Protesters put 4,321 paper dolls on display Tuesday at the South Dakota Capitol in Pierre, representing the number of children affected by the state’s funding reduction for a program benefiting low-income families.

Beth Davis, one of 264 people who helped decorate the paper dolls, put herself through college in the 1980s as a young, single mother raising her daughter with the help of Aid for Dependent Children, a precursor to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families . She completed her degree and led a statewide nonprofit, Dakota Resources, for years.

“I was a good investment, and most of the women who are taking care of these kids and doing the best they can are a good investment,” Davis said.

The Department of Social Services reduced TANF benefits by 10% during the summer, affec

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