About us...

The Dell Rapids Community Haven exists because no child should have to be home alone.

Haven began as an after-school program in 1997 and was located in the United Methodist Church. As the program grew, a larger site was needed to accommodate the increase in the number of children. In 2001, Haven began its collaboration with the Dell Rapids Public and Dell Rapids St. Mary’s Schools. This collaboration brought about the 2002 Summer Program, the start of the Before-School Program for the 2002-2003 School Year, and the continuation of the After-School Program. A partnership with the City of Dell Rapids in 2002 began the Summer Recreation Program and Friday Field Trips.

Vision

It is the vision of the Dell Rapids Community Haven to be the out-of-school time care provider of choice in the Dell Rapids community, delivering high quality child care and enrichment for children while demonstrating strong leadership and fiscal accountability to its community partners, contributors, and families. Haven provides a safe, flexible, fun, creative, educational and enriching place for children, growing and changing to meet the changing needs of families calling Dell Rapids their home.

Objectives

• To provide a safe, supervised, and positive environment for students in the Dell Rapids school district during out-of-school time hours.
• To provide for children’s basic physical needs, such as food and shelter, and their need for physical release, with involvement in supervised games.
• To provide for children’s emotional needs, by providing a safe haven during the hours they are away from their parents and outside the protective environment of the schools.
• To provide for children’s intellectual needs by providing tutor services, computer access, and a variety of stimulating cultural and recreational programs.