SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Nonprofits across South Dakota are asking for community support on Giving Tuesday, a global initiative encouraging people to donate the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
Since its start in 2012, Giving Tuesday has become one of the biggest money-raising days of the year for nonprofits in the United States, and South Dakota is no exception.
“There’s a lot of things that we couldn’t do unless we had donor support,” said Shelly Johnson, the Director of Development at DakotAbilities. “It does make a world of a difference. Whether that gift is $10 or $1,000…, every gift builds momentum and every gift makes an impact.”
DakotAbilities in Sioux Falls supports adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities with housing, nursing care and physical rehabilitation services.
The Abbott House helps children heal from trauma and abuse through their therapeutic foster programs in Mitchell, Rapid City and Sioux Falls.
Virginia Wishard-Lambert, Abbott House’s development director, said the Abbott House helps 121 kids at any given time in their 10 foster homes and residential treatment facility.
Wishard-Lambert said the money raised from Giving Tuesday goes toward the holidays throughout the entire year, as well as birthdays. An anonymous donor for the Abbott House will be matching donations up to $10,000 for Giving Tuesday.
Lysa Allison with Cornerstone Rescue Mission in Rapid City, said 90% of their budget comes from donations. Cornerstone is the only emergency homeless shelter west of the Missouri River.
“We don’t get a lot of grants to run our facility or anything like that, so we’re always in need of any type of donation, whether it’s food or clothing or sheets or towels, financial,” Allison said. “We run 24/7, 365; we don’t get to close. It’s an honor to serve the homeless in our community, but we can’t do it without everybody’s assistance.”
Cornerstone is currently helping over 200 people in their men’s shelter, women and children’s home, warming house and thrift store. In addition to monetary donations for Giving Tuesday, Cornerstone is also in need of winter clothing from size infant to 3XL.
“We have new people coming in every day that need those items,” Allison added. “We’re always in constant need. It’s not just one time, it’s a continual need for us.”
Alissa Bauman, executive director of Habitat for Humanity in Watertown, said days like Giving Tuesday are crucial for the nonprofit. For the branch in Watertown, all funds for a new home must be raised before any building can start.
The Watertown Habitat for Humanity builds one home a year for a family in need and 80% of any money raised during that year goes to building the home, Bauman said.
One of their largest programs at DaktoAbilities is the Meaningful Day of Service, where people build life skills through experiencing music, art and other social activities.
“Without donor support for Meaningful Day, we wouldn’t be able to do many of the things that we do,” Johnson said. “All the things that we do to support people…, those activities are made possible by donors.”
South Dakota Gives has a database of over 400 nonprofit organizations in the state that are participating in Giving Tuesday.
