Bringing Philanthropy to Life

Philanthropy has a lasting impact on many lives throughout South Dakota. The South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) works to simplify philanthropy and help charitable donations do more good within our state. One way we do this is by partnering with professional advisors who comprise our Key Club.  SDCF President & CEO Stephanie Judson recently joined Key Club member Patrick Goetzinger for a...

Fostering meaningful development starts with setting a strong foundation, which is what Build Dakota is dedicated to establishing. Build Dakota is a unique scholarship program encouraging and supporting skilled scholars to enter high-demand programs at South Dakota technical colleges.  Deni Martin, Program Manager for Build Dakota, joined Jamie Farmen, South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) Comm...

DeMaris Nesheim counts her blessings, and at the top of her list are the examples her parents set for her while growing up on a ranch near the community of Philip, South Dakota. DeMaris sat down with Beth Massa, South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) Director for Foundation Relations, to discuss how her life experiences have shaped how she serves others.  They also discuss DeMaris’ passionate pa...

Community involvement and philanthropic giving cultivate a legacy that lasts for generations. Jim and Dianne Gropper, South Dakota natives living in Huron, South Dakota, are soaking up the joys of experiencing the impact of their legacy now while they are living. Jim and Dianne partnered with South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) to establish the Gropper Clement Legacy Fund–a scholarship fund s...

A thriving community relies on members to work together to create a brighter tomorrow. Luckily for Gregory, SD, giving back to his hometown is woven into Elmer Karl’s DNA. His family name has become a household name in South Dakota through his business, Karl’s TV Audio, Appliance, and Furniture. Elmer has appeared in commercials promoting the business for more than 50 years, so many South Dakotans...

The South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) is proud to partner with the Bush Foundation to offer the Bush Prize: South Dakota – an award that celebrates organizations highly valued within their communities that have a track record of successful community problem solving. SDCF was honored to award the 2023 Bush Prize: South Dakota to two amazing South Dakota nonprofits. Black Hills Special Servic...

A flourishing community relies on a strong foundation. A strong foundation of growth, commitment, and collaboration. This cannot become a reality without strong leadership. The development of homegrown leaders is at the heart of the mission of Leadership South Dakota. Jeff Veltkamp, Director of Development for the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF), joined John Meyer, the new Executive Direc...

Safe Harbor is a domestic violence shelter for seven counties near Aberdeen in northeastern South Dakota. It began in 1977 as a volunteer phone service providing information to women and people in crisis. They soon realized that they had to do more than just offer information; they wanted to offer hope.   Today, Safe Harbor serves adults and children by providing food and shelter, but they also em...

In his lifetime, Gene Abdallah (1936-2019) dedicated himself through and through to community service. For nearly 50 years, Gene served the public in multiple branches of government and nearly all branches of law enforcement, from the federal level to a state and local level. Today, Gene’s dedication to giving back and honoring his community continues on even after his passing.  In 2019, The Gene...

Lost&Found, based out of Sioux Falls, is a nonprofit organization focused on facilitating proactive, data-driven, public health approaches to suicide prevention for young adults ages 15-34. What started as a student project in 2010 has grown into an extensive organization with a decade of outreach, advocacy, and mental health referral programs in South Dakota through college campus partnership...

Hani Shafai has worked tirelessly to transform industries and provide sustainable employment and housing in the Black Hills for nearly 40 years. Hani first arrived in South Dakota at the age of 19, seeking a safe education out of harm’s way. He found himself far from his war-torn home in the Gaza Strip in Palestine when he arrived in Rapid City.  Hani recently joined South Dakota Community Foundat...

In 1999, the South Dakota Nurses Association established a charitable foundation branch, the South Dakota Nurses Foundation (SDNF), to offer financial support to RNs and the work of nurses throughout the state. The SDNF offered its first scholarship in 2005 and has offered over $50,000 dollars in scholarships since then. The foundation has partnered with the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF...

