South Dakota Assistance Programs and Benefits
Free help finding assistance programs, from the Black Hills to the Big Sioux River
A prairie blizzard, a bad harvest year or a surgery bill can leave a South Dakota family short before the month ends. Helping Hands shows you the South Dakota assistance programs that fit your needs and how to reach them.
You tell us what's going on. You'll get the program names, the basic rules and the South Dakota office that handles each one.
East River or West River, we cover all 66 counties in South Dakota. You might live in Sioux Falls or Rapid City, in Aberdeen or Watertown, or on a ranch where the nearest town is an hour away. The guidance is free.
South Dakotans get help from the Department of Social Services (DSS), Dakota at Home, federal programs, tribal nations, food banks and community action agencies. We help you figure out which one fits.
Check Your Eligibility for Free
Every program runs on its own rules. Income, household size, age, disability, housing and work history each affect what you may qualify for.
Helping Hands narrows the field to South Dakota programs that may fit and tells you where to start.
South Dakota Financial Assistance Programs
A lost job, a vehicle breakdown on a long commute or a medical emergency can drain savings fast. South Dakota offers several kinds of financial help, and the right one depends on your situation.
If you can't cover the basics right now, we help you find resources that fit and show you how to apply.
Helping Hands can help you locate information about programs and resources involving:
South Dakota Food Assistance and SNAP Benefits
Food prices keep going up, and in small towns the nearest big grocery store can be a long drive.
SNAP is the main one among South Dakota food assistance programs, and we explain the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules in plain words. South Dakota puts SNAP benefits on an EBT card you use like a debit card at approved stores.
If feeding your household has gotten hard, check your SNAP eligibility. It's a solid first step.
You can apply for SNAP and Medicaid through the South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS), online at eaportal.sd.gov or at a local DSS office.
We can also help South Dakota residents locate:
South Dakota Utility Bill Assistance
South Dakota winters bring subzero nights and wind that cuts across the prairie, and propane and natural gas bills climb with every cold snap. Fall behind and your heat could be at risk.
Qualifying South Dakota households can get help with heating fuel and electric costs. We show you where to apply.
Resources may include information about:
South Dakota LIHEAP Help: The LIEAP Heating Program
South Dakota runs the federal LIHEAP program as the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP), managed by the South Dakota Department of Social Services Office of Energy Assistance in Pierre.
You can apply online, by mail or at a DSS office. Funding, rules and deadlines change, so check the current details before you apply.
We help you find the application and the office that can answer your questions.
South Dakota Rental Assistance and Housing Assistance
Rent in Sioux Falls and Rapid City has climbed, and one emergency can put you behind.
Late on rent, holding an eviction notice, looking for a cheaper place or afraid of losing your home? South Dakota programs and local groups may help, and we'll show you which ones.
Helping Hands provides information about housing resources that may be available to qualifying South Dakota residents, including:
Section 8 and Housing Assistance in South Dakota
South Dakotans who need affordable housing should learn about Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other subsidized rentals.
Local housing authorities run these programs, and wait lists and rules vary between towns.
Helping Hands can provide information and resources to help you understand:
South Dakota Eviction Assistance
Got an eviction notice or fell behind on rent? Act now. Eviction deadlines leave you little room.
From Sioux Falls to Rapid City and the small towns between, you can reach rental assistance, eviction prevention, emergency housing, legal aid and local community resources, and we show you who runs them.
Depending on your situation, help may come from nonprofits, legal aid groups, tribal programs, local agencies or housing programs.
Foreclosure Prevention Assistance in South Dakota
Homeowners facing a tough stretch should look at their options before missed payments pile up.
We keep a list of foreclosure prevention and housing counseling referrals for South Dakota homeowners.
Missed a payment already? Phone your servicer this week and set up a session with a housing counselor.
South Dakota Assistance for Seniors
Older South Dakotans may qualify for help with health care, meals, in-home services, housing, transportation and household bills.
For help with aging services, care at home and long-term support, call Dakota at Home at 1-833-663-9673, run by the South Dakota Department of Human Services.
Helping Hands provides information about resources that may be available to older adults, including:
South Dakota Medicaid and Medicare Resources
Medical bills fall hardest on seniors, people with disabilities and families with low incomes, and rural South Dakotans often travel far for care.
