Spring 2020 Newsletter

SPRING 2020

WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER

We’re In This Together The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation is closely monitoring the coronavirus pandemic as it continues to impact our community. These are unprecedented times and we are all navigating uncharted waters, but one thing is certain: Philanthropy is needed today, more than ever. As a catalyst for good, we’re committed to helping our community during this challenging time and we invite you to join us in this in this movement to help those in need throughout our area.

Ways You Can Help Learn more about the following efforts and give today at sfacf.org: One Sioux Falls Fund: An emergency fund to help those in the Sioux Falls MSA avoid eviction if they are unable to work due to COVID-19.

Corona Help Sioux Falls Fund: Led by a coalition of local churches, this fund helps provide food and necessities to those impacted by COVID-19.

Support for Local Nonprofits: The coronavirus has impacted every part of our global economy, including the nonprofit sector. Our local nonprofits need your support today more than ever.

G I V E T O D A Y A T S F A C F. O R G

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SIOUX FALLS, SD

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605.336.7055

A MESS AGE FROM TH E P RESI D EN T Dear Friends,

The Community Foundation worked with Mayor Paul TenHaken to establish the One Sioux Falls Fund.

In my family, few things are unanimous.

But one thing that is? My family’s uniform disdain for my favorite movie. Since they love me, they agree to one annual screening for dear ‘ol dad, ANDY PATTERSON however, we barely make it through the opening credits before my wife and kids start wisecracking about how corny my beloved favorite movie is.

I guess it’s a good thing “It’s a Wonderful Life” is only in season at Christmas.

However, as much as they claim to hate it, my family grows more and more quiet as the plight of George Bailey climbs to a climax. Even the most cynical Patterson is affected by the closing scene when nearly every member of the Bedford Falls community parades through the Bailey’s living room to offer what they can to help George. He meant so much to all of them; they weren’t about to let him fail.

Sioux Falls is experiencing its own “It’s a Wonderful Life” moment. As the COVID-19 pandemic began sweeping through our area, closing businesses and schools, upending livelihoods and schedules, and bringing the unexpected structures of social distancing, the Sioux Falls community did not sit idly by. Instead, we did what we do best: we collaborated, pooled our resources, and mobilized for the benefit of our neighbors.

The fund supports employees who have been unexpectedly laid off because of COVID-19 avoid evictions. Within hours of opening the fund, area businesses and individuals began pledging their support in a truly amazing outpouring.

The Empower Church Network also came forward with plans to tackle the challenge of distributing food and hygiene supplies to those in need throughout the city.

The Community Foundation helped the group’s leaders establish the Corona Help Sioux Falls Fund. Once again, you — the community — showed up. More than 300 donors contributed to the fund in just a few days.

The last few weeks have made it clear why that final scene in “It’s a Wonderful Life” quiets down my rowdy family. A community rallying together in hard times is awe-inspiring and gratitude-building. We’re in this together and together we’ll get through it.

But we aren’t through it yet. Many needs are still unmet.

The number of applicants to the One Sioux Falls Fund grows each day. If you would like to support either of these funds, please contact the Community Foundation at 336-7055 or give online at sfacf.org.

Sincerely,

Andy Patterson President

ABOUT THE ARTISTS: In this issue, we’re featuring artwork created by local kids for the “#SFStayAtHomeArt” challenge. Our cover artist is eight-year-old Vincent Madison, a third grader at Holy Spirit School. At left, we’re featuring art by Molly, Jaxon and Ella Peterson. Molly is a kindergartner at St. Mary School, Jaxon is a second-grader at St. Mary School and Ella is in eighth grade at Bishop O’Gorman Junior High.

Thanks for sharing your talents and bringing color and beauty to our community, Vincent, Molly, Jaxon and Ella!

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The Workplace Academy held earlier this year at Sanford USD Medical Center paired tutors with employees on site to help improve everyday literacy skills.

Driving Impact, Changing Lives The Foundation’s Initiative Grant to REACH Literacy’s Workplace Academy program is an investment in workforce development, and so much more. By providing on-site literacy instruction for employees, this transformational program is empowering individuals, strengthening families and building bridges throughout our community.

