About Us
Grant Roberts Area Disability Supports is a local nonprofit serving the Northeast South Dakota region that focuses on supporting individuals with disabilities during the transition phase of their education and throughout the process of adult services. GRADS assists with adult service choices by reaching out to families who are working with public school and private facility staff members, community employers and state agency personnel. This includes providing opportunities such as building social skills, practicing communication with others, making leisure time choices, awareness of self-empowerment, independent living, and employment skills.
Although the organization’s primary emphasis is on individuals who have recently graduated, GRADS will also provide assistance to people of any age with disabilities inquiring about services and connect them to available support.
Our Mission
Grant Roberts Area Disability Supports promotes and supports options for people with disabilities to achieve their desired level of independence within the community of their choice.
Our Values
We believe every person is a valued community member and deserves to live their best life, regardless of level of ability.
We strive to:
-Encourage a culture of inclusion and belonging
-Treat all individuals with dignity and respect
-Connect, educate and inspire
-Find opportunity within a community
-Empower independence
Vision Statement
A world where people with different abilities have the same opportunity to achieve their fullest potential and participate in and contribute to all aspects of life within their community.
Our Story
In the 1990’s a group of parents in the Grant and Roberts County area in Northeast South Dakota began to question why, when children with disabilities finished high school they had only two options: either continue living with parents or seek service providers outside of their community. Moving away from their hometown meant leaving their natural support system of family and friends. After the group met with state department representatives and interested service providers, limited services began in the Milbank, SD area. Over the next few years more services were added and today day services are provided to several clients in the area.
That group of parents from the 1990’s formed the foundation for what is today the Grant Roberts Area Disability Supports. They continue to work to provide access to services for people with disabilities within Grant and Roberts area communities.
Our Organization
The Grant Roberts Area Disability Supports has an elected Board of Directors that meet several times a year in person and via Zoom. Our organization acquires funds through donations, grants, raffles, rummage sales, and holiday sales. There are no membership fees and many of the members are longtime area residents with strong connections to the surrounding communities in Northeast South Dakota.