Newsletter: Summer 2023

FROM THE DEPOT SUMMER 2023

Philanthropy in action across our community

A LIGHT IN THE DARK

Offering hope and help to cancer patients

THE GIVING CIRCLE

Celebrating 15 years of friendship and generosity

FEATURE STORY

NEW BEGINNINGS

A grant from the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation is helping those battling addiction find new pathways to recovery.

For nearly 40 years, the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation has stood as a champion for philanthropy.

By evaluating community needs and opportunities, building engagement around important issues, and connecting donors with purpose, we’re helping to transform generosity into impact, improving the quality of life for all.

A CHAMPION FOR PHILANTHROPY

(Photo by Michelle Diehl)

As we continue our efforts to deepen our work in the community and maximize the impact of philanthropy across our area, we are excited to welcome two new members to our Board of Directors.

Angela Lammers joins the board with executive leadership experience and a long history of community volunteerism.

A graduate of Minnesota State UniversityMoorhead, Lammers also holds a master’s degree in organizational communication from North Dakota State University and a Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation. After a career in marketing, she founded Cetera Services in 2015. Today she serves as Managing Partner for the firm, which provides communication, strategy and association management.

An active community member and a graduate of Leadership Sioux Falls, Lammers serves in a number of civic volunteer positions. She is a member of the Governance Board for the Sioux Empire United Way and the Advisory Board for the SDSU Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. Previously, she served in volunteer leadership roles for the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, EmBe and Southeast Technical College’s Business and Entrepreneurship programs.

Patrick Sweetman comes to the board with experience and expertise in leadership, management and civic engagement.

A graduate of Santa Clara University, he most recently served as president of Sweetman Construction Company. In addition to serving on a number of industry-related volunteer boards, he also served on the Board of Directors for South Dakota Achieve (now LifeScape). Outside of work, he has volunteered as a coach for youth soccer, basketball and volleyball.

As we welcome Angela and Patrick, we give our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to outgoing board members Susie Patrick and Matt Tobin — individuals who have volunteered their time and service to the Foundation in so many extraordinary ways over the years. Susie served as chair of the Board, and both she and Matt served on several committees throughout their tenures, offering visionary leadership, ideas and guidance to help the Foundation advance its mission.

Please join us in welcoming Angela and Patrick to the Board, and in thanking Susie and Matt for their years of service and many contributions.

FROM THE DEPOT

ON THE COVER: After battling addiction for more than a decade, today Kaitlin Schriever is thriving thanks to the supportive network she found in Drug Court. Learn how a Community Foundation grant is supporting a new Drug Court program designed to help those fighting addiction better navigate the road to recovery on page 4 . (Submitted photo)

Our Home: The Depot at Cherapa Place. (Photo by Paul Schiller)

Kaitlin Schriever celebrates everyday life with her daughter and husband. Kaitlin credits Drug Court for helping her recover from addiction. (Submitted photo)

GUIDING THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

Kaitlin Schriever lost more than a decade of her life to addiction.

Her story of substance abuse is long and winding and deeply painful. As a teen, she used alcohol and marijuana to mask feelings of loneliness and insecurity. After high school, she used opioids and eventually meth to escape the pain of an unhealthy relationship. At one point, her dependence on meth was all-consuming. She did whatever she could to get high — stealing from family and friends, stealing from stores, and lying to literally everyone she knew.

At her lowest point, she was alone, homeless and living in her car.

She was, she said, completely broken.

Her downward spiral eventually ended with an arrest. But rather than going to prison, Schriever was given a chance to travel a new road — the road to recovery.

Her journey began at Drug Court, a program of the South Dakota Unified Judicial System that offers those who’ve committed more than one nonviolent drug-related crime access to counseling, treatment and support to achieve sobriety.

Drug Court’s goal is not only to help participants overcome addiction, but to help them return to society as sober and productive members of their communities.

Through Drug Court, Schriever found a way forward. It certainly wasn’t easy, and there were stumbles and falls along the way, but thanks to a supportive network, she made it through. Today, she is celebrating more than seven years of sobriety.

Since graduating from Drug Court in 2016, she has built a healthy life for herself. She has a good job and is advancing in her career. She and her husband own a home. They are parents to a young daughter and are expecting their second baby in October.