Working toward its mission to help improve the quality of life for individuals and families throughout our area, the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation regularly awards grants to local nonprofits and causes working to serve those in need.

Often dubbed “charitable capital,” these grants are designed to help nonprofits launch new programs, expand existing initiatives and improve their organizational effectiveness. The grants are made possible thanks to unrestricted gifts to the Foundation’s Community Fund.

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Among the many grants it makes each year, the Initiative Grant is the Foundation’s most significant — it is a $50,000 investment in a program that illustrates the promise and potential to address complex challenges, build bridges, advance equity and drive deep and meaningful social impact throughout our area.

The 2020 Initiative Grant recipient is REACH Literacy for its Workplace Academy program.

Absatou Oumarou (right) works with a Workplace Academy tutor.

Before coming to the U.S., Absatou Oumarou worked as a teacher in the African country of Chad, helping students learn to read, write and develop important competencies.

learning environment, paving the way for career and personal growth while helping to address the city’s workforce development needs.

While the work was rewarding, life in Chad was challenging. Poverty was widespread and the country’s political instability impacted health and social conditions, including access to education.

For Oumarou, who works as an environmental services technician for Sanford Hospital, the program has been a game-changer. The skills she’s learning are not only helping her in her job at Sanford, they’re also helping in her life outside of work.

Wanting a better life for her children, Oumarou made the brave decision to move the U.S. Since arriving in Sioux Falls, she’s found joy in watching her kids adapt to their new home and school while also building their fluency in English.

Being able to better understand written communications and verbal instructions at work is improving her performance on the job. At home, Oumarou can now better communicate with her children, allowing her to be the kind of mom she wants to be.

During her time in the U.S., Oumarou, too, has worked to learn the language. But, learning to speak and read English on her own — while also working full time and raising a family — has been difficult.

“Now I can even text with my daughter,” she said, smiling. “Life is good for me.”

Until now.

Earlier this year, Oumarou received an opportunity to build her literacy skills thanks to a Workplace Academy held at Sanford USD Medical Center.

Developed by REACH Literacy, the Workplace Academy program pairs tutors with working adults on site at their employer to review and enhance everyday literacy skills. In doing so, the program helps employees build work-related communication skills in a supportive

Since REACH launched the Workplace Academy program in 2016, the initiative has provided literacy tutoring to 365 individuals on site at their places of employment. Currently, Sanford Health, Avera and Grand Prairie Foods are all partners in the program, which provides 18-26 hours of small group tutoring during each 9-12 week session. Over the course of a year’s time, participants can receive between 50-70 hours of individualized instruction.

According to Paige Carda, executive director of REACH Literacy, the impact of the program extends far beyond just tutoring.

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The Workplace Academy held earlier this year at Sanford USD Medical Center paired tutors with employees on site to help improve everyday literacy skills.

“If you can get someone to a fourth or fifth grade reading level, that person is reading to learn (rather than learning to read),” Carda said. “For a parent especially, that changes their entire life — and the lives of their family members.

They’re more likely to participate in PAIGE CARDA conferences at their kids’ schools, they’re more likely to try for a better job, to vote, to buy a house. The trajectory for that entire family changes.”

The success of the program, and the multiple ways it drives social impact, are reasons why REACH Literacy’s Workplace Academy program was selected as the recipient of the 2020 Initiative Grant, a $50,000 investment by the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation.

“As our city grows, so does its workforce demands. It’s vital that our community can meet those demands and provide fulfilling job opportunities. That’s why this program is so special — it is employees saying they’re willing to put in the work, it is employers saying you are valued here, and in the end, our entire community wins,” said Patrick Gale, the Foundation’s vice president for community investment. “We’re incredibly thankful to REACH Literacy for creating this opportunity and we’re proud to partner with all the employers who participate in the Workplace Academy program.”

How It Works The mission of REACH Literacy is to provide individualized reading, writing and life skills tutoring to empower 6 | FOR GOOD. FOR EVER.

adults in the Sioux Falls area to reach their potential.

Carda and the REACH team know it’s a big and broad mission, which is why they’ve challenged themselves to think creatively about how to work toward it.

