OneHeart A Place for Hope & Healing

10/08/2026

There's a statistic I've been wrestling with lately.

While OneHeart RC serves people from all backgrounds, Native Americans currently represent approximately 64% of the guests accessing our services despite making up roughly 8% of Rapid City's overall population. I've looked at those numbers more times than I can count, and I keep coming back to one question:

What does that tell us about the challenges many people in our community still face?

One statistic cannot explain an issue this complex, and this is not about assigning blame or creating division. But ignoring what the data is showing us will not move the conversation forward either. Every day, our team works alongside people who are trying to find stability. That can mean securing housing or employment, pursuing recovery, finding transportation or childcare, accessing mental health support, reconnecting with family, or simply getting a chance to breathe after years of crisis.

No two stories are the same, and neither are the circumstances that brought people through our doors. The reasons behind that reality are complex and often deeply personal, but the disparity itself is difficult to ignore. When you spend enough time doing this work, you begin to see patterns that deserve our attention. One of those patterns is the disproportionate number of Native Americans seeking housing stability and supportive services.

As a community, we should be willing to ask difficult questions:

Why does this gap persist?
What barriers continue to exist?
Which systems are working?
Which systems aren't?
What responsibility do all of us share in changing the outcome?

I've never met anyone who dreamed of becoming homeless, struggling with addiction, losing custody of their children, sleeping in a shelter, or living in constant crisis. What I have met are people working incredibly hard to build a future that looks different from their past.

That's why this conversation matters. Not because of politics or ideology, but because every percentage point represents a human being. When the data shows that one group is experiencing crisis at a significantly higher rate than the population at large, we should be willing to acknowledge it, talk about it honestly, and ask what needs to change.

At OneHeart, we don't have the luxury of looking away from difficult realities. We meet people where they are, help them build stability, and walk alongside them as they create a different future. The data helps us understand where the need exists. What we do with that information will help define the kind of community we become.

~Chadwick Ratigan, Chief of Operations & Programming at OneHeart

10/08/2026

WE’RE ALMOST SOLD OUT!
Only 10 single spots remain for OneHeart’s Halloween Soiree! 🖤
Once these are gone, we’re officially SOLD OUT.
Join us October 24 for an evening of mystery, mayhem, dinner, drinks, dancing, and a little masquerade magic—all while supporting OneHeart and the women and children we serve. 🥂
👻 10 spots left. That’s it.
If you’ve been waiting to grab yours, now’s the time!
🎟️ Get yours before they disappear!
https://oneheartrc.org/event/oneheart-halloween-soiree/

10/07/2026

"There's more peace in my life. I have the chance to be happy. I'm able to put myself first instead of worrying about others and their needs."

For someone as reserved as Anthony, this answer speaks volumes.

In the past month, Anthony has not only maintained his sobriety and begun planning for his future, but he has also identified something that may be even more important: a growing sense of peace and the belief that he deserves happiness.

The Long Road continues next month with another update on Anthony’s journey of recovery, growth, and transformation.

👉 Read Anthony's first 30-day update: https://oneheartrc.org/anthony-first-30-days/

10/05/2026

A little more than three months after arriving at OneHeart, “Sophie” walked into my office and described a change that might sound small to someone who has never lived in constant fear.

Her nervous system was finally beginning to come out of overdrive.

She was starting to breathe differently. To settle into her surroundings. To recognize that she did not have to remain on alert every moment of every day.

She was beginning to feel safe.

For Sophie, that feeling did not come easily. It followed a period of escalating domestic violence that gradually stripped away her independence, her financial security, her relationships, and her sense of control over her own life.

When a spot became available, Sophie arrived on campus with almost nothing.

But she had a door she could close. She had a stable place to sleep. She had people who knew her name. Most importantly, she had a safe place where she could begin rebuilding her relationship with her son.

Today, Sophie has a job she loves. She sees it as a springboard toward college and a career that will allow her to provide lasting stability for herself and her son.

“OneHeart is how people get help,” she said. “Real help.”

Read Sophie’s story and follow her journey on The Long Road: OneHeart Guest Chronicles.

👉 Read more of Sophie's journey at https://oneheartrc.org/sophie-finding-safety/

Please help us cheer Sophie on as she does the impossibly difficult and profoundly courageous work of reclaiming her life, building a future, and creating the safety and stability that every mother and child deserve.

Follow the journey. One step at a time.

09/29/2026

For nearly a year, Rosie had one goal:

Get her daughters back.

After a night of heavy drinking changed the course of her life, Rosie spent nearly a year separated from her children.

She didn't know exactly how she would get them back. She only knew she couldn't quit.

She worked. She went to counseling. She took parenting classes. She asked for more accountability when she needed it. She stayed sober.

One day became a week.
A week became a month.
A month became a year.

Then, on June 1, Rosie moved into OneHeart.

That same day, she got her daughters back.

But reunification wasn't the finish line. It was the beginning of another kind of hard work—rebuilding relationships, creating new routines, continuing recovery, and building a stable life for her family.

