A small group of citizens in Mitchell are working to establish a homeless shelter to assist the hundreds of people without a reliable place to stay. The next-closest shelters are an hour's drive away in Sioux Falls.
Mitchell Salvation Army Captain Bill Middendorp said roughly 30 of the clients the Salvation Army served on a regular basis in February were considered homeless.
Amid the pandemic, Kentuckians have shown more interest in local attractions as they stick closer to home, and museums and cultural centers say they re responding to the demand. Local venues are working to increase educational experiences and accessibility. Chris Joslin, executive director of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame Museum in Owensboro, said people have participated in music lessons, concerts and jam sessions, all without having to leave home. .
As small towns struggle to recover from the pandemic, a grant program called Put Your Town on the Map aims to support ideas for revitalization. Even before COVID-19, many rural and small towns were already facing economic difficulties, for instance, young people leaving for the cities. Some towns had not regained unemployment levels from prior to the 2008 recession, and others have limited access to critical infrastructure such as broadband. .