Love of the Black Hills

Thrive & rise: thrive: is an outdoor adventure gear resale store that provides an environment where youth can discover the joys of productivity in a safe, supportive environment. Thrive's mission is to mobilize local churches in transforming the lives of youth through training and mentoring in a work environment. In 2022, thrive had 18 student participants repairing bikes and learning marketing and retail skills in our outdoor gear store. One aspect of thrive are vision bikes. These are bikes earned by participants that don't have any other mode of transportation and can use the bikes to help them get to their jobs, the grocery store or around town in a more efficient way than walking. Thrive gave out 46 bikes at a total value of $3680. Rise: is a ministry that allows the participants from our connection center seeking help with furniture needs to earn furniture. They join a team of volunteers who are refurbishing some of the unusable donated furniture as well as updating and repurposing decor items. the inventory consists of items that were either too large or simply impractical for our clients' use. This furniture and decor are being refurbished and made into items that are sold in our social enterprise. Money earned from the sale of this furniture is in return, helping us to purchase useable furniture for our clients and otherwise help support the work we are doing in our community. In 2022, 95 participants earned new furniture for their home. Our volunteers served 10,641 hours in this ministry.

Life Inc: life Inc is a safe, supportive place for people to learn, grow and develop in order to set a new course for life. Life Inc uses classes and mentoring to help people. Area churches provide a free meal. Free childcare programming is provided for 125 children ages 0-12. In 2022, there were 273 adults taking part in classes. Volunteers provided 2599 hours of their time. Participants earned $6,441 in gas, groceries, and diaper incentives. We offered life Inc quarterly at 5 different church campuses, providing twenty-one different course offerings in areas such as finances, parenting, marriage, addiction, employment, health, bible and life skills.the sturgis location, held life Inc in which 32 adults attended classes. Volunteers provided 125 hours of their time. They also served 15 families through the clothe-a-kid for school program giving 32 children new clothing for school. Twenty-two volunteers served 143 hours. Our changed diaper ministry is impacting moms by helping them with diapers for their children. Over 200 diapers were given out in 2022.

Love Inc connection center: the Love Inc connection center (formerly called the clearinghouse) processes people's calls for help. First, phone volunteers take time to listen, encourage, pray for and problem solve with each caller. Next, people are connected with church volunteers and resources to help with furniture, household items, linens, and toiletries. In 2022, we helped 537 adults with furniture, bedding, and kitchen items. Total value of items given was $97,736. Volunteers served 3,962 hours helping in these programs.

Sturgis affiliate: the sturgis location, held life Inc in which 32 adults attended classes. Volunteers provided 125 hours of their time. Twenty-two volunteers served 143 hours. Our changed diaper ministry is impacting moms by helping them with diapers for their children. Over 200 diapers were given out in 2022.

Clothe-a-kid for school: clothe-a-kid helps parents stretch their back to school dollars by churches coming alongside families and providing $100 per child for each child to go shopping with. Thirty-two families were helped clothing 93 children. There were 27 churches that participated and raised over $13,145 for this program. Shopping volunteers service 59 hours helping our families pick out clothing.