About Sotera Youth & Family Services

Founded in 2021, Sotera Youth & Family Services was born from a family’s shared vision to strengthen and support children and families in Central South Dakota. After more than 25 years as a foster parent, Laura Clark saw firsthand the challenges families face within the foster care system. Together with her daughter Katie Big Eagle and son Kody Clark, she set out to create a community-based organization dedicated to meeting those needs — and Sotera was born.

The name Sotera is inspired by Soteria — a Greek word meaning safety, deliverance, and preservation from harm. This ideal reflects our mission: to provide safety, support, and hope for children and families impacted by abuse, neglect, and hardship.

Rooted in the “Stronger Families Together” initiative, Sotera believes that families supporting families is a shared value in South Dakota. Our mission is to provide a safe and welcoming community center where families can connect with local professionals, access essential resources, and find the encouragement needed to thrive.

Our vision is a community where every child grows up in a loving, stable home and every family receives the support they need to succeed.

What We Do

• Provide safe, supervised visits and exchanges for children to connect with family.

• Offer training, education, and support for foster, kinship, and adoptive parents.

• Increase community awareness and engagement in the foster care system.

• Support children through school supplies and extracurricular activities.

• Maintain a Foster Closet and lending program with essentials such as cribs, clothing, and baby supplies.

Together, we’re helping to strengthen family connections, and build brighter futures for South Dakota’s kids.