#RapidCitySD - #OneHeart leaders call for #CulturalAwareness, honest dialogue to address local aid disparities
Chief of Operations Chadwick Ratigan says #HistoricalTrauma, #poverty, and transportation hurdles contribute to #NativeAmericans making up 64% of people seeking stability services at OneHeart
By Regan Duceman
Published: Oct. 22, 2026
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - "OneHeart helps people get back on track with housing, jobs and stability, but leaders say they’ve noticed a disparity in who is seeking help.
"OneHeart says Native Americans make up about 64% of the people accessing its services, despite making up roughly 8% of Rapid City’s population.
"Chadwick Ratigan, chief of operations and programming at OneHeart, said, 'Now a statistic can tell us who walks through this door, but it can’t tell us the story as to what brought them here.'
"Ratigan says there is no single explanation, but the gap should push the community to ask why.
"Ratigan said, 'You know, I think the statistic by itself is there’s no one answer, right? There’s no easy answer. And the whole point of sharing that post, originally on my LinkedIn and then on our Facebook, organizational Facebook, was just to start a conversation and bring awareness to it.'
"Ratigan says historical trauma, education, poverty and access to care all play a role, and culture has to be part of the solution.
"Ratigan said, 'Especially with younger generations, that does that culture look like? That’s what they care about. So it’s important to consider that whenever you’re shaping an organization and its culture on its own. And so I think it’s helped move things forward in a progressive way.'
"He says many guests face transportation, education and childcare barriers.
"Ratigan said, 'So we provide a safe environment where they feel that they can concentrate on their future.'
"Ratigan says understanding each other’s cultures is key to breaking down barriers, from attending events like the #BlackHillsPowwow to simply asking questions without fear.
"Ratigan said, 'I think the understanding of not just Native American culture, but also other cultures, it helps break down those barriers of understanding.'
"Ratigan says the goal is long-term stability for families and honest conversation without finger-pointing about how to get there."
Source:
https://www.kotatv.com/2026/10/22/oneheart-leaders-call-cultural-awareness-honest-dialogue-address-local-aid-disparities/
#USPol #YouthHomelessness #NativeAmericans #SafeHousing #CulturalAwareness #SouthDakota #Unhoused #Homeless #NativeAmericanHomelessness