The Haakon School District is dedicated to assisting in the development of each student's optimum potential with education programs focused on providing opportunities for students pursuing knowledge based in all fields of learning. They recognize the need for educational programs that are sensitive to the concepts of a changing world. Britni Ross serves as the Business Manager for the Haakon S...

Jim and Vicki Lust of Aberdeen have partnered with the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) to facilitate their charitable giving since 2012. They began down their path of philanthropy with the Jim and Vicki Lust First Foundation, a designated fund set up to support the St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Aberdeen. More recently, they established a second fund–this time going with a Donor Advis...

The Miller Area Foundation (MAF) is one of 84 community savings accounts housed at the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF). The individuals involved with the MAF are passionate about facilitating the opportunity for economic development, human services, educational, cultural, and environmental enhancement for generations to come. Simply put, the organization is working to see Miller, SD thriv...

Call to Freedom (CTF) is a nonprofit organization based in Sioux Falls, SD that brings wholeness to all individuals impacted by sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and commercial sexual exploitation. CTF facilitates a healing path through its continuum of care model. Becky Rasmussen, CTF’s Executive Director, joined South Dakota Community Foundation's (SDCF) Director of Development Jeff Veltkamp t...

Dr. Charles and Kathie Hart have given back to South Dakota in more ways than one, and their devotion to continue giving back isn’t stopping any time soon. Both of the Harts have had lasting careers in health care. Dr. Hart spent 14 years practicing Family Practice and Emergency Medicine before he transitioned to CEO at Regional Health (currently Monument Health) in Rapid City, SD. Kathie is a reg...

The South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) was created as a public, nonprofit corporation on November 11, 1987, driven by the imagination of former Governor George S. Mickelson. He believed that the state of South Dakota needed an organization that would promote statewide donations and provide financial assistance to nonprofits. Jeff Veltkamp, SDCF’s Director of Development, recently sat down wi...

The Aberdeen YMCA has strong roots in South Dakota and has been present in the area for over 100 years. Their commitment to community remains as strong today as it did in 1921. South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) Community Development Coordinator, Pat Gallagher, recently joined the Aberdeen Y’s CEO, Mike Quast, to discuss the impact the organization makes in Aberdeen. In this episode you will...

The Helpline Center (THC) began serving South Dakota in 1974, and through the years the agency has grown to become a 24-hour/7-days-a-week service. It is the first location west of the Mississippi River to begin 2-1-1 services and is available to the entire state of South Dakota. As an organization, THC serves thousands of people yearly by connecting individuals to resources and support, connectin...

First Dakota Bank, the first banking institution in the Dakota Territory, began operations in 1872. 150 years later, First Dakota wanted to celebrate a century and a half in business by giving back to the communities of South Dakota. Rob Ness, Chief Financial Officer, and Dan Statema, Director of Corporate Image & Development of First Dakota, joined Jeff Veltkamp of the South Dakota Community...

Though the WINGS Foundation is just over a year old, its mission has roots nearly a century deep in the Huron South Dakota community. WINGS–which stands for Women In Network Growing Stronger–was born from the ashes of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). Dawn Mutchelknaus, board chair of WINGS, joined Jamie Farmen of the South Dakota Community Foundation to talk about the evolution of t...

Kurt Solay, an attorney of over 30 years and a South Dakota Community Foundation key club member, recently joined Beth Massa, host, and Director for Foundation Relations for a conversation on estate planning. Kurt, who has spent his whole career focused on estate planning and business law, shares information and experiences of helping his clients fulfill their charitable goals.  In this episo...

Chad Locken, an attorney in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and native to the neighboring community of Groton, has a strong connection to his small-town roots. In his practice, Chad specializes in estate planning, wills, and business law. Chad is a strong advocate for charitable giving, and he feels that it is an important option to share with clients of any age when estate planning. In this episode you w...

The Madison Central School Educational Foundation (MCSEF)–based in Madison, South Dakota, became a 501(c)(3) organization, offering scholarships to students and grants to teachers for professional development. These grants gave teachers the ability to innovate their classrooms with funds for equipment, subscriptions, and field trips that exceed the school’s budget. Renae Prostrollo, Executive Dire...