A group of community members and activists gathered in North Rapid City to discuss a central facility to provide meals and resources to people experiencing homelessness or hunger.
Organizers hope easy access to assistance will lead to better outcomes on the streets.
While efforts are made in Rapid City to support homeless community members, those actions are scattered around town and run through multiple organizations.
Jamie Kirsch works as a project director with the local community outreach division and has worked closely with advocacy group Journey On. She said this project is an effort to centralize those endeavors.
“Not just the meal opportunity, but also additional services," Kirsch said. "Such as preventative health care screenings, access to longer-term housing support, longer-term food instability support, and really helping folks make better decisions about getting their life on a track they want to see for themselves.”
Organizers say they want to create a facility advocates feel a sense of ownership to.
Lila Mehlhaff is community collaborations manager with the Rapid City Police Department.
“We wanted to consult with as many community groups that are providing these meals because we really want their input," Mehlhaff said. "We want to know what’s important to them that should be a part of this facility. They’re working directly with the people, and we want it to be something that helps create this culture and care for this facility as theirs.”
The meeting wasn’t without debate, with some questioning the efficacy of providing meals in these circumstances. Others were frustrated with a perceived lack of action for community members in immediate need.
Natalie Stites Means is a local community organizer. She said now is the time for movement from leadership.
“This meeting here – very good – but this is not a serious focus group," Means said. "This is not about blueprints. This is not about a strategic plan. This is a conversation y’all have been having. I didn’t have time to catch COVID and go to meetings that didn’t result in impact for our community. Build it, and they will come right? I want it to look like a place where people can gather without the politics of cruelty.”
The proposed site is near the soccer fields off Denver Street in North Rapid. The project is still in early phases of development.