Avera Health

Avera Health will donate $175,000 to Feeding South Dakota over the next three years. The donation will provide 525,000 meals to rural communities through the organization’s Mobile Food Distribution Program.

 The First National Bank in Sioux Falls

The First National Bank in Sioux Falls has presented the Brandon Valley School District with a $15,453 check as part of its Community Card program for schools. When a bank customer uses a Brandon Valley Community Card to make a credit purchase, a portion of that amount is donated to the school system. Brandon Valley was the first school to join the program in 2012, and this distribution brings their total Community Card earnings to $100,000.

The 437 Project

The 437 Project, a relay-style run across South Dakota, raised just over $251,000 for the Helpline Center – the largest financial gift the nonprofit has received. The 437 Project was born of a passion for bolstering both physical and mental wellness and the often overlooked connection between the two. This year’s project began Sept. 21 at South Dakota’s border with Wyoming, and the 12 runners arrived at the Iowa border Sept. 24. Along the route, the team stopped in Rapid City, Pierre, Mitchell and Sioux Falls to share their stories with those communities, offer mental health resources and ask for donations.

ARTisan Skin and Laser Center

On Sept. 11, more than 250 people gathered for ARTisan Skin and Laser Center’s 10th annual client appreciation event. As part of the event, ARTisan promoted a gift card donation drive for the Veterans Community Project, a nonprofit organization that provides housing and walk-in support services for homeless veterans. The group was able to raise over $2,500 in gift cards and 25 free haircuts for veterans.

AT&T

The Dakota State University Foundation received a $27,000 contribution from AT&T to help expand the university’s CybHER program to support more students from South Dakota’s nine tribal nations. The AT&T contribution will allow CybHER to continue enhancing digital literacy for tribal students who have limited or no access to technology because of issues of accessibility, affordability and adoption. CybHER teams will work with Boys & Girls Clubs on tribal nations, bringing technology outreach and digital literacy training.

Children’s Home Society of South Dakota

With support from businesses and individuals across the state and beyond, the 2023 Caring for the Kids Celebration for the Children’s Home Society of South Dakota raised more than $512,000. That included a $50,000 challenge gift from Jim and Nini Hart. The event included a car raffle, with Schute Subaru donating two 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Premiums, a golf classic, wish wall and auction packages.

Norberg Paints, Select Painting

Norberg Paints and Select Painting donated products and services to paint the exterior of the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House. It’s the first new coat of paint since the temporary emergency homeless shelter opened in 2015. The project took 10 painters and 25 gallons of paint.

Xcel Energy

Nearly 2,500 volunteers from Xcel Energy and the communities it serves took action to support nonprofit organizations during the company’s 13th annual Day of Service earlier this month. The volunteers dedicated over 7,200 volunteer hours to support over 100 organizations with projects that ranged from packing meals and repairing homes for families to cleaning up nature trails and planting trees. In Sioux Falls, 14 volunteers packed 1,200 bags of food for Feeding South Dakota’s mobile pantry and 1,400 pounds of scones for Thanksgiving holiday meals. Day of Service, a tradition since 2010, was created as a tribute to the victims, survivors and first responders of 9/11, as well as all those who work to keep communities and the country safe.