While Schriever is winning in the battle against addiction, others, sadly, are not. For many across our community, the complexities of the last few years, coupled with today’s surging demand for mental health professionals, have made the idea of recovery seem almost out of reach.

A recent grant from the Community Foundation aims to change that.

The grant will support a new effort designed to create a network of peer support specialists who can help Drug Court participants navigate the path to recovery. Graduates of Drug Court who wish to become certified peer support specialists can enroll in a training program to learn how to use their lived experiences to help others who are battling addiction.

Advocates say a strong peer support network will be a game-changer in the fight against substance abuse.

A Community Foundation grant is supporting a new Drug Court program designed to connect people battling addiction with coaches who have successfully navigated the difficult road to recovery.

“Research is showing us that this is how we provide wrap-around care for Drug Court participants,” said Dez Kincaid, coordinator for the Second Judicial Circuit Drug Court. “Peer support specialists can help bring others out of misery through their own lived experiences by affirming a clinician’s guidance, by reinforcing recovery recommendations and strategies, and by modeling behaviors as a peer. That modeling is so important in the way we learn and the way we process things.”

“This will move Drug Court participants forward in their treatment and in their recovery much faster, and more successfully, and it will ensure they have a sense of community around them so they don’t feel so lost,” Kincaid said. “That’s a major factor of relapse. We can get people sober, but staying sober without a community around you is really difficult.”

The power of saying ‘I’ve been in your shoes’

Retired Circuit Court Judge Patricia Riepel presides over Drug Court and has seen the value of peer support specialists first-hand.

“For someone who’s struggling with substance use, homelessness, joblessness, family issues or other trauma — to have someone who’s gone through a similar issue say, ‘Hey, I know where you’ve been, and you can do this,’ — I think that offers a different type of hope and a sense of belief in someone’s ability to succeed,” Riepel said.

Dr. Melissa “Mo” Dittberner, a professor in the Addiction Counseling and Prevention Department at the University of South Dakota, agrees.

Dittberner developed the curriculum for the peer support specialist training in collaboration with Diane Eide, a project manager for the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care.

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“Peer specialists are not a new concept. Think about cancer patients who rely on care navigators — individuals who have been through their own cancer journeys. Peer specialists are really an evidence-based answer to the question of how best to support people on their path to recovery,” Dittberner said. “We know that people in recovery are experts in the recovery process. There’s real value in being able to turn to someone who’s ‘been there, done that.’ There’s a lot of evidence that shows the practice helps people.”

The peer support specialist training will begin in September as a pilot program.

“We’d love to be able to roll this out across South Dakota to the various drug courts that exist statewide,” Dittberner said. “This is really just a springboard to help us implement what we know works, for the benefit of so many people across the state who need help.”

Opportunities and possibilities beyond recovery

The peer support specialist model has the potential to impact more than just those working toward recovery, Dittberner said. Serving as a peer support specialist provides a source of income and can also inspire a pathway to a new career.

“If you’ve gone through Drug Court, your ability to work has been impacted. If you have a felony on your record, it’s hard to get back into the workforce. We love the idea that, thanks to this grant, we can train people and offer potential employment opportunities,” she said. “A lot of people in recovery express interest in becoming a drug and alcohol counselor, which I think is fabulous. So this training will be a really great first step for them to see what it looks like to help others who have been in their shoes.”

Front Row (left to right): Retired Circuit Court Judge Patricia Riepel, Dez Kincaid, coordinator for the Second Judicial Circuit Drug Court, and members of the Drug Court team celebrate with Drug Court graduates. (Submitted photo)

Kaitlin Schriever makes a memory with her daughter at the San Diego Zoo.

(Submitted photo)

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A community of care

Reflecting on her journey to recovery, Schriever said she wouldn’t be where she is today without Drug Court.

“I feel like the people I met though that program really helped me succeed on my road to recovery,” she said. “When you’re just starting out on the path to sobriety, it feels like there are so many roadblocks. Most of them are in your head — feeling like you’re not good enough, feelings of shame. It’s overwhelming.”

