New ICAP facility will address housing and food needs

REDLG award, facilitated by Heartland, will support The Summit on Van Eps, expanding affordable housing and nutrition services

Food insecurity is a growing concern in rural communities, where limited access to affordable, nutritious food can leave vulnerable seniors isolated and without reliable meal options.

Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership (ICAP) has been helping address that need through its 60’s Plus Dining Program since 1973.

The program provides congregate and home-delivered meals to older adults as well as families and individuals in need, offering not only nutritious food but also opportunities for connection and companionship.

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted that model, ICAP found a new way to keep meals moving. The organization developed a frozen meal program to ensure people could continue receiving nutritious food safely and consistently.

What began as a response to an immediate need has become a cornerstone of ICAP’s nutrition strategy. In 2024, ICAP delivered more than 92,000 frozen meals across rural South Dakota.

Now, ICAP is building the infrastructure to expand that work and serve even more people in need.

A new chapter

ICAP is a community-based nonprofit serving primarily low-income families and senior citizens in a 14-county area of East Central South Dakota.

With current kitchen space limited and a long-vacant lot available for development, the idea for The Summit at Van Eps began to take shape.

The project will combine 28 apartment units with a 2,000 square-foot commercial kitchen and gathering space.

The Summit will provide affordable housing while giving ICAP the capacity to expand services that help people remain healthy, independent and connected to their communities.

The new commercial kitchen will serve as a central production hub for ICAP’s frozen meal program.

With modern equipment and increased capacity, ICAP will be able to produce more meals, add specialized dietary options, and expand its reach into rural areas where access to nutritious food is limited.

Mixed-use investment in community

Beyond the commercial kitchen, The Summit will offer a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, providing a range of economical options in the heart of Madison.

The apartments are being developed through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, which supports the development of low-cost rental housing for families meeting program income requirements. Rents are structured to remain affordable for eligible residents.

On its ground floor will be a welcoming space for meals, small gatherings and other community activities.

The Summit’s location also puts residents close to downtown Madison, minutes from nearby businesses, services and commuinity resources. With its Head Start center next door and the ICAP headquarters just steps away, the complex is part of a larger network that supports local families and individuals.

The connection between housing and services is an important part of what makes The Summit a mixed-use community investment. The project brings together resources in a way that can help people build more stable, connected lives.

Partnerships make project possible

The Summit is being funded through a combination of public, private and nonprofit resources, with partners bringing different tools and expertise to the project.

As part of that effort, Heartland Energy helped secure nearly $900,000 through USDA’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) Program. Heartland facilitated the application, connecting ICAP with financing that will help make the new facility possible.

Through the REDLG program, USDA provides zero-interest loans and grants to local utilities, which then pass the funds directly to eligible local projects.

“Communities throughout South Dakota rely on ICAP for its food programs,” said Heartland Energy Director of Economic Development Brooke Rollag. “This expansion is critical to continuing that work and reaching even more people who rely on these services.”

Building for the future

The Summit reflects the kind of community development that happens when organizations look beyond a single project and consider what a community will need in the years ahead.

Construction is now underway, with ICAP continuing to produce frozen meals from its Watertown kitchen until the Madison facility is complete.

At the center of it all is something simple: giving people access to the food, housing and human connection they need to live well.