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South Dakotans once again came together during South Dakota’s sixth annual “Day of Giving” Giving Tuesday event on November 29. Horizon Health Foundation’s goal was to raise $30,000, and everyone rallied together to go above and beyond in raising $41,157.42 to support all 22 Horizon Health Care communities across South Dakota.
In total, 117 individuals and businesses invested in Horizon Health Foundation’s Giving Tuesday efforts to raise awareness and financial support in 24 hours. All donations will help remove barriers to care for patients in rural or underserved communities, including transportation, food insecurities, and medical, dental, and behavioral health needs.
“As we strive to preserve access to rural healthcare services across the state, it is vital and heartwarming to have such generous business partners and community members that share that same vision,” said Wade Erickson, Chief Executive Officer at Horizon Health Care. “The compassion and generosity, once again, exceeded our expectations and because of that, so many families will be positively impacted by removing barriers to receiving high-quality, affordable healthcare services that everyone deserves.”
SDN Communications and its members have partnered with the Foundation to support the event by matching all gifts dollar-for-dollar up to $22,000. They pledged to donate $1,000 per clinic (22 total) if an individual “sponsored” that community at $22 per month. Since all 22 communities were sponsored, SDN released $22,000 in matching funds. SDN Communications’ member organizations that participated include: Alliance Communications, Golden West Telecommunications, West River Cooperative, Telephone Company, Santel Communications, Venture Communications, Interstate Telecommunications Cooperative, Midstate Communications and James Valley Telecommunications.
Representative Tim Reisch and Senator Casey Crabtree also joined in the fun by serving at the Foundation’s Pancakes for Patients breakfast at the American Legion in Howard, South Dakota, on Giving Tuesday, November 29. The pancake feed served over 130 people in Howard and the surrounding communities. There were 47 total volunteers who helped in making the breakfast a success, including Howard High School National Honor Society members, community members, politicians, Horizon Health Foundation board members, Horizon Health Care leadership and local firefighters.
“Thank you to all who gave of your time, money or showed up for the pancake feed. You are making a difference,” said Lorinda Holland, board member for Horizon Health Foundation. “Even small donations can help change an outcome for someone that does not have the funds for services. These days, with the high cost of health care, many people can't afford insurance or the cost of their medications. They may be close friends or neighbors that you don't know are struggling, and your gift will help them out.”
Those who joined Club 22, by sponsoring a community at $22 per month, were also entered into the Cancun All-Inclusive Raffle for 2. On Giving Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., the winner was drawn during a Facebook live video. The lucky winner of the Cancun trip was Howard locals, Kevin and Ashley Schwader of Schwader Seeds.
Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities, and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity. Horizon Health Foundation entered 19 contests sponsored by South Dakota Gives during Giving Tuesday. In previous years, the Foundation won several of the cash prizes awarded by South Dakota Gives. This year’s prizes will be awarded throughout December. For more information on how you can spread generosity, please visit https://www.horizonhealthfoundation.com/club22.
About Horizon Health Foundation
The Horizon Health Foundation was established in 2016 to ensure rural health care access to those in need and provide funding for Horizon Health Care. Horizon Health Foundation, a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation, seeks through responsible activities to encourage and derive sustaining gift support from current and former patients and interested friends, including corporate entities. The Horizon Health Foundation, operating in coordination with Horizon Health Care, is the duly designated fundraising arm for Horizon Health Care. In the broadest sense, the purpose of the Foundation is to create an awareness of the financial needs of Horizon Health Care, which are not provided by patient charges and to systematically implement plans by which dollar needs can be met.
About Horizon Health Care
For over 40 years, Horizon Health Care has been providing personalized, affordable, high-quality medical, dental and mental health care through a rural, community-based network in South Dakota. Horizon is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves the medical, dental and mental health care needs of South Dakotans in rural, medically underserved areas through 110,000 patient visits annually in 32 community health centers in: Aberdeen, Alcester, Bison, Bryant, De Smet, Eagle Butte, Elk Point, Faith, Fort Thompson, Howard, Huron, Isabel, La Plant, Lake Preston, Martin, McIntosh, Mission, Plankinton, Wessington Springs, White River, Woonsocket, and Yankton. For more information, please visit www.horizonhealthcare.org.