Today, Rosie is one year sober, working, parenting, taking on new responsibilities at work, and preparing for the challenges still ahead.

And when asked what she's most grateful for, her answer was simple:

“I’m grateful to be alive.”

Read Rosie's story and meet the fourth guest in The Long Road: OneHeart Guest Chronicles.

Follow the journey. One step at a time at OneHeartrc.org

09/28/2026

For nearly a year, Rosie had one goal:

Get her daughters back.

After a night of heavy drinking changed the course of her life, Rosie spent nearly a year separated from her children.

She didn't know exactly how she would get them back. She only knew she couldn't quit.

She worked. She went to counseling. She took parenting classes. She asked for more accountability when she needed it. She stayed sober.

One day became a week.
A week became a month.
A month became a year.

Then, on June 1, Rosie moved into OneHeart.

That same day, she got her daughters back.

But reunification wasn't the finish line. It was the beginning of another kind of hard work—rebuilding relationships, creating new routines, continuing recovery, and building a stable life for her family.

Today, Rosie is one year sober, working, parenting, taking on new responsibilities at work, and preparing for the challenges still ahead.

And when asked what she's most grateful for, her answer was simple:

“I’m grateful to be alive.”

Read Rosie's story and meet the fourth guest in The Long Road: OneHeart Guest Chronicles.

👉 Read Rosie's story: https://oneheartrc.org/rosie-one-year-sober/

Follow the journey. One step at a time.

Meet Rosie, a OneHeart guest who spent nearly a year working toward sobriety and reunification with her daughters. Follow her journey of recovery and rebuilding.

09/23/2026

When we talk about economic development, we usually think about businesses, jobs, new buildings and infrastructure.

But there’s another part we can’t overlook: people.

What happens when someone has the skills and desire to work, but doesn’t have stable housing? Or reliable transportation? Or childcare? What happens when trauma, lack of education or other barriers keep someone from being able to move forward?

At OneHeart, this is the work we see every day.

We walk alongside women and families who are facing some very difficult circumstances and help them work through the barriers standing between where they are today and where they want to be.

Stable housing. Education. Employment. Transportation. Parenting. Life skills. Financial stability.

These aren't just individual accomplishments. They strengthen families, create more stable households, increase workforce participation and help people become more independent and engaged members of our community.

That is an investment in people — and an investment in our community.

Because a strong economy isn't built only with roads, buildings and businesses.

It's built with people who have the opportunity to get on their feet, thrive and contribute.

That's the transformation we believe in at OneHeart.

09/22/2026

He had a skilled career.
He was licensed.
He had a good job with benefits.
He showed up to work every day.

But behind the scenes, alcohol was slowly taking everything away.

Earlier this year, JB ended up in the hospital fighting for his life. His kidneys were functioning at only a fraction of normal capacity, and serious complications from alcohol use had pushed him to the brink.

That could have been the end of his story.

Instead, it became a turning point.

Today, JB is six months sober. He's working, has moved into a maintenance leadership role, and is working toward getting his South Dakota licenses back so he can return to the underground utility work he loves.

He's also working to rebuild something even more important: trust with his family.

JB wanted to share his story because he wants people to understand something:

Addiction doesn't always look the way we expect.

Read JB's full story and follow the third journey in The Long Road: OneHeart Guest Chronicles.

👉 Read JB's story:
https://oneheartrc.org/jb-when-everything-looked-fine/

Meet JB, a OneHeart guest rebuilding his life after alcohol nearly took everything from him. Follow his journey from hopelessness toward hope, stability, and recovery.

09/18/2026

Happy International Housekeepers and Environmental Services Week!

This week we're recognizing an incredible team that helps keep OneHeart RC running every single day. Jake, Robin, Daniel, Tim, and Kurt work hard behind the scenes to keep our 4-acre campus clean, safe, welcoming, and looking its best for the guests, families, staff, and community members we serve. From repairs and maintenance to housekeeping, groundskeeping, and everything in between, this crew tackles countless tasks that often go unnoticed but make a huge difference in the daily life of our campus.

We had a chance to treat the crew to Qdoba for lunch this week. It's a small thank you for a group that does a whole lot around here. Keeping a 4-acre campus clean, safe, functional, and welcoming isn't easy, and these folks show up every day and get it done. A burrito bowl hardly covers it, but it's a start!

I'd also like to give a special shoutout to Kurt, who wraps up his time with OneHeart tomorrow. Thank you for the hard work, dedication, and care you've put into this campus over the years! We appreciate everything you've done to help make OneHeart a better place for our guests and staff, and we wish you all the best in whatever comes next!

To our crew and to everyone working in housekeeping and environmental services, thank you. Your work often happens behind the scenes, but the impact is seen everywhere. The spaces people live, work, heal, and grow in are better because of what you do. We appreciate you more than you know.

~Chadwick Ratigan, OneHeart Chief of Operations & Programming