The Link logo.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — Smithfield Foods is providing a $400,000 gift to The Link, the community triage center.
The facility, which will be located in downtown Sioux Falls, will offer assistance and serve as a first point of contact for individuals seeking mental health care or addiction counseling. The Link is a partnership of the City of Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, Avera Health, and Sanford Health.
“Each day brings us closer to the opening of The Link and being able to connect community members to critical mental health and addiction services,” said Mayor Paul TenHaken, who serves as Chair of The Link triage center board. “We have great momentum with this initiative thanks to the generosity of strong community partners like Smithfield Foods and the support of our partner organizations. We are extremely grateful for Smithfield’s investment in The Link and its mission to connect people with the resources they need.”
Smithfield’s Sioux Falls facility has been part of the local community for more than 110 years. It is one of the largest pork processing facilities in the country, supplying nearly 130 million servings of food per week. The company employs more than 3,700 individuals in the local community and purchases from more than 550 independent family farmers throughout the area.
“Sioux Falls is such a hard-working, welcoming, and supportive community. The Link stands as testament to that fact, as it will connect individuals suffering from mental health or substance abuse issues to the resources and help that they need,” said Tolcha Mesele, Senior Manager, Community Development at Smithfield Foods. “As a longstanding partner of the Sioux Falls community, Smithfield Foods was humbled to contribute to this vital support network for our neighbors in Sioux Falls.”
Funds from the gift from Smithfield Foods will be used for construction of The Link and its operation. The Link is expected to open in early 2021. Learn more at http://www.LinkSF.org.
(The City of Sioux Falls contributed this report/news release.)
