News for Donor Advisors
Awareness, Dialogue Key to Solving Complex Challenges
At the Community Foundation, we’re committed to helping improve the quality of life in the Sioux Falls region by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy and connecting donors to the critical needs of the community.
A key component of our work to build a brighter tomorrow is to make sure you — our community of donors — are aware of the issues impacting our community. To that end, we want to share details on two trends we’re monitoring closely:
Homelessness is a growing and concerning issue in Sioux Falls. According to the latest Point-in-Time Count, the number of homeless individuals is up by more than 20 percent since 2019:
- 2022 Point in Time Count: 407 total homeless in Sioux Falls
- 2019 Point in Time Count: 334 total homeless in Sioux Falls
Our homeless population is among our city’s most vulnerable. They need and deserve help. Determining how best to provide that help is a complex issue.
The ability for parents to find affordable childcare is another complex, multi-faceted issue that impacts our society in so many ways. We know that affordable childcare is essential to a strong economy and a thriving community. That’s especially true in Sioux Falls where, according to a recent study by the Sioux Falls Childcare Collaborative, 75 percent of children under the age of 6 live in families where all parents are in the workforce.
According to the study, a significant affordability gap is making it more difficult than ever for parents in Sioux Falls to afford care for their children.
How to address the issue of affordable childcare and homelessness will require innovative thinking and collaboration across a variety of sectors.
We’re looking forward to participating in different efforts over the coming months designed to help address each of these complex issues, and we promise to share updates and ideas with you as they develop.
We do this because, in order to invest in the community, we must know and understand the needs and opportunities that exist here.
We also believe awareness increases the likelihood of engagement. And we know when our community is engaged — when we combine our time, our ideas and our resources — we can create positive, meaningful change.
As we often say, philanthropy is about more than financial gifts. Philanthropy in its truest form is about people helping people.
Today, our community’s most vulnerable are at risk, so let’s work together to learn more about these issues. Let’s engage in dialogue and share ideas. Let’s combine our brainpower to imagine some creative solutions.
Want to learn more about other trends we’re watching in our community? We’re happy to share our community knowledge anytime!