Feb. 11, 2025

This paid piece is sponsored by Sioux Falls Ford Lincoln.

Sioux Falls Ford Lincoln has been honored as one of six dealerships globally by Ford Motor Co. for its exceptional contributions to the community.

Ed Bloom, dealer principal, brought home the Salute to Dealers award recently, honored with two other U.S. dealerships along with locations in Canada, China and Malaysia.

The honorees were chosen because they exemplify the positive impact dealerships can have on the lives of others.

“For 25 years, the Salute to Dealers award has highlighted the incredible work our dealer network does to support the communities they serve,” said Henry Ford III, a member of the company’s board of directors.

“This year’s honorees exemplify the spirit of giving and the positive impact we can have when we work together to build stronger, more vibrant communities. Their dedication inspires us all, and we are proud to recognize their exceptional contributions.”

The Salute to Dealers program, originally established by Edsel B. Ford, has expanded globally since 2011, recognizing 166 dealers from 20 countries over its 25-year history.

This year’s recipients were selected by a panel of judges based on their individual community service activities, duration of involvement and personal motivation.

Each honoree received a custom portrait showcasing their philanthropic endeavors, which also will be displayed at Ford World Headquarters for a year.

Ford recognized Bloom for his “true passion for giving” as reflected in the Sioux Falls Ford vision: To be so effective that we are able to be helpful to others.

“His willingness to reach out and be actively involved in his community is demonstrated through the many causes he supports as he continually cares for others,” according to a statement from Ford.

“Ed Bloom’s engagement is contagious and signals a true passion and concern for helping others.”

Bloom is quick to point out that giving at Sioux Falls Ford is a group effort.

“I’m proud of this award because it represents what the store is doing,” he said. “It’s given to the dealer, but it really is the employees who get it done, and it represents all the hard work we do in the community.”

At Sioux Falls Ford, giving is a year-round, intentional effort. It begins by establishing a plan for philanthropy at the beginning of each year, taking input from a committee of team members to plan for nonprofits to sponsor throughout the year.

Generally every two months, a different community need is lifted up as the dealership supports designated nonprofits. T-shirts are designed to be worn each Friday, helping raise the visibility of the organization being supported.

The current effort, which runs through March 28, supports the Outdoor Campus and the range of indoor-outdoor education and recreation it offers in Sioux Falls.

“We try to keep employees actively engaged,” Bloom said. “In addition to the shirts, which is a nice chance to dress casually, many of the nonprofits we support offer volunteer opportunities, and we bring representatives in to talk with our team and create additional awareness.”

Other nonprofits supported have included South Dakota Salutes, a nonprofit benefiting first responders and veterans throughout the state; Feeding South Dakota; the Veterans Community Project, where team members also volunteered; and Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana.

In addition to the six nonprofits supported through the committee each year, Sioux Falls Ford annually supports the Avera Race Against Cancer, including donating several new Mustangs in support of the event throughout its history; the Sioux Empire United Way, which recognized it as Business of the Year; and Christmas at the Cathedral, which supports the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House.

“We don’t like to tie any of our giving to how many vehicles we sell in a given year,” Bloom said.  “We’re making the commitment upfront, which is something that was inspired by our founder, Randy Nehring, and we hope to encourage other businesses to consider something similar.”

Giving at Sioux Falls Ford also involves efforts that are smaller in scale but just as impactful. Along with sister dealership Luxury Auto Mall, the two brought back “Nice Days” last year, a time when teams of employees are sent out with cash from the dealerships to perform random acts of kindness in the community.

“It might be finding someone at a grocery store who needs help and covering their order, or buying someone a tank of gas or donating dog food,” Bloom said.

Plus, Sioux Falls Ford listens to its customers in making giving decisions. Last year, a social media contest offered the chance to nominate a nonprofit for donations, and the top 10 received $3,000 each.

“Through that, we learned about newer nonprofits in our community,” Bloom said. “Our top vote-getter was a coffee shop that employs people with special needs, and I could see us doing even more to support it down the road because of the value it brings.”

The key has been an intentional approach to giving, he added.

“The more organized we’ve been, the easier it is to get energy behind it and make an impact,” Bloom said. “Through the Salute to Dealers award, we also learned more about giving efforts being made by dealerships worldwide that motivate us with even more ideas for the future.”