Bread for the World-SD is asking for help in asking Gov. Rhoden and the Department of Social Services (DSS) to restore cruel, short-sighted 10% cuts to TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).
Contrary to the South Dakota Legislature's intent and the governor's budget, DSS Secretary Althoff engineered a 10$ cut to the already meager TANF payments, a cut that began on Sept. 1, 2025. This 10% cut is not from Congress, nor the South Dakota Legislature, nor the governor's budget. It was approved only by the Rules Review Committee (4-2 vote in July).
This is, according to Bread for the World-SD, a rogue cut. Congress and the administration did not touch TANF, perhaps because it is so restrictive already. Other states are not cutting TANF. Some states are working to raise TANF payments to a more livable level. South Dakota has never cut TANF; even during across-the-board cuts in the Daugaard administration, TANF children's payments were shielded from those cuts.
TANF payments should be raised, not cut. The purpose of TANF is to provide cash for children to get them through times of extreme hardship so that they can be cared for in their own home or in the home of relatives. In South Dakota, the average TANF payment was $518 per month to pay rent, utilities, clothing transportation and all other essentials. Starting Sept. 1, 2025, the cut takes away an average of $52 per month. The majority of TANF cases are children cared for by non-parent relatives ($389 for one child, $456 for two) plus SNAP.
Cutting payments down to 28.4% of the poverty level or lower is short-sighted and unacceptable. Before the 10% cut, South Dakota's payments average only $515 per month (as of July 2025) to be used to pay rent, electric bills, gas or propane bills, car fuel and repairs, phone, clothing, diapers, internet, laundry, toilet paper, etc., and even food when SNAP runs out. These children need an increase, not a cut.
The caregivers for these children deserve our support. The many non-parent relatives caring for children save the state the greater expense of foster care, including institution costs. In cases with parents, unpaid work for 20 to 30 hours per week is required.
There is no need to cut these payments. The TANF budget was not cut. Some state funds were replaced with available federal funds. The shift did not require cutting the children's payments. The TANF budget still has about double the amount of the payments.
Bread for the World is asking that people contact Gov. Rhoden or the members of the Rules Review Committee:
Gov. Rhoden (State Capitol, Pierre SD 57501, 605-773-3212, https://governor.sd.gov/o>ice/contact.aspx )
SD’s Appropriations Committee: Senators: John.Carley@sdlegislature.gov, RedDawn.Foster@sdlegislature.gov, TaJy.Howard@sdlegislature.gov,
Mark.Lapka@sdlegislature.gov, Paul.Miskimins@sdlegislature.gov, Ernie.Otten@sdlegislature.gov, Glen.Vilhauer@sdlegislature.gov,
Mykala.Voita@sdlegislature.gov, Larry.Zikmund@sdlegislature.gov, and Representatives: Mike.Derby@sdlegislature.gov, Terri.Jorgenson@sdlegislature.gov,
Chris.Kassin@sdlegislature.gov, Liz.May@sdlegislature.gov, Scott.Moore@sdlegislature.gov, Erik.Muckey@sdlegislature.gov,
Al.Novstrup@sdlegislature.gov, John.Sjaarda@sdlegislature.gov, Jack.Kolbeck@sdlegislature.gov,
Bread for the World-SD also suggests the following actions:
• In 1992, a strip of 13,000 paper dolls was wrapped around the State Capitol building to call attention to the need for inflation adjustment. Each doll represented one South Dakota child in AFCD (Aid to Families with Dependent Children, now called TANF). For several years after that, the children received inflation adjustments. Ever since block grants began, the program is much more restrictive Only 4,309 children benefit (as of June 2025). Bread for the World-SD hopes to reach the heart and mind of Gov. Rhoden to restore the payments and add inflation adjustments.
On a 5-doll strip or on a whole page, color or add detail to the paper dolls as you wish. Put your name on the back. For children, please use their first name only. A personal message is optional.
By October 1, mail the paper dolls to Bread for the World-SD, P.O. Box 143, Sioux Falls, SD, 57101.
If you can be part of the group that will hand-deliver the paper dolls to the Governor in Pierre in early October (date TBD), please let Cathy Brechtelsbauer of Bread for the World-SD know at BreadSD@gmail.com.
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