Sept. 30, 2024

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

The 437 Project

The 437 Project runners presented a check to the Helpline Center for more than $315,700 after completing their 437-mile relay run across South Dakota that took them four days earlier this month. Along the route, The 437 Project team held events in Rapid City, Pierre, Mitchell and Sioux Falls to share their stories, raise awareness and offer mental health resources. With this donation, The 437 Project has raised over $650,000 for the Helpline Center since the project began three years ago.

Baking up a Storm

Baking up a Storm at Lake Lorraine has started to donate its end-of-the-week leftovers every Saturday to help feed families staying at Ronald McDonald House Charities in Sioux Falls.

Children’s Home Society

More than $464,000 was raised for Children’s Home Society with the support of businesses and individuals across the state as part of Caring for the Kids events, including a banquet and golf tournament. That included a $50,000 gift from an anonymous donor in recognition of longtime advocate and emeritus board member Linda Mickelson Graham, who was honored with a tribute video at the banquet. The celebration also included a car raffle for a 2023 Subaru Solterra Limited that was donated by Schulte Subaru. 

First Interstate Bank

Employees at First Interstate Bank celebrated the bank’s seventh annual Volunteer Day on Sept. 11. Branches closed at noon to enable the bank’s 3,400 employees across its footprint to spend the remainder of their workday volunteering for a local nonprofit. Here are the organizations that were helped in the Sioux Falls area:

• City of Dell Rapids, picked up trash on the bike trail and in the park and worked on other beautification tasks.
• Feeding South Dakota, repainted lines in warehouse and helped sort and package food.

• The  Foster Network, switched clothing from summer to fall, built shelves to hold mattresses for cribs, and built frames for beds.
• Furniture Mission, helped with deliveries.
• The Good Earth Farm Animal Sanctuary near Lennox, painted a barn and extended animal pens.
• Great Plains Zoo, stained fences and helped with cleanup.

• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls, helped build home foundation and helped at the ReStore.
• Hartford United Methodist Church, helped reset the thrift store.
• Helping Hand Assisted Living in Brandon, played bingo with residents.
• Helpline Center, made tie blankets and knitted.

• LifeScape, helped with a firefighter appreciation effort.
• Lunch Is Served, packed lunches.
• McCrossan Boys Ranch, sorted donations.
• Midwest Honor Flight of Iowa and South Dakota, helped prepare for a veterans trip to Washington, D.C.
• Siouxland Libraries Brandon branch, helped with cleaning.
• St. Francis House, packed lunches and cleaned.
• South Dakota Department of Transportation, cleaned up highway trash in the Sioux Falls area.
• Union Gospel Mission, helped with projects.

McNally’s Irish Pub

McNally’s Irish Pub is hosting a Pups & Pints fundraiser Friday, Oct. 4, for the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society. Bring your dog to hang out on the patio from 3 to 6 p.m. Bring pet food to donate to the shelter — find details here — and your dog will receive a free treat. Owners will enjoy $2 off pints, seltzers, wine and well liquor.

Security National Bank of South Dakota

Together with the community, Security National Bank of South Dakota folded almost 500 origami cranes and swans at the Washington Pavilion Sidewalk Arts Festival. The bank team delivered the cranes and swans to be displayed at the Children’s Home Shelter for Family Safety here and at the new Children’s Home Society campus in the Black Hills.