“My probation officer and my counselor were both amazing. They went above and beyond to help me. My probation officer helped me get a job. I started meeting people who had never done drugs before and I began to see the things they were able to do in life — buying a car, buying a home, going on vacation. I began to want those things for myself. I had some great mentors — people in my life who were in recovery, and people who had lived a completely different story than mine — and it meant so much to have all those people fighting for me. They believed in recovery and they helped me build my own foundation for the future,” she said.

Today, Shriever is paying that help and kindness forward by sharing her time and experience as a Drug Court peer support specialist. Each week, she meets with new Drug Court participants to offer support and mentorship as they begin their road to recovery.

“I tell them I’ve been in their shoes and that I’m there for them. I give them my contact information and tell them to reach out when they’re ready,” she said.

Her willingness to share her own story serves as an inspiration for others who are just beginning their journey to recovery, Kincaid said.

“These folks have been sequestered from the community for so long — sometimes at their own choice, sometimes because of consequences from their own situations. There’s a great deal of shame and embarrassment and a feeling of not belonging,” she said. “But, thanks to this grant, they’ll soon be able to watch someone and talk with someone who’s been in their seat — it’s building that community for them and showing them, from people who’ve walked this path and succeeded, that they have a place in our community. It’s the wrap-around support we’ve always wanted so we’re really thankful for this opportunity.”

Patrick Gale serves as the Foundation’s vice president for community investment. He called the peer support specialist training program a major step forward for all those battling addiction.

“We know the road to recovery is painful and difficult. And we know that the more positive support we can offer throughout that journey, the more successful people will be,” Gale said.

"Addiction impacts our entire community. That’s why we believe recovery should be a community effort. We’re proud of this grant and we believe in the impact it will have.

"

— PATRICK GALE SIOUX FALLS AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

After 15 years, The Giving Circle came to a close in April 2023.

(Photos by Emily Spartz Weerheim)

FULL CIRCLE

It began as a group of women united in fellowship and philanthropy. It ended 15 years later as a testament to the power of friendship, compassion and generosity. The Giving Circle is an inspiration to us all.

In 2008, Mary Tidwell got hit with an idea she just couldn’t shake.

She’d read an article on a new concept called “giving circles” — a movement happening throughout the U.S. where groups of individuals came together to learn about community needs, participate in volunteer opportunities, and give back by pooling their individual charitable gifts into meaningful donations for local nonprofits.

The idea “seems, to me, to combine two wonderful things — female fellowship and ‘doing good,’” Tidwell wrote in a letter dated April 8, 2008.

Tidwell sent the letter to a group of women she hoped would join her in forming a Sioux Falls Giving Circle.

“The goals of the group would be to meet women with a shared interest in philanthropy, to learn more about and support worthy causes, and, by banding together, to impact more generously than we could as individuals,” Tidwell wrote.

Seventeen women took her up on the offer, meeting for the first time on May 29, 2008.

The Giving Circle

Over the next 15 years, The Giving Circle would meet once a quarter. Meeting locations rotated among the homes of members, along with coffee and desserts. After taking some time to visit and catch up on life, each meeting officially began with a “circle question” — an icebreaker question answered by each member in attendance.

From there, one member would present a “giving opportunity” — information she had researched about a pressing need, and background on a nonprofit working to address that need. At the end of each meeting, an envelope was passed from member to member to give what they wished in support of that nonprofit.

Over the years, The Giving Circle met 62 times, passing 62 envelopes, giving a collective total of more than $75,000 to 62 different nonprofits.

In addition to giving financial gifts, members also gave of their time. Over the years they packed lunches for Lunch is Served, ran in the Avera Race Against Cancer, moved books for REACH Literacy, served meals at the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, donated items to Church on the Street, and more.

Mary Tidwell leads the final meeting of The Giving Circle.

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Of the original 17 members, 12 have remained active in the group. Six new members have joined. The experience, members say, has been more meaningful than they could have imagined.

Through The Giving Circle, they not only made a difference through giving, they had the chance to develop treasured friendships. Over the years, they celebrated each other’s professional achievements and family milestones, they provided comfort and support during times of challenge, they laughed, they cried and they made precious memories.

“The experience has been so special — helping others in need and the chance to know such a wonderful group of women with beautiful, generous hearts,” said Kathrine Schnabel, a member of The Giving Circle.

A final gift

This past April, the group made the decision to close the circle.

“Some of us are getting older so, I think it’s time,” Tidwell said at the group’s final meeting.

