. To date in 2018, we have served individuals and families from 14 surrounding counties. Pathways provides four major services, the first of which is temporary emergency shelter. We operate with hopes that all clients can successfully move out of shelter within 30 days. Every client receives 30 free days in a 12-month period. In 2018, the average stay has been 26 days. There are times when a stay needs to be extended. We will allow stays up to 60 days, but charge $5 per day after day 30. We implemented this rule (as of August 1, 2018) for three reasons: First, to give a greater incentive for our clients to reach their goals more quickly; Second, to give our clients a sense of ownership while staying with us; Lastly, to help pay for daily use items (food, cleaning products, etc.). We can provide shelter for up to 50 individuals, depending on family size. For those who are without income and are able to work, we assist them in finding gainful employment. Typically, it takes about a week to find employment. Once income is established, the search for housing begins. Everyone receives food, clothing, and all other necessities free of charge. They are also connected with community partners to work on basic skills, such as budgeting and financial management, cooking and nutrition, and job procurement. When individuals find housing, we assist with the moving process, as well as provide furniture and housing essentials at no cost. Pathways receives these items through donations from our generous community. The remaining three services we offer are financial assistance programs. These are offered through two separate grants from the South Dakota Housing Development Authority. The first is called the Emergency Solutions Grant, through which we provide two programs: Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing. Homeless Prevention enables us to pay rental and utility arrears to prevent homelessness from occurring. Through Rapid Rehousing we can assist with first month’s rent, rental deposit and utility deposit. This allows the renter to be financially stable, rather than fall behind right away. The second grant provides us the opportunity to run the Security Deposit Assistance Program. These funds are allocated specifically for security deposits. All three of these programs have guidelines that have to be met in order to qualify for assistance. What’s new in 2018? 2018 was our third full year in the larger facility. Since the move, we have been learning what it takes to operate at this capacity. Specifically, we have seen tremendous growth in services provided, as well as a substantial budget increase in order to support those services. Our annual budget prior to the move never surpassed $60,000 (for 21 years of operation). Directly after the move, our budget steadily increased, reaching almost $300,000 for 2018. In April of this year, we learned that our current financial resources simply could not sustain our operations. In order to keep our doors Call 665-5884 open and continue providing our crucial services, we cut $55,000 from our budget. These cuts included four staff members, as well as reducing our Case Manager from full-time to part-time. We have been operating “bare-bones” since making these cuts. Interested in this spot? Call 665-5884 to We are also pursuing several lofty financial goals. First, we have approximately $90,000 left to pay on our Shelter’s mortgage. This amount is due in full by October 2019. Secondly, we are in the process of building a 9-month cash reserve. It is a wise idea for non-profits (all businesses, actually) to have an emergency fund in case funding sources are lost. For Pathways, that amounts to approximately $180,000. We are about ¼ of the way to reaching this goal. Another important goal is to build an ongoing volunteer base. There are several opportunities to volunteer at Pathways. Our most important need is to gain some volunteers who are comfortable covering our front desk. We have weekday and weekend times that need to be filled. The second-largest need is assistance with moving furniture and clients. We receive many donations of furniture and other household items from the community, and we love it! If the larger items are unable to be delivered, we will pick up the items. These donations are then gifted to clients to help furnish their new residences, and our staff physically assists with the moving process. Picking up donations and moving clients into homes can take up to 10 hours of staff time each week, and we could use assistance with these important tasks. If you have a method of transporting large furniture (pickup or trailer) and are physically able to help move furniture, we want to hear from you! Call 665-5884 to • Commercial • Residential Farm Wiring place yourWork ••Competitive Prices • Prompt Service • Quality ad here. New Construction or Remodeling • Home 665-6612 Interested in this spot? 1000 Cattle Drive • Yankton, SD We l c o m e t o Ya n k t o n ! 1-800-759-5275 Call Cattle Dr., Yankton, SD 1000 665-5884 to Fax: 605-665-8908 665-1665 place your ad here. On average, it costs approximately $21,000 per month to provide these programs to those in need. Gifts towards our operating expenses are accepted at any time, and we can accommodate any payment method. Electronic donations are completed through our website at www.yanktonpathways.org. Cash or checks can be sent to 412 E 4th St, Yankton, SD 57078. Yankton and surrounding communities were very generous with donations in 2018. We hope that support continues in 2019. Year-to-date unduplicated statistics through November 2018: Shelter: 247 clients | 7,679 nights Homeless Prevention: 42 clients in 16 households | $24,145.94 in support Rapid Rehousing: 53 clients in 22 households | $25,034.50 in support Security Deposit Assistance Program: 78 clients in 45 households | $18,810 in support Community Support Any questions should be directed to Jesse Bailey, Executive Director. We often receive questions of what type of support we need He can be reached at 605-665-8994, or via e-mail at jbailey@ from the community. As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, Pathways yanktonpathways.org. operates solely on grants and donations. Grants and donations are not guaranteed, and we having increasing budgetary needs each year. We appreciate the following types of donations. - Goods: Toiletries, food, towels, bedding, pillows, paper products, and laundry detergent are all items that we use on a daily basis. There is an updated list on our website at www.yanktonpathways.org/give - Furniture and Household Items: We accept any gently used furniture and household items. These include (but are not limited to) couches, beds, chairs, kitchen tables, coffee tables, end tables, small kitchen appliances (toasters, microwaves, coffee pots), kitchen supplies (cutlery, dishes, drinking glasses). - Monetary: We accept any cash donations or monthly direct deposits from individuals, businesses and organizations. People often inquire about what it costs to operate our facility. The to place your ad here. into our monthly operating following list will provide a glimpse expenses, showing a few of the larger monthly expenses: o Utilities: $1,753 o Mortgage: $1,383 o Phone, Internet, Fax: $290 www.missourivalleyshopper.com o Shelter Supplies (food, basic needs): $141 www.missourivalleyshopper.com o Administrative Costs: $10,375 www.missourivalleyshopper.com Visit our Web site at www.missourivalleyshopper.com www.missourivalleyshopper.com Visit our Web site at Salute Our Guardians with the... Harry Lane, Electrical Contractor o Client Support: $5,890.50 o Insurance: $973 o Maintenance/ Repair: $350 INTERESTED IN THIS SPOT? Although we have been operating with fewer staff and resources, place your ad here. our programming has not suffered. In 2017, we saw a 72% Interested in this spot? success rate in those we served. This means 72% of the individuals and families that entered shelter were stabilized through finding gainful employment and securing long-term housing. So far in 2018, that number is at 80%. It is our goal to continue increasing our success rate. For Flooring with a Professional Touch 208 Walnut Street, Historic Downtown Yankton 605-665-2067 2507 Fox Run Parkway Yankton, SD 57078 • (605) 665-8073 www.firstchiropracticcenter.com Visit our Web site at www.missourivalleyshopper.com 605-665-3762 www.missourivalleyshopper.com 800-952-2424 Yankton, Freeman, Wagner and Mitchell 2200 E. HWY. 50 YANKTON, SD 57078 www.deerequipment.com M.T. & R.C. Smith Insurance, Inc. 204 West 4th • PO Box 1077 Yankton, SD • 605-665-3611 Toll Free: 1-888-665-3611 Fax: 605-665-2560 DAKOTA ArcHErY & VisitOuTDOOr SpOrTS our 605-665-8340 Web site at 2305 E. Hwy. 50 • Yankton www.missourivalleyshopper.com Open every night ‘till 9:00 p.m. 2100 BROADWAY • YANKTON, SD 605-665-3412 PHARMACY: 665-8261 • FLORAL: 665-0662 (605) 665-3