Our Mission

Families Finding Joy believes childhood illnesses should not be a barrier to joy. We offer families navigating the complexities and isolation of serious childhood illnesses access to the community of our group and to the best our local community has to offer. We host monthly gatherings where parents and children enjoy a free dinner, participate in fun activities, and form friendships with people who truly understand their lives. And we organize free monthly outings that make Sioux Falls activities — from the zoo to the movies to Disney on Ice — safe and accessible for families who might not have been able to enjoy them any other way. Families Finding Joy was modeled after a group that was a haven for our founder’s family and in Rochester, Minnesota where she was pursuing treatment for her son Emmett, and was founded in his honor and memory. 

 Families Finding Joy currently serves 30 families in the greater Sioux Falls area, each navigating their own complex medical journey.

Learn more about Families Finding Joy’s community, operations and fundraising in our Annual Report.