After 15 years, she said, closing The Giving Circle was bittersweet.

“I feel so good about what we’ve done that it’s hard to feel sad about it ending,” Tidwell said.

When considering The Giving Circle’s final gift, members wanted to choose a nonprofit whose mission aligned with their purpose to “do good.” So they selected the Community Fund, the endowment behind the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation’s competitive grantmaking programs.

“The Community Foundation really embodies what The Giving Circle aimed to do. It’s out front on emerging issues, it’s bringing people together, it’s transforming generosity into impact, touching every need across our community,” Tidwell said. “I’ve often said the Foundation is like the matriarch of giving for Sioux Falls, so it’s the perfect place to direct our final gift.”

Andy Patterson, president of the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, and Patrick Gale, vice president for community investment, were at The Giving Circle’s final meeting.

“The Giving Circle is an example of philanthropy at its finest and we’re truly honored to be the recipient of its final gift,” Gale said. “Even though the Circle is now closed, its impact will live on through this final gift to the Community Fund.”

Patterson agreed.

“We couldn’t be more grateful to this amazing group for their generosity over the years, and for selecting the Community Fund as the recipient of their final gift.” Patterson said. “This gift completes their circle of giving in a beautiful way that will impact so many individuals and families across our community.”

"The

Circle inspires us in so many ways, one of which is the commitment of these women over 15 years. Every member of the Circle was busy with her own life, her own family and her own commitments, but they all took their membership in the group seriously. They were committed to each other, and to the mission of helping their community. What an extraordinary illustration of love and care . "

After 15 years, The Giving Circle came to a close at its final meeting in April 2023. (Photos by Emily Spartz Weerheim)

Giving

— ANDY PATTERSON SIOUX FALLS AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

LEARNING THROUGH MUSIC

A Community Foundation grant recently supported a week-long artist-in-residency program for local youth with Grammy-nominated, multi-media content creator, author, musician, and educator Pierce Freelon.

Organized by Levitt at the Falls, the residency was held June 12-17, 2023, and featured a variety of outreach opportunities ahead of Sioux Falls’ Juneteenth celebration. It included a collaborative project with Augustana University and the Promising Futures Fund through which local middle school students collected, curated and produced podcasts featuring interviews with their own ancestors. The finished works were shared publicly as part of Sioux Falls’ Juneteenth celebration.

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Charitable Investment Aims to Advance Digital Equity

The Community Foundation recently announced a $50,000 charitable investment to help advance digital equity across the city.

The funding will support an effort led by South Dakota Voices for Peace to enroll low income households in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a federal initiative that provides eligible households with discounts for internet services.

“In today’s world, economic and social success is dependent on access to the internet. Everything we do from utilizing government and social services, to submitting job applications, to navigating healthcare, to advancing our education occurs online. However, thousands across our city lack access to the internet and mobile devices entirely. This grant aims to change that,” said Patrick Gale, vice president for community investment, at a news conference announcing the grant (at right, photo by Emily Spartz Weerheim).

Grant Helps Builds Awareness for Preschool Opportunities

The Sioux Falls Hope Coalition is on a mission to ensure every child in the Sioux Falls area has the opportunity to prepare for kindergarten by attending a quality preschool. Since its founding in 2017, the organization has provided free preschool to hundreds of children from limited-income households by partnering with more than 12 high quality preschools throughout the city.

A recent grant from the Community Foundation aims to help inform more families about the benefits of preschool and build awareness for the Sioux Falls Hope Coalition and the opportunity for free preschool.

Thanks to our growing community of donors, our grantmaking programs are helping to launch transformational programs, providing meaningful support for neighborhood nonprofits and developing innovative solutions for our area’s most complex challenges. LEARN MORE

See our latest community grantees and learn about the projects their grants will support at sfacf.org/news

A LIGHT IN THE DARK

Meet the Feisty Fighters, a nonprofit that provides meaningful support to cancer patients in need. And thanks to its endowment at the Community Foundation, this special organization will continue touching lives for generations to come.

“People with cancer are already fighting the big fight. They shouldn’t have to fight the smaller ones.”

That’s the mantra of the Feisty Fighters, a local nonprofit dedicated to “bringing hope and help to those fighting cancer.”

