Donations go further on Giving Tuesday

First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday.
But this year, for the first time in South Dakota, there will be a Giving Tuesday. And Giving Tuesday can be bigger, more beneficial and have a much larger impact than all the others.
In a nutshell, nonprofit organizations are suggesting that everyone take a moment during the holiday season and dedicate a donation toward the nonprofit of your choice. The same local nonprofits that assist those needing assistance right in the area.
Touted in the state as S.D. Gives, the more than 400 nonprofits that have registered for this special day have the opportunity to share in even more. South Dakota’s first-ever statewide giving day kicks off at midnight on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 27, and continues until 11:59 pm that night. Nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organizations across the state will unite to celebrate generosity before the sun comes up and well after the sun goes down by asking their community of supporters to, together, raise as much money as humanly possible.
Five $1,000 Golden Ticket Awards: At random periods watch the SD Gives social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the South Dakota Gives Golden Ticket Hour. During that hour, individuals or nonprofits who reply to the post and use #ForSouthDakota will be eligible to randomly win $1,000 for the registered nonprofit of their choosing.

Local organizations that have registered for S.D. Gives include the United Way - Heartland Region, the Huron Community Foundation and the Huron Regional Medical Center Foundation.
There are several organizations in the state that have special events or goals for Giving Tuesday.
In the Huron area, according to United Way executive director Rhonda Kludt, employees of NorthWestern Energy will be volunteering at Godfather’s Pizza on Tuesday. From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., they will be bussing tables and helping out the staff. In exchange, Godfathers will donate a portion of that day’s sales to the United Way and its current fundraising campaign. She added that NorthWestern Energy is donating $100 for each employee who volunteers at Godfathers on Giving Tuesday.
“We are grateful to Godfathers,” Kludt said, “as well as NorthWestern Energy for giving us this opportunity during our fundraising campaign. Tuesday’s event will help us meet the needs of the 45 programs we are funding this year.”
HRMC Foundation Executive Director Paul Rann said that the organization’s focus for this year is its Hospice Comfort Care bags.
“We are trying to make sure that every family which has a family member enter hospice has one of the Comfort Care Bags available,” Rann said.
The Huron Community Foundation funds are granted to local applicants each year, drawing interest from donations that invested in the S.D. Community Foundation.
Grants are awarded to nearly two dozen groups in Huron and the area. And the Royal Family Kids Camp is participating in SD Gives as well, as the mission of week-long camp is to create life-changing moments for children of abuse so they can once again dream, believe and find new hope for their future.In addition, special t-shirts, designed by LJ Grace Designs and PB Sports - all of Huron - are being printed in recognition of the day with the motto “Be the Change - Live Local, Give Local” to remind people that money donated locally stays local to assist people locally.Nonprofits that signed-up to participate in South Dakota Day of Giving through the South Dakota Gives website are eligible to win prize money from a special S.D. prize pool, which is described a a truckload of money donated from individuals, businessess and foundations that believe in South Dakota and its future.
To gather additional funds, anyone can lend a hand to their favorite nonprofit. Follow SD Gives on Facebook (www.facebook.com/southdakotagives), Twitter (twitter.com/forsouthdakota) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/southdakotagives) to stay up to date on the wacky ways in which you can win prize money, and every organization will have a chance to win.
“We hope people will turn out on Giving Tuesday and Live Local, Give Local,” Kludt said. “And this year, you should eat local too!”