11-02-2025
Lifeline Children's Services expands its impact across South Dakota, providing hope to families in crisis
Feb. 10—SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Lifeline Children's Services, a faith-based organization dedicated to adoption, foster care and family restoration, is working to expand its impact across South Dakota.
Since its founding in 2021, Lifeline has provided a range of services designed to support vulnerable children and families in crisis. On Sunday, Feb.9, 2024, the organization hosted an informational meeting in Sioux Falls to raise awareness about its Harbor Families program and recruit more families to open their homes to children in need. The event provided attendees with an opportunity to learn how they can make a lasting difference in their local communities.
Lifeline Children's Services is committed to helping children and families thrive by offering services that prevent children from entering foster care, support families in crisis and offer adoption services. Through programs like Harbor Families, Lifeline connects local families with children in need of temporary care while offering a safety net for parents facing medical emergencies or other challenges.
Harbor Families serves a crucial role by providing short-term, loving placements for children in crisis. The program's goal is to offer a stable environment for children while parents work through their challenges, whether they are related to health, housing or other issues. The stay typically ranges from 24 hours to 90 days, based on the family's needs. In this way, the program helps keep children out of unsafe environments and provides peace of mind for families during difficult times.
At the event, Savannah Waldner, Harbor Families Specialist at Lifeline, emphasized the importance of local churches partnering with Lifeline to offer support. Waldner pointed out the biblical calling for the faith community to serve those in need.
"We believe that it is very important for the church to be involved," Waldner said. "James 1:27 talks about being there for orphans and widows. It's a mandate from the Bible to not just profess our faith, but to act on it and help those who are struggling."
Lifeline's partnership with churches has allowed it to expand its reach, connecting families in crisis with the support they need. Currently, the organization collaborates with eight churches in the Sioux Falls area. Lifeline is now focused on growing the Harbor Families program beyond Sioux Falls and Rapid City, with hopes to expand into communities like Mitchell, where Lifeline has already had success placing children in temporary care.
In addition to its Harbor Families program, Lifeline also provides adoption services for families interested in expanding their families through domestic, international, or foster care adoption. Heather Buys, an adoption specialist for Lifeline in South Dakota, highlighted the need for more South Dakota-based families to consider adopting domestically. Many birth mothers express a preference for placing their children with local families, but Buys explained that there are currently fewer families available for domestic adoption in South Dakota.
"I want to have profiles of wonderful South Dakota families that these mothers can choose for their babies," Buys said. "It's important for birth mothers to have the option to place their children with local families, and I would love to offer more South Dakota-based options to meet those needs."
Buys also pointed out that financial concerns should not deter families from pursuing adoption, as Lifeline offers grants and assistance programs, including South Dakota's home study reimbursement program, which provides up to $3,000 to offset adoption-related costs.
The impact of Lifeline's services is best seen through the stories of families who have been involved in the programs. The Bendorf family, of De Smet, has had a long history with Lifeline. Pastor Nate and Sara Bendorf began their adoption journey 15 years ago, and in February 2024, they brought home two daughters from Bulgaria.
"Our longing to adopt stemmed from a desire to live out the Gospel in our family and home (James 1:27)," Pastor Bendorf said. "We truly believe it is a gift from God that we connected with Lifeline Children's Services. Lifeline's team is so insightful, compassionate, and supportive. They've been by our side throughout our entire adoption process."
Max and Leslie Masters, a family from Sioux Falls, also spoke at the meeting about their experience with Lifeline's adoption services. After adopting two children through another agency, they turned to Lifeline to adopt their son Jacoby. They explained that Lifeline's faith-centered approach was a significant factor in their decision.
"Our adoption counselor with Lifeline prayed with us, checked in on us, and really took the time to get to know us as a family," Max said. "That personal touch made all the difference."
Kayla Plooster, a Sioux Falls resident, shared her own journey of becoming a host family with the Harbor Families program in an interview with the Mitchell Republic. As a child, Plooster always dreamed of becoming a foster parent, but it wasn't until she discovered Lifeline's Harbor Families program that her dream truly began to take shape.
"It's something I've always wanted to do," Plooster said. "As a kid, I begged my parents to be foster parents. Now as an adult, when I learned about Harbor Families, it felt like the perfect fit for our family."
Plooster and her family have been part of the Harbor Families program for almost three years, providing temporary care for seven children in need during times of crisis. One experience that particularly stands out for Plooster was when they cared for a 2-year-old girl from Mitchell whose mother was seeking treatment. The child's grandmother had stepped in to care for both the 2-year-old and her 6-week-old sibling, but managing both young children proved to be too much. So, the Ploosters opened their home to the 2-year-old, allowing the grandmother to focus on caring for the infant while the mother received help.
"The mom was able to get the treatment she needed, and we provided a stable environment for her child during that time," Plooster shared. "It was comforting to know we made a difference for both the child and the family."
The rewards of being part of the Harbor Families program are immeasurable, Plooster said. She recalls a particularly emotional unexpected meeting with the adoptive mother of a child they had once hosted.
"It was so neat to see how much the child had grown and to know we had a hand in giving them a better start," Plooster said.
Her experience has also deeply impacted her own family.
"My boys are so compassionate about the children we host. We pray for them, and sometimes we reminisce over a toy or a moment that reminds us of a child who stayed with us. It's such a blessing to see how they've grown in their hearts for others."
As Lifeline Children's Services continues to expand its programs, it is actively recruiting families to get involved in the Harbor Families program and adoption services. By partnering with local churches and engaging with families, Lifeline hopes to provide more opportunities for vulnerable children and families to thrive.
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"We're always looking for families who are ready to open their hearts and homes," Waldner said. "This is an opportunity to put faith into action and make a real difference."
