DakotAbilities: Celebrating 60 years in 2025

This paid piece is sponsored by DakotAbilities.

When DakotAbilities opened its doors in 1965 under the name United Cerebral Palsy, the lives of people with disabilities were significantly different from what they are today in terms of social attitudes, accessibility and legal protections.

Disabilities were, and still are, often misunderstood, leading people with disabilities to be excluded from mainstream society. Fast-forward to today and people are living longer and more fulfilling lives thanks to advancements in health care, education and assistive technologies.

DakotAbilities, one of 20 Community Support Providers in South Dakota, advocates for community inclusion, independence and employment opportunities for adults who have a wide range of abilities. As the new year approaches and with a 60th anniversary on the horizon, there is reason to celebrate accomplishments and look forward to the new year with optimism.

Walking through the halls of Longfellow Center, where DakotAbilities’ Meaningful Day services take place, visitors often comment on the sense of warmth and camaraderie they witness between the staff and people supported.

“Creating that kind of environment is key to what we do, inside our walls and within our community, so much so that it’s now the focal point of our mission statement,” said Shelly Johnson, director of development.

“Meaningful Day means just that  – meaningful and intentional ways to make the most of the time people spend participating in day services.”

In 2024, DakotAbilities added an education and support manager whose role is to create a curriculum designed to help people expand their knowledge of the world around them and how to navigate some of life’s complexities.

“We recently had Jessie Schmidt from the Better Business Bureau here teaching people about scam prevention and consumer protection. The vast majority of people we support constantly have iPads and smartphones at their side. While technology holds many advantages, the flip side is we can’t realistically monitor or protect people from being taken advantage of online,” said Joe Dvorak, director of day services.

“By bringing Jessie in with her expertise, we took steps toward awareness and having more frequent conversations about what to look out for and avoid.”

A weekly activities calendar maps out all planned lessons and activities, ranging from pop culture fun, music and art to teaching independence such as cooking skills and hygiene practices.

“Appealing to a range of ages, abilities and ethnic diversities is all part of the curriculum planning process,” said Heather Craig, education and support manager. “Our overall goal is to create curiosity, engagement and a desire to learn.”

In the coming year, DakotAbilities plans to add more STEM activities, nutrition classes “and to partner with SDSU Extension horticulturists as well as master gardeners to expand our raised bed gardening program,” Craig added.

“We are beginning a partnership with the USD social work program and will host an intern. We’ll also continue to diversify the music, art and theater activities that are an integral part of the day program.”

Volunteer hours are also on the rise, “which is a wonderful thing,” Dvorak said.

“We welcome families, students, individuals, churches and service clubs. Sometimes, just spending an hour with someone new playing a game or working on a craft project can really brighten someone’s day. Volunteers often become part of the family and form close connections with the people we support.”

Ushering in DakotAbilities’ 60th anniversary is the opening of two new twin homes on the west side of Sioux Falls.

“As our leadership team prepared our five-year strategic plan in 2023, expansion of residential capacity was identified as a top priority. Our last new home was built in 2018, and since then, we have remodeled three of our 13 homes to accommodate each person with his or her own bedroom,” executive director Nathan Stallinga said.

“We’re seeing the number of inquiries and requests for help increase. We all know life can change in the blink of an eye, and it is imperative for families and individuals to receive the support they need, when they need it. We work collaboratively with the state and other partners to ensure the right resources are available and to avoid putting people on a long waiting list.”

Sixty years is a major milestone, but the work isn’t done, he continued.

“We’re committed to improving the lives of people with disabilities in every way, including breaking down barriers to inclusivity and equality,” Stallinga said.

“It takes everyone – our employees, donors, volunteers, guardians and family members, legislators and, most importantly, the individuals themselves. We all play a vital role in the future and ability to fulfill our mission of creating a warm and welcoming community for the people we support.”

For information on DakotAbilities, visit dakotabilities.org