‘Business is a Force for Good’ Lippert partnership with St. Francis House brings workers

The St. Francis House in Sioux Falls and Lippert Components in Brandon have a partnership that many may not know about as the truck accessory manufacturer hums along each day.

But the partnership has been a big success, for Lippert, the St. Francis House, and for the guests living there.

Formed in 1987, the St. Francis House’s mission is “Moving people from homelessness to hope.” It is a transitional living facility, meaning guests need to stay a minimum of 60 days, up to a year, sometimes longer. One of the core requirements, besides staying drug- and alcohol-free, is that guests are required to work.

Enter Lippert, who welcomes guests from St. Francis House as employees every morning at 6 a.m. As part of St. Francis House’s Healing Home Campus, guests find work throughout the metro area. 

“We’re trying to assist our guests in finding more trade-type employment instead of just a job,” St. Francis House CEO Julie Becker said of their desire to partner with businesses like Lippert.  

Becker said staff from Lippert hold interviews at St. Francis House before making a hire.

Once they’re hired, it’s an early day for the guests at St. Francis House as they’re transported to Brandon each morning. Becker said they’re transporting as many as a dozen guests per day.

“The really cool part is some of our guests have worked there for up to two years and they no longer need the transportation because they’ve saved up enough money, paid off their debt and they have purchased their own vehicles,” she said.

Becker said she takes pride in Lippert’s approach to the program. There’s signage inside Lippert welcoming the guests/employees, from St. Francis House.

“They just embrace our guests and treat them just like every other employee that walks through the door,” Becker said. “There’s no judgement, there’s no ‘Oh you’re homeless’ or ‘You’ve been in the prison system,’ or anything like that. They just treat them like they are an average person just walking in the door and applying for a job.”

Tyler Blotske of Lippert agreed, and said the workers from St. Francis House are versatile and do the work, no matter what’s asked of them from power coating, to welding, to assembling, to fabricating.

Our motto is ‘Business is a Force for Good,’” Blotske said. “So, it kind of fits in well with us and our culture. We’ve been doing it for so long now, it’s just the norm. When a team member shows up, it’s: ‘Here’s what you gotta do to move up and better yourself.’”

The St. Francis House has recently formed a partnership with Schulte Subaru in Sioux Falls. Along with transporting guests to Brandon every day, the St. Francis House has a similar program with Harvard Integrations in Tea. 

The partnership with Subaru has allowed the St. Francis House to maintain its 15-seat passenger van. 

“They helped us find a vehicle, and they help cover the costs of the operation and maintaining the vehicle so that we can transport workers,” Becker said. “They (Lippert and Harvard) need employees and our guests need jobs. It’s a great way to problem-solve since many of our guests don’t have a vehicle of their own or don’t have a driver’s license.”