$1.6 Million For VOA Campus Expansion

Volunteers of America, Dakotas hopes to help hundreds more families in-need thanks to the generosity of people in Sioux Falls.

A fundraising campaign will lead to a building boom on the Volunteers of America campus.

Volunteers of America has raised $1.6 million to expand services, including day care for struggling families.

Like so many single moms, Ann Kelly struggled to pay for day care for her twin 4-year-olds, Konner and Kenzie.

"Before, I was actually paying more in day care than I was for rent for a two-bedroom duplex," Kelly said.

But Volunteers of America offered Kelly scholarships for her kids to attend the Little Blessings Learning Center.

"It's very convenient because as a single mom, every hour that I'm not at work is an hour I'm not getting paid," Kelly said.

And while her kids are in day care, Kelly just has to go across the street to attend parenting classes.

"[It's] to help me with some of my single parenting skills, helping the kids cope with their dad not being around and helping myself cope with the stress and way to help us grow in family unity," Kelly said.

Volunteers of America wants to expand that easy one-stop access to day care and counseling on its Cairn Campus in southwest Sioux Falls.

"It really gives us a chance to finish out this campus facility, build a new building next to what we have here, really help some of those who are really in need get a new start," Capital campaign co-chair Curt Zaske said.

With groundbreaking scheduled for the spring, a growing campus is a big blessing for families enrolled in Little Blessings.

"It's hard to find a good day care where you feel like your kids are loved and also learning, you get a combination of both here," Kelly said.

Organizers of the capital campaign say Volunteers of America can save up to $60,000 by moving programs scattered throughout Sioux Falls onto one main campus.