Aug. 30, 2024

Giving Back recognizes businesses and organizations that are helping our communities. Here’s a look at who gave back for August.

Avera Foundation

The Avera Foundation has set an annual fundraising record in fiscal 2024 of more than $53 million. In the past year, 20,848 benefactors provided 31,099 gifts to support the Avera health care system’s patients, their loved ones, staff, facilities and programs.

The 437 Project

On Sept. 19, a dozen runners will begin their 437-mile, relay-style journey across South Dakota to raise awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention. Presented by Avera, The 437 Project supports the Helpline Center. The runners will be welcomed at the end of their journey with an event from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Levitt Shell in downtown Sioux Falls. Donations can be made at the437project.org.

Pizzashop

Pizzashop will donate 100 percent of sales and tips to the 343rd Recruiting Squadron Booster Club from its third annual fundraiser in commemoration of the 9/11 attacks. The restaurant at 4104 W. 41st St. will serve slices of breakfast pizza from 8 to 11 a.m. Sept. 15 for the fundraiser. Employees who will be working then are donating their time.

RSA

Team members at RSA picked up trash around the architecture and design firm’s parking lot along West 57th Street and along nearby roads as part of the most recent Operation RSA event. The quarterly event engages the staff in team-building exercises while participating in a variety of volunteer opportunities in the community.

SiouxperCon/South Dakota Humanities Council

Children 10 and younger will receive a free graphic novel, “Poiko: Quests and Stuff,” at Dakota News Now’s Siouxper Family Fun Day on Sept. 29 at SiouxperCon. The giveaway of 800 copies is thanks to a grant from the South Dakota Humanities Council. Author Brian Middleton will be available that day to sign books and interact with fans. SiouxperCon will be Sept. 27-29 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center and Arena. Make-A-Wish of South Dakota and Montana will receive this year’s profits from the convention.

Ty Eschenbaum Foundation

The Ty Eschenbaum Foundation has donated $10,000 to Helping Kids Round First, a nonprofit based in Flandreau that is committed to improving the lives of people in Nicaragua through sustainable projects in sports, farming, education and health care. Part of the donation will be used to remodel a day care, build a library and buy school supplies. It also will go to the remodeling of a church, construction of a chapel and scholarships to support five students with English language tuition for a year.