Our South Dakota medical section covers Medicare, South Dakota Medicaid, health-care assistance and other medical resources, so you can see what fits.
Medicare and South Dakota Medicaid run on separate rules. Look up the current requirements for the one you need.
Disability Assistance in South Dakota
South Dakotans living with a disability may qualify for specialized programs, home care and community support.
Qualifications change from program to program, so read each set before you apply.
Helping Hands can help South Dakota residents locate information about resources involving:
Legal Assistance for South Dakota Residents
A benefits denial, a housing dispute or a debt problem can mean you need a lawyer.
We help South Dakotans who qualify find legal aid and free legal resources.
Legal aid offices in South Dakota decide case by case whom they can help without charge.
Legal assistance may be particularly relevant for issues involving:
Education, Employment and Training Assistance
One payment gets you through a rough month. Skills and a better job carry you further.
Helping Hands also shares education, job training and workforce resources that can help South Dakotans land better work and steadier income.
Resources may include:
South Dakota Food Banks and Emergency Food Resources
Need food today? Food pantries and meal sites across South Dakota hand out groceries in cities, small towns and reservation communities.
The food resources on our list serve families, seniors, people with disabilities and anyone in a short-term crisis, including in South Dakota's smallest towns.
Stuck without food, heat or a place to stay? Dial 2-1-1 from any South Dakota phone to reach the Helpline Center, which answers day and night and connects you with local services.
Assistance Available Throughout All 66 South Dakota Counties
Program guidance on Helping Hands covers all 66 counties in South Dakota, from Harding County in the northwest corner to Union County in the southeast.
South Dakota towns and counties on our list include:
- Sioux Falls
- Rapid City
- Aberdeen
- Brookings
- Watertown
- Mitchell
- Yankton
- Pierre
- Huron
- Spearfish
- Vermillion
- Box Elder
- Brandon
- Harrisburg
- Sturgis
- Minnehaha County
- Pennington County
- Lincoln County
- Brown County
- Brookings County
- And communities throughout South Dakota
From a Sioux Falls apartment to a cattle ranch near Faith, the help you can get depends on your household and the programs serving your county.
How Helping Hands Can Help
Finding the right program can mean long drives, phone calls, forms and wait lists.
Helping Hands puts the South Dakota options in one place, so you can call the right office first.
Our goal is to help you:
- Identify programs that may match your situation.
- Understand basic eligibility requirements.
- Find the appropriate agency or organization.
- Learn where and how to apply.
- Locate additional resources if one program does not meet your needs.
South Dakotans use our help and resource information free of charge.
Need Help in South Dakota? Start Here.
Propane running low, the fridge empty or the rent late? You don't have to track down each program alone.
We lay out your options and connect you with the South Dakota agencies and groups that may help.
Common South Dakota Assistance Programs
Food & Nutrition
- SNAP / Food Stamps
- EBT information
- Food banks
- Food pantries
- Emergency food assistance
Housing
- Rental assistance
- Section 8
- Low-income housing
- Eviction assistance
- Foreclosure prevention
- Emergency housing
Utilities
- LIHEAP (LIEAP)
- Electric assistance
- Gas assistance
- Utility bill assistance
Financial Assistance
- Emergency financial assistance
- Cash assistance
- Family assistance
- Single-parent resources
- Community grants and assistance
Health & Senior Services
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Senior assistance
- Disability resources
- Health-care assistance
Other Resources
- Legal assistance
- Education
- Job training
- Workforce resources
- Community services
Immediate South Dakota Assistance
Need help right now? Dial 2-1-1 to reach the Helpline Center for local help with food, shelter, utility bills and other emergencies.
For SNAP, Medicaid and LIEAP energy help, contact the South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS).
For aging and long-term care questions, call Dakota at Home at 1-833-663-9673.
Save this page before you start calling, so you know which South Dakota office handles what.
Look through South Dakota assistance programs today and check your eligibility.
Helping Hands is a resource and information service. Program eligibility, availability, funding, and application requirements are determined by the applicable government agency, nonprofit organization, housing authority, or other program administrator. Providing information about a program does not guarantee eligibility or approval.
