A well-established non-profit service organization that serves both Wagner and Lake Andes is the Rural Office of Community Services (ROCS). ROCS has been a private, non-profit organization agency that has been serving the Charles-Mix area since 1981. The agency began by offering general human and social services in both Wagner and Lake Andes. ROCS has since evolved to serve 28 counties in South Dakota with emergency services, transportation, nutritional programs, and weatherization in addition to many more programs.

There are ROCS Outreach Offices in both Wagner and Lake Andes, and both are staffed by their own outreach providers. ROCS also employs Community Cares Coordinators that work with clients throughout the area and are available at each office as needed. ROCS’ main office in Charles-Mix County is located in Wagner and has six staff employees on a regular basis. The ROCS executive and program leadership work throughout several offices as they manage multiple sites and schedule hours to work at the business office as well.

As a part of the ROCS office, there is a ROCS Community Closet in Wagner that employs two staff members. There are ROCS Community Closets located in both Wagner and Mitchell with both being fully non-profit. Since it is a non-profit organization, they have been able to reduce prices immensely in comparison to a regular thrift store. The Community Closet has numerous sales throughout the month as well providing even more significant savings opportunities. This is done with the belief that this could help increase the accessibility of clothing and home items to those in the Wagner community and area that are living below the poverty line, which is an exponentially growing number due to inflation. Any surplus funds from the Community Closet are then used to assist those experiencing extreme emergency situations and to address other unmet needs within the community.

The ROCS Community Closet accepts gently used donations of all kinds. Donations can include clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, home décor, toys, books, CDs, movies, furniture, rugs, home appliances, kitchen appliances, kitchenware, bed frames, mattresses, bedding, lights, shelves, sporting equipment, etc. If on the rare occasion an item is donated that cannot be sold, the organization will seek out an individual, group or program that is in need and re-donate the item. The Community Closet has also posted ‘free giveaways’ on the ROCS Community Closet Page for bulk items that cannot be sold, like travel size samples of personal hygiene items, etc.

The ROCS transit fleet currently services 28 counties throughout the southeastern and southcentral region of South Dakota. ROCS transit in Wagner provides services in Bon Homme, Charles-Mix, and Douglas counties. Transportation is available for all ages and outings in and out of town and across counties including medical appointments, shopping, recreation, professional and educational events. ROCS partners with various nursing homes, Veterans, treatment centers, medical facilities, and school districts to provide transportation. ROCS vehicles are wheelchair accessible and does accept Medicaid for payment. ROCS transit rides within Wagner are $2 per one-way trip and seniors (ages 60 +) can be transported in town for free. Out of town rates are calculated by dispatch at the time of scheduling.

Each ROCS location hosts their own fundraising activities geared towards their respective area. In addition to any fundraising events, ROCS also gives presentations on their programs and their community benefits/impacts to local schools, colleges, community organizations, medical facilities and retirement homes/assisted living facilities. ROCS also partners with many local organizations and community groups to provide services and host fundraisers. This past year, ROCS hosted a sober New Years Eve alternative event in which 50% of the proceeds went directly to the Oxford House in Sioux Falls to support those who are choosing and or struggling with sobriety.

The ROCS Outreach offices primary focus on emergency services such as utility/rental assistance; transportation and gas vouchers; food and food vouchers; and seasonal programs. Their seasonal programs include school supply distribution, tax preparation, and garden project. The garden project provides seeds to those wishing to gain food security by growing their own fruits and vegetables. The offices also assist clients with applications or information for their food pantry, transit, dining services, weatherization as well as with state applications or referrals for LIHEAP, Medicaid and WIC. Because ROCS is a dynamic organization that is community forward, their services offered are constantly evolving. ROCS has recently implemented a new program called ROCS Community Cares which provides referred individuals with a compassionate and knowledgeable Community Cares Coordinator who works closely to identify needs and connects clients and families to resources such as food, housing, health insurance, health information, quality health care, and social services. Through advocacy and education, Community Cares Coordinators provide assistance for clients to take the necessary steps to overcome their unique obstacles and achieve longterm stability and independence The coordinators are able to meet with their clients both in the office and at clients’ residences.

ROCS accepts donations at all programs and office locations. It is best to call ahead to the office in order to ensure that staff and space are available and ready to take the donations. Donations can include non-perishable food such as canned goods, cereal, pasta, etc. as well as diapers, wipes and formula. ROCS dining services accepts all food donations both perishable and non. The organization also accepts monetary donations at all locations and online. Monetary donations can be donated to the agency in general or designated for a specific program. 107 Besides the services already listed, when ROCS identifies a need that its organization is unable to meet, they seek collaboration with other organizations to find a solution together. ROCS has recently begun to confront the lack of accessible state-licensed childcare in the Wagner community. There are also times in which ROCS has worked outside of its established programming to give a free ride, food, clothing and to individuals facing serious disparities.

ROCS is primarily overseen by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Smith in conjunction with the Board of Directors which is made up of nine community members that represent the community’s diverse cultural and socioeconomic statuses. Peter leads the organization with a true passion for the community. His passion has been an empowering driving force, inspiring each and every employee to engage with others in a way that has changed lives, embodied hope, and promotes a better future for the community. Peter was hired as the CEO in August of 2017. Peter has been a human service professional with over 35 years of experience. In his career, he has firsthand experience in the importance of anticipating the needs within the communities that he serves and meeting those needs with innovative solutions to minimize the impact of poverty and promote change. His passion for serving the entire community with quality care and integrity in addition to his experience has allowed ROCS to expand its services and locations, reaching even more individuals and families with life changing resources.

Volunteers are a huge part of the ROCS organization. ROCS utilizes volunteers to assist with a variety of programs both ongoing and seasonal. The organization works with volunteer teams, families and individuals that assist with delivering meals to ROCS dining services clients and with Community Closet activities like sorting donations, organizing merchandise, cashiering, etc. The Community Closet also supports youth volunteers looking to escape summer boredom and or gain work experience. If someone is passionate about the community and wants to get involved, ROCS will ensure that they have a volunteer opportunity that is both impactful and empowering. If interested in volunteering with ROCS please contact their Volunteer Coordinator, Michelle, at mfigland@rocsinc.org.

The Wagner Outreach Office is located at 107 2nd St. SW inside of the ROCS Community Closet. The Lake Andes Outreach office is located at 58 N. 3rd Ave. Most of the ROCS offices are open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., but hours may vary per location with more information available online at www.rocsinc.org. Because each program has its own specific set of qualifying guidelines, clients are encouraged to reach out to the specific program and location for assistance in qualifying. If interested in learning more about specific programs or wanting to become involved with the ROCS organization, please check the above listed website for general and contact information.