Dec. 31, 2025

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

MarketBeat

MarketBeat has announced its fourth quarter community giving, directing over $200,000 to support 18 nonprofits and initiatives throughout the Sioux Falls area. This quarter’s funding supported a broad range of local needs, including early childhood education, behavioral health services, food recovery, inclusive recreation and support for individuals with disabilities. A surprise $25,000 donation to Owen’s Outfitters will help expand operations and increase access to critical medical equipment for individuals in need.

Black Hills Federal Credit Union

This year, Black Hills Federal Credit Union identified three areas of focus to guide its $45,000 in donations: classroom wishes, school improvements and lunch debt. The credit union earmarked $11,900 for wish lists, ensuring each teacher had just what they needed in 13 communities, including Sioux Falls. The credit union put $17,500 toward 12 school improvement projects in seven cities, including Sioux Falls. And BHFCU allocated $15,000 to help pay down lunch debt across its footprint. The funding came through corporate contributions, employee fundraisers and donations from members and community supporters to the Black Hills FCU Charitable Fund.

Black Hills Federal Credit Union’s Holiday Gift Drive focused on supporting organizations that would get gifts into the hands of kids and families at the holidays. The credit union matched all donations contributed by employees. Across the credit union’s territory, more than 300 gifts were purchased for children, two families received gifts, four wish lists for children were completed and $9,900 was given to nine organizations.  In Sioux Falls, employees and the credit union purchased gifts that were distributed through the Salvation Army Angel Tree program.

Helping Kids Round First

The 10th annual Helping Kids Round First Dinner in November, which featured a conversation with former NFL quarterback Daunte Culpepper, raised more than $85,000. The funds will be used to purchase food, medical equipment and supplies to send to refugee camps in Chad, Africa.

Hy-Vee

Hundreds of local families received a free ham through Hy-Vee and Hormel’s Hams for the Holidays initiative. Hy-Vee employees and local first responders distributed 300 Hormel Cure 81 hams on Dec. 16 at the grocery store on East 10th Street. Hams for the Holidays delivered a total of 5,000 hams at 20 locations across Hy-Vee’s nine-state region.

ISG

ISG has launched the ISG Impact Fund to amplify the generosity of its employee owners and strengthen the communities where they live and work. The ISG Impact Fund empowers employee owners to take an active role in directing where contribution dollars go. It also encourages giving by matching up to $250 in charitable donations per employee annually. Eligible organizations must align with ISG’s core values of being dynamic, working together, earning respect, responding quickly and being empathetic.

Mary Chilton DAR Foundation

This year, the Mary Chilton DAR Foundation awarded 35 grants totaling over $200,000 to support its goal of encouraging historic preservation, patriotism and education across South Dakota. The foundation’s largest grant, the Dorothy Day Davenport Grant of $50,000, went to Emily’s Hope to support a substance use prevention curriculum in Sioux Falls schools. This year, the DAR Foundation also introduced the America 250 Grant. This program awards matching funds up to $2,500 for an event, project or patriotic program that celebrates the nation’s 250th birthday. So far, six grants totaling over $13,500 have been awarded. More than $36,000 of funds remain, and the next deadline for America 250 Grant applications is Jan. 5. To apply and to learn about other grant deadlines, click here.

Midco

Midco has awarded grants to 89 nonprofits, schools and local government organizations in the communities it serves across a five-state area. The Midco Foundation awarded more than $144,000 during the semiannual round of giving. To see the list of recipients, click here. Applications for the next grant cycle will be accepted from Jan. 5 through March 13 at Midco.com/Foundation.

Pathward

Volunteers from Pathward’s Military Veterans Network Employee Resource Group visited the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System in December to host bingo for veterans and spread holiday cheer. The employee-led ERG is open to all Pathward employees and facilitates opportunities for employees to learn from, honor and support military service members and veterans.

Primrose School of Sioux Falls at Heather Ridge

Preschoolers at Primrose School of Sioux Falls at Heather Ridge donated 208 canned goods to Feeding South Dakota as part of the Caring and Giving Food Drive. Children used their earnings to buy canned goods and pantry staples for their neighbors. Giving back is built into the Primrose Balanced Learning curriculum, teaching children the value of empathy, generosity and community responsibility year-round.

Sammons Financial Group

For Giving Tuesday, Sammons Financial Group Inc. gave 30 nonprofits serving the Sioux Falls area funding totaling $200,000. This year’s selection focused on organizations that employees are passionate about and will meet emerging community needs, including food insecurity.

Sioux Council, Scouting America

Scouting America, Sioux Council distributed popcorn to fire stations in Sioux Falls, Tea and Harrisburg as part of the Hometown Heroes community give back initiative in partnership with Trails End Popcorn. The Hometown Heroes program is funded through contributions made during the annual popcorn sale. Customers were able to purchase popcorn to be donated to local first responders, military personnel and community service providers.

South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation

Applications for the 2026 South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship Program are open. Students enrolled in any post-secondary institution in South Dakota are invited to apply at SDCFScholarships.com. The application deadline is March 15. During the 13th annual Prime Time Gala, set for June 20, scholarships of $5,000, $4,000, $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000 will be awarded to five students.

South Dakota Community Foundation

Fourteen South Dakota nonprofits will receive grants totaling almost $1.2 million from the South Dakota Community Foundation’s Beyond Idea Grant program. Offered in partnership with the Bush Foundation, the BIG program supports community-based problem-solving efforts in South Dakota. Grant recipients are Boys & Girls Club of Rosebud, Catholic Social Services, LifeScape, Emily’s Hope, Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership, Marshall County Healthcare Center, Rapid City Club for Boys, Promising Futures Fund, Solace, South Dakota Bar Foundation, South Dakota News Watch, South Dakota State University, Underdog Foundation and Western South Dakota Community Action.

Has your organization given back to the community? Or do you know an individual who proves one person can make a difference? Email us at jodi@siouxfalls.business.