“If you look at the statistics nationwide, one in five English-speaking adults can’t read to their kids. In our area, six percent of adults are classified as ‘low-literate’ — that’s 16,000 people,” Carda said. “The Workplace Academy program was born because we knew oneto-one tutoring could never make a dent in a number like that. But we also knew that group work and group structures can be successful. So we asked ourselves, ‘Can employers be part of the process? Can we meet people where they’re at?’”

Brianna Venekamp, a former teacher, serves as REACH’s curriculum and assessment coordinator, training qualified tutors on the program’s curriculum. Periodic assessments help tutors gauge how well participants are learning.

“This program is successful because it creates a sense of community around participants — when your tutor and your employer are rooting for you, it makes it easier to learn,” Carda said.

The program’s convenience adds to its success, Carda said. At Sanford USD Medical Center, for example, working shifts often run from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. So, the Workplace Academy classes are held from 3:45 to 5 p.m., allowing employees to attend either right after their shift ends, or before it begins.

Olga Perez (left) works with a Workplace Academy tutor.

Addressing Workforce Development In Sioux Falls, “the workforce development need is high,” Carda said. “Employers want skilled employees and they want their employees to stay. This program improves retention, and for employees, it offers more pathways to promotion.”

Tom Malone is the director of environmental services for Sanford USD Medical Center. He oversees 172 full time employees who are responsible for keeping the hospital’s rooms and public areas clean. He sees the impact of the Workplace Academy program first-hand.

“When we were approached about this, we were excited to be able to help our employees at work and in their private lives,” he said, noting he’s witnessed what can happen when an employee’s communication skills grow and improve.

“That growth translates to our organization in happier, more functional employees. It also translates to our employees. It’s easy to see how past graduates of this program can better communicate in their personal lives — with their families, at their kids’ schools and at everyday places like the bank or the grocery store.”

‘A Place You Can Call’ For Carda and the REACH Literacy team, the Initiative Grant is another illustration of the many ways the Foundation supports local nonprofits.

“The Community Foundation truly is a place you can call to share your ideas and talk through problems and challenges. It’s a place that will listen, provide feedback and help build bridges.”

— PAIGE CARDA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REACH LITERACY

“The Community Foundation has been with us since the beginning,” Carda said. “As a nonprofit, the Community Foundation truly is a place you can call to share your ideas and talk through problems and challenges. It’s a place that will listen, provide feedback and help build bridges.”

“I can see the Foundation’s footprint in so many other nonprofits — especially small nonprofits that may not have donors at the ready. The Foundation is willing to go to bat for us (by connecting donors with causes).

We’re just really grateful for their support and partnership,” she said.

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FIS CA L Y E A R - T O-D ATE I M PA C T U P D ATE JULY 1, 2019 – J A N 31 , 2 0 2 0

MORE T HA N

$2 1 M ILLIO N IN G IFT S

Paying it Forward When challenges face our community, Steve and Roxanne Lynch have used their Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation to help.

1, 67 1 GRAN T S T O COMMUN IT Y P RO GR A M S & ORG A N IZAT IO NS

In partnership with our donors, we distributed more than $9.5 MILLION to local nonprofits, making our area a better place to live, work, and play.

ED UC AT I ON

HEA LTH

There’s an old adage Sioux Falls native Steve Lynch has always been fond of. “‘Much is expected from those to whom much has been given,’” he said.

“I’ve been blessed throughout my life, so I want to use my blessings to help others.”

Blessed, indeed. In some ways, Lynch’s life story reads like an adventure novel whose main character defies the odds again and again, overcoming unthinkable challenges and persevering through adversity.

Born three months premature in 1946, doctors didn’t expect Lynch to survive. He weighed just three pounds at birth and his parents already had nine other children to care for at home. The name on his birth certificate read “Unknown Lynch.”

He went on to serve in an infantry unit during the Vietnam War. After returning home, he and his wife, Roxanne, went on to have three children.

H U M AN SER V ICES

ARTS & HUM ANITI ES

COMMU N I TY DEVEL O PME N T

REL I G I O N

Eleven years ago, he was diagnosed with cancer. Doctors told him he had, at best, five years to live. “At that point, I sort of started ‘cramming for my finals,’” he said. “I decided I wanted to be a better person. I started going to mass each day, volunteering more and giving back more.”

