Ah, yes, Capitalism.
Most of the places in Sioux Falls that help people find work after incarceration are run by churches or Christian ministries. Which means some of that help has Bible study, chapel, or a discipleship program attached to it.
For some people that is fine and dandy. For others it is a dealbreaker. And we’d rather find out which is which before standing in the lobby feeling awkward.
For each place below, we have said what we could confirm and what we could not. Feel free to email us if you have updates or something you want to add.
First, an ID
Earn your way to an ID
Almost nothing else on this page works without ID, so if that is what is stopping you, start here.
Center of Hope trades community service hours for a state ID, a birth certificate, a bicycle, or work boots. Not money, just goods and services.
Buuut, they are a Christian ministry and run Bible studies on site. We could not confirm whether any of that is expected of you to get the ID.
1905 E 8th St at the Empower Campus, 605-334-9789, weekdays 9am to 5pm. Walk in. centerofhopesf.org
If you just got out
The felon-friendly employment list
Center of Hope keeps a list of employers who hire people with records, and it names which kinds of convictions each one will and will not consider. There is a matching landlord list. Both name application fees and deposit amounts, and they say they update them every three months.
Free, and open to anyone. Walk in and ask, or start online.
Buuut, Health Connect’s website still lists their old address, so go to 8th Street.
Same address and phone as above. centerofhopesf.org
The Federal Bonding Program
Almost nobody knows this exists.
If an employer says they cannot hire you because of your record, the state will bond you for free: a $5,000 fidelity bond covering them against theft or fraud for your first six months, no deductible, no cost to you or to them.
Buuut, you need a job offer with a start date first, so it is a closing tool, not a searching tool.
Call 605-995-8065 and ask about federal bonding. It rings the state office in Pierre, not a local number. dlr.sd.gov
Glory House
Job readiness training, an employment coordinator, and case management that includes help getting an ID, clothing, and medications.
Buuut, their residential program requires a referral and agreement to treatment, and we could not find out whether the employment help is open to people who are not residents or court-referred.
4000 S West Ave, 605-332-3273. glory-house.org
Union Gospel Mission
Shelter, meals, showers and clothing are the front door. The job help sits inside a Discipleship Program with nightly chapel and Bible curriculum, and people get put on training waitlists.
Buuut, we are listing it because it is real help that exists, and flagging the structure because it is not optional-looking.
605-334-6732. ugmsiouxfalls.com
If you need money this week
Never pay a staffing agency to get work. South Dakota does not license employment or staffing agencies at all, so there is no state office to complain to if one starts charging workers. Stay safe, and ask questions.
PeopleReady
You need ID that satisfies an I-9, no resume required. Pay by direct deposit, check, or a paycard, so no bank account needed.
Their corporate site says many jobs are eligible for next-day pay. We could not confirm same-day for the Sioux Falls branch.
Buuut, work is handed out through a phone app, which is a real problem if you do not have a smartphone.
1109 E 14th St, 605-330-9244, weekdays 8am to 4pm. peopleready.com
LaborMax
Daily and weekly pay options. They state plainly that their services are free to job seekers.
Buuut, they use E-Verify. That is the federal system employers use to check a new hire’s paperwork against Homeland Security and Social Security records. If you are not authorized to work it is a hard stop, and the check itself creates a record with Homeland Security.
707 S Minnesota Ave, 605-906-8285. labormax.net
If you need a computer, a resume, or someone to look with you
Goodwill Job Center
Free, walk in. Computers, internet, printing, free local faxing, resume and cover letter help, interview prep, basic computer classes in English and Spanish, and hiring events on site.
They also run a paid work experience program of six to twelve weeks.
Buuut, their own page says mornings only, 9am to noon, while the state directory says Monday to Thursday 9 to 5. Call before you go.
3401 S Duluth Ave, second floor, 605-357-6171. For the work experience program, ask for the Work Services Director at 605-357-6145. goodwillgreatplains.org
State Job Service office
Career counseling, resume help, job matching, computers, free workshops, and hiring events. Interpretation available.
Buuut, their own page says you need an appointment and that walk-ins can come in to schedule one, while the state directory says walk-ins are welcome. Call first so you do not cross town for nothing.
1501 S Highline Ave, Suite 1D. The number is 605-773-3372, which rings Pierre, not Sioux Falls. dlr.sd.gov
If you want training or a certificate
WIOA money through the Job Service office
This is the realistic no-debt route to a certificate. A criminal record does not disqualify you; people leaving incarceration are a stated priority.
Two things stop people: you must show I-9 work authorization documents, re-verified every three months if your status is temporary, and men must be registered for Selective Service.
Most people get in through a referral from corrections, vocational rehab, or SNAP and TANF eligibility. Same office and number as above. dlr.sd.gov
Southeast Tech, Hovland Learning Center
Free GED prep, English classes, and basic skills.
Two published requirements worth knowing: you need a Social Security card or comparable documentation to enroll, and they require six hours of attendance a week, which is hard on an irregular shift.
2320 N Career Ave, 605-367-7997, Monday to Thursday 8am to 4:30pm. Call to schedule an orientation. southeasttech.edu
Build Dakota
It is a full ride at South Dakota technical colleges: tuition, fees, books and tools.
Buuut, you must be a US citizen or national, complete a FAFSA, and not be in default on federal student loans.
And it carries a three-year commitment to work in South Dakota in that field, and if you are industry-sponsored and lose the sponsorship, the scholarship converts into a loan you have to pay back.
The 2026-27 application closed March 31, 2026. Next cycle is 2027-28. builddakotascholarships.com
If you are new to the country
LSS Center for New Americans
Job placement, skills assessment, resume and interview help, plus English classes, citizenship prep, and training in GED, driver’s permit, computers, childcare, and CNA and nursing.
Interpreters in about 40 languages.
Core resettlement services are for refugees and asylees within five years of arrival; English classes, interpreting, and immigration counseling are open to any immigrant.
Buuut, documentation of immigration status is required. Immigration and interpreter services carry fees they do not publish.
And another thing to know before you go. The City of Sioux Falls ended all funding for the LSS Multi-Cultural Center on January 1, 2026, after 28 years. That center ran workforce development, job placement and interpreter services. LSS said at the time that the cut was a blow the program could not absorb. We could not find out which programs are still running. Call before you go.
300 E 6th St, 605-731-2000, or text 605-403-7813. lsssd.org