How You Can Join A Fantastic 'Journey of Hope'

The world can be a confusing and scary place when you, a family member, or a friend are dealing with homelessness, addiction, mental health issues, or other problems.

It is exactly then that little things can provide a light toward recovering your life. As someone has said, "Sometimes a little help goes a long way".

Courtesy Journey of Hope

That is really what the non-profit Journey of Hope is all about. An area couple, Kari and Darin Palmer, started the group as a tribute to their late son. They lost 26-year-old Sven to an alcohol overdose and were witnesses to his struggle and the challenges he had dealing with depression and addiction.

Part of his struggles involved just having access to basic hygiene items, and he always appreciated a clean pair of socks. This inspired Kari and Darin to do the same for others in need.

Journey of Hope is being spotlighted by our friends at Sioux Falls Simplified through June, during a month-long fundraiser. The goal is to raise $5,000 that will go to Journey of Hope to help them continue with their work.

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Journey of Hope puts together blue vinyl backpacks with basic hygiene items like shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, a pair of socks, and more. The blue backpacks are a reminder of their late son, who always had a blue backpack with him.

Journey of Hope partners with other wonderful Sioux Falls non-profits and 11 Sioux Falls schools to make sure these items get to the people who need them most. They also have an arts program designed to offer hope to people who are struggling with multiple issues.

You can help people who are very much in need by contributing to this fundraiser, or by simply volunteering to help Journey of Hope put these backpacks together. For more information see Journey of Hope online, on Facebook, or call (605) 610-8130.

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Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to retire in South Dakota using data from Niche.

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The 10 Largest Occupations in South Dakota

Where do people in South Dakota work?

If you were a South Dakotan a hundred years ago, chances are you had a job related to farming or ranching. If you weren't doing the farming, you were selling things to the farmers, fixing things for the farmers, or buying things from the farmers.

In the 2020s, things are very different.

Most of us in the SD work in health care or the service industry in one way or another. In fact, there are more nurses in South Dakota than the entire population of the state capital, Pierre.

Today far more people work at a store or restaurant than have probably ever even been on a farm. Time passes and things change, always. Fifty years from now who knows what jobs South Dakotans will be doing

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the top 10 largest occupations in South Dakota (as of 2022).

Gallery Credit: Ben Kuhns