Bringing Philanthropy to Life

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 School District, and Pamela DeJong serves as the district Guidance Coordinator for K–12. They joined Beth Massa, Director of Foundation Relations for the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF), to discuss the partnership between Phillip High School and the SDCF which offers students scholarship opportunities. 

In this episode you will hear:

The history of the Haakon School District’s partnership with the SDCF

The way community support is making a big difference in rural area students’ futures

How the school district partners donors with students for a successful scholarship match

“Our 2022 graduates were notified that, collectively, their class received $166,700 in scholarship funds,” shared Pamela. This was then distributed to a class of just 28 students.

Follow us for more stories of philanthropy in South Dakota!

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 Advised Fund (DAF) for more flexibility within their charitable goals. 

Jim and Vicki joined Pat Gallagher, Community Development Coordinator of the SDCF, to discuss their journey of philanthropy over the last 11 years.

In this episode you will hear:

What Jim and Vicki appreciate about their DAF and the flexibility it offers them in their charitable giving

Why giving back, especially to Aberdeen, is important to the Lusts

What they love about working with the SDCF

“You know, someone did it for us. Someone helped build schools, libraries, and YMCAs, and we hope to leave that legacy for the next generation,” shared Vicki.

Follow us for more stories of philanthropy in South Dakota!

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 to discuss the critical care the organization provides.

In this episode you will hear:

“We want to see that every survivor has an opportunity to be safe. We as a community need to come together to say ‘your life is valued’,” shared Becky.

Follow us for more stories of philanthropy in South Dakota!

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 registered nurse and an avid community volunteer with a focus on children’s activities.

Dr. Hart and Kathie, joined Beth Massa of the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) to talk about their experience working with the SouthDCF to give back to South Dakota. 

In this episode you will hear:

“It’s been our goal that this is something that benefits our children, in an ongoing future way,” shared Kathie.

Follow us for more stories of philanthropy in South Dakota!

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 with two leaders — current President & CEO Stephanie Judson, and past President & CEO, and current board member, Bob Sutton to discuss their efforts to make a stronger South Dakota through philanthropy.

In this episode you will hear:

“We are an endowment-based organization, so people are choosing to invest in the future of others,” said Stephanie Judson.

Follow us for more stories of philanthropy in South Dakota at:

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 hear:

“Seeing generational philanthropy from a family is amazing, and is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life,” stated Mike Quast.

Follow us for more stories of philanthropy in South Dakota at:

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, connecting local agency volunteers, and offering hope to individuals with thoughts of suicide.

Jeff Veltkamp, South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF)’s Director of Development spoke with Janet Kittams, the Chief Executive Officer for the Helpline Center to discuss her work, and the community support THC offers to the state of South Dakota.

In this episode you will hear:

“It doesn’t matter who you are, we all fall on hard times…sometimes we just need help and support, and that is okay,” said Janet.

Follow us for more stories of philanthropy in South Dakota at:

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 Foundation to talk about the Stronger Communities Fund. 

In this episode you will hear:

“If there is one thing that has stood out, it's just how many amazing South Dakotans there are out there looking to make improvements to their communities and regions,” stated Dan.

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 the WINGS Foundation. 

In this episode you will hear:

“Our name signifies that this foundation is going to take people places, and it’s going to allow some really amazing things to happen,” said Dawn.

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 episode you will hear:

Kurt Solay is a Partner at Nooney & Solay, LLP, and is an A-rated lawyer in the national Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, a member of the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce, the Pennington County Bar Association, the South Dakota State Bar, and the American Bar Association.

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 will hear:

Chad Locken is an Attorney at Law at Gellhaus and Gellhaus, P.C. He attended the University of North Dakota School of Law and graduated with honors, is a member of the South Dakota State Bar Association, and offers pro-bono work through South Dakota Access to Justice.

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 Director of MCSEF, and Jennifer Gross, Chairperson of MCSEF work to enhance the school district of Madison South Dakota. 

In this episode you will hear:

Renae and Jennifer are passionate about their work with MCSEF and hope to see the foundation grow to the point of offering a scholarship to every student graduating high school in the district.