Five years ago, Steve and Roxanne made the decision to open a donor advised fund at the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation as a way to streamline their charitable giving and maximize philanthropic tax advantages.

Mary Kolsrud serves as the Community Foundation’s vice president for philanthropy. She said the advantages offered by donor advised funds are

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many, but most significant is that, because donor advised funds are administered by the Foundation, donors receive the full tax benefit when they contribute to the fund.

“For those wanting to optimize tax benefits, or for those who find themselves in a financial windfall, either from the sale of a business, year-end bonus, or other situation, donor advised funds work well because they offer tax advantages and the flexibility to delay decisions on where to direct charitable gifts in order to develop a more strategic and impactful strategy over time,” she said.

Firefighters examine the damage inside Our Lady of Guadalupe Church following the fire in December 2018.

Lynch agreed. “I would recommend the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation to anyone – it’s such a great way to give,” he said. “We started our donor advised fund with a sizable contribution that was advantageous at the time from a tax standpoint. From there, we’ve been able to give to our favorite charities and causes over time when and where it’s made sense.”

Over the last year especially, the Lynches have put their donor advised fund to good use – directing gifts from their fund to help restore a local church following a devastating fire and, most recently, to help provide food and necessities to families impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. *** It was Dec. 19, 2018, when a fire broke out at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in northern Sioux Falls.

Officials said candles on a shrine established for feast day likely sparked the fire, which quickly climbed a wall and stretched into the ceiling. Fire fighters responded quickly, soaking the nearly 90-year-old church with water, ripping apart plaster and dousing insulation to extinguish the fire in record time.

When it was over, the church remained intact, but its sanctuary was badly damaged.

Shortly thereafter, Lynch ran into Father Kristopher James Cowles from Our Lady of Guadalupe.

“I saw Father Cowles at mass one day and told him how bad I felt about the fire,” he said. “I asked if there was anything we could do. He said anything would be appreciated so I called down to the Foundation (to transfer a gift from our fund to the church).”

“Later, we got a letter from Father Cowles thanking us,” Lynch said. “The letter said Our Lady of Guadalupe now considers us a member of their family. That made us feel so good. That’s the joy of giving.”

Last month, as the coronavirus pandemic swept throughout the globe, the Lynches felt called to sup-

port the Corona Help Sioux Falls Fund, an effort organized by a coalition of local churches to provide food and necessities to those impacted by COVID-19.

With social distancing in place, the Lynches were still able to offer their support. From the safety of their home, they used Online Access to transfer a gift from their donor advised fund to the Corona Help Sioux Falls Fund.

“My mom always said, ‘when you kiss a dollar, it doesn’t kiss you back,’” Steve said. “I was the tenth of 11 kids. We lived in a three-bedroom house with a dirtfloor basement. We grew up poor but never knew it because my parents were incredibly giving. They inspired me so much and everything I am today, everything I’ve done, I attribute to them.”

“I’ve always looked at it like this: Everything I have is a gift, so I might as well share it,” Lynch said.

Kolsrud said the Lynches are a great example of how a spirit of care and a commitment to giving back can strengthen our community.

“Steve and Roxanne Lynch are truly a community-minded couple whose generosity knows no ends,” Kolsrud said. “Through the years, their gifts have provided support to vital nonprofits, helped our community in times of crisis, and have enhanced the vibrancy of the area we all call home. We are inspired by their selflessness and we are incredibly grateful for their support.”

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IN FOCUS: COMMUNITY IMPACT

Randell Beck (left) and Jack Marsh serve as co-chairs of the South Dakota News Watch Board of Directors.

‘From Dream, to Reality, to Impact’ Community Foundation Grants Provided ‘Start-Up Charitable Capital’ to Help Launch and Sustain South Dakota News Watch

“Those grants are designed to provide the ‘catalytic capital’ necessary to help the best ideas move from dream, to reality, to impact,” Gale said.

News Watch, he said, is a great example.

The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation announced earlier this year that South Dakota News Watch, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing in-depth public service journalism, has been awarded a third Community Fund grant in support of its newest initiative, Engage South Dakota, an effort designed to illuminate the essential link between journalism and democracy.