Mary Lloyd-Huber, a current board member and volunteer, joined the Feisty Fighters shortly after the organization’s start in 2005.

“My aunt, Bets Thorkelson, had been diagnosed with breast cancer and our family wanted to support her. We started by walking together in the annual Susan G. Komen three-day walk. In Sioux Falls, we did fundraisers to support cancer research — we sold flowers, we had garage sales, we did all those things organizations do in the beginning to make a little money here and there,” Lloyd-Huber said.

After supporting national and local cancer research, the Feisty Fighters eventually made the decision to switch its focus to help local cancer patients directly.

Today, an annual golf tournament serves as the organization’s primary fundraiser. Thanks to hundreds of golfers who participate each year, as well as donors who support the event, the Feisty Fighters have provided nearly 1,200 grants to local cancer patients in need.

“These are cash grants of up to $500. The amazing thing about $500 is that it can do so much,” LloydHuber said. “It can help with gas, or a wig, or ice packs. For one family, it covered the cost of filling their propane tank for the winter.”

“But the reality is, it’s not really about the money,” she said. “It’s about showing kindness during such a difficult time. It’s a reminder that there are still good people out there.”

Meeting patients where they are

Social workers and nurse navigators at Sanford Health and Avera Health help identify cancer patients who could benefit from the Feisty Fighter’s grantmaking.

“Our grant applications are easy to complete and we review and approve them quickly — hopefully within a week — so we can get patients the help they need,” Lloyd-Huber said. “We serve patients throughout South Dakota and within a 100-mile radius of Sioux Falls (for those who live outside the state).”

When applying for a Feisty Fighters grant, cancer patients can also request to be added to a prayer chain and/or can request to receive cards and emails to help them remain focused and positive.

Lynne Hunter is a counselor and social worker at the Avera Cancer Institute. She’s witnessed the impact of the Feisty Fighters first-hand.

“The Feisty Fighters program is really unique because it’s for any cancer diagnosis. I always know they’re there to help. I have a lot of gratitude because it really is vital for our patients to have these funds,” Hunter said. “People are in tears when they get these grant checks and to see the generosity of others.”

An enduring commitment to serving those in need

In 2020, the Feisty Fighters made the decision to establish an endowment at the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation to ensure the organization, and its mission, will endure for generations to come.

“As a family, we had discussions about how we wanted this organization and its mission to live on, past the current team of volunteers,” Lloyd-Huber said.

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“Hopefully we can hand it down, but in the event the next generation isn’t able to take it on, we want the mission of the Feisty Fighters to continue. That’s why we believe in the idea of the endowment,” she said.

Long-term sustainability is a key benefit of an organizational endowment, said Mary Kolsrud, the Community Foundation’s vice president for philanthropy.

“We often say that endowments are ‘forever funds’ because they live on, through careful investment strategies, to benefit future generations. As the steward of a charitable endowment, we take seriously our responsibility not only to preserve its principal, but to know and understand the organization’s mission and to ensure that mission endures,” she said.

A beautiful illustration of philanthropy

Since 2016, the Feisty Fighters have awarded more than $425,000 to those fighting cancer — a figure made possible thanks to the support and contributions of so many, including the Lloyd family.

“The idea for the Feisty Fighters was born from a loving family who wanted to do more to rally around one of their own during her cancer battle. That passion sparked a desire to help other cancer patients and today, thanks to the support of so many, this special organization is making a difference for individuals and families who are facing the fear and uncertainty of cancer,” Kolsrud said.

“The impact of this meaningful work is maximized thanks to Lloyd Companies, which provides administrative support to the Feisty Fighters — ensuring that the majority of proceeds and donations collected from the nonprofit’s annual golf tournament can go directly to cancer patients. It’s such a beautiful illustration of philanthropy in all of its forms and a wonderful expression of care, compassion and generosity by this family-owned, community-minded business,” Kolsrud said.

Learn more about the Feisty Fighters and its mission at feistyfighters.org.

Attendance at Knickers for Knockers and More, an annual golf tournament, supports the Feisty Fighters’ grantmaking efforts. (Submitted photos.)

A Champion for Philanthropy

By evaluating community needs and opportunities, building engagement around important issues, and connecting donors with purpose, we’re helping to transform generosity into impact, improving the quality of life for all.