In the Foundation’s capacity as a grantmaker, the announcement marks an important milestone.

The grant brings the Community Foundation’s total charitable investment in South Dakota News Watch to $40,000 — an illustration, officials have said, of the Foundation’s commitment to serve a kind of charitable venture capitalist for aspiring nonprofits who exhibit high potential to drive positive change and/or create meaningful social impact.

According to Patrick Gale, vice president for community investment, when the mission of an aspiring nonprofit aligns with community needs and/or the potential to create common good, the Foundation can provide “start-up charitable capital” via grants through its Community Fund Endowment.

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News Watch was still just an idea when veteran journalists Jack Marsh and Randell Beck first came to the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation in 2017 to apply for a Community Fund grant.

Believing in the concept and seeing its potential for widespread social impact, the Community Foundation awarded News Watch an initial $15,000 grant to help the organization officially launch in 2017. Another $15,000 grant in 2018 was awarded to provide support as the organization solidified its infrastructure, strengthened its financials and began to spread its wings.

“To date, News Watch has produced more than 120 investigative news stories, shedding light on important statewide issues across all sectors, from agriculture to education, public safety, politics and more,” Gale said.

“What’s more, many of those stories have prompted action — from policy reviews to increased public awareness and beyond. From our standpoint, this is a charitable investment that is yielding immeasurable returns. We believe the future is bright for South Dakota News Watch and we’re excited to see what’s next for this outstanding organization.”

COMMU NITY F U ND GRANT S The Community Foundation awarded more than $238,000 in grants to the following organizations from July 2019 January 2020.

• BLACK HILLS PLAYHOUSE • CENTER FOR DISABILITIES • CENTERVILLE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION • CHABAD JEWISH CENTER OF SOUTH DAKOTA • CHARACTER ON TRACK • DAKOTABILITIES • EMBE • HARMONY SOUTH DAKOTA

Foundation Celebrates Dedication of MLK Jr. Statue

Canton Foundation Marks $100,000 Community Grant Milestone

The life-sized bronze statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., dedicated in January at Van Eps Park in Sioux Falls, was made possible thanks in part to a grant from the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation. Created by local artist Porter Williams, the statue is located near the site of the former parsonage where Dr. King spoke when he visited Sioux Falls in January 1961.

The Jim and Caroline Deinema Canton Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, marked an important new milestone in January: following the presentation of its 2020 grant awards, the organization officially surpassed more than $100,000 in grants to Canton-area nonprofits and causes since its founding.

• HOPE HAVEN • LEADERS OF TOMORROW • LEVITT AT THE FALLS • LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES OF SOUTH DAKOTA • MIGHTY CORSON ART PLAYERS • ONE VOICE COMMUNITY CHOIR • ROCK RANCH • SIOUX FALLS ARTS COUNCIL • SOUTH DAKOTA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Opening Doors Through the Performing Arts

• SOUTH DAKOTA NEWS WATCH

Last fall, thanks in part to a grant from the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, individuals who participate in programs at DakotAbilities got the chance to leave their challenges behind and live, for a short time, within the magic of the stage and between the lines of the great William Shakespeare.

• SOUTH DAKOTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA • THE NAOMI PROJECT • USD CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Learn more about these grants and their community impact at sfacf.org/news.

It’s part of a new program created by the Black Hills Playhouse that’s designed to help people with disabilities improve their health, well-being and independence through the performing arts. The initiative is supported by a grant from the Community Foundation.

See more impact stories and find philanthropic resources online at sfacf.org.

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Non-Profit Organization US Postage

PAID

Sioux Falls, SD Permit #7519

200 N. Cherapa Place Sioux Falls, SD 57103

In Celebration of Philanthropy The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation extends our deepest thanks and appreciation to local businesses and individuals who have made gifts to the One Sioux Falls Fund.

Your generosity is helping those in the Sioux Falls MSA avoid eviction if they are unable to work due to COVID-19.

As of April 1, 2020, gifts and pledges to the One Sioux Falls Fund total $3.1 million.

Thank you for your generosity and your spirit of care. We are grateful for your support.

Learn more and see a list of donors to the One Sioux Falls Fund today.

SFACF.ORG