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If you ask Paul Everson why he gives to local nonprofits, he’ll first tell you about his Christian faith. 

But he’ll quickly follow it up by saying that’s not the only reason. Instead, it’s giving inspired by the people in his life. It’s a desire to help people in situations he’s seen firsthand and provide opportunities and improve someone’s quality of life. 

Paul grew up in rural South Dakota, where his father served as a Lutheran minister. The middle child of seven siblings, he moved around a lot during elementary and high school – from Lily to Howard to Hudson to Stickney. He went to Augustana University and majored in math and accounting and then worked at John Morrell in the business office for a few years while pursuing his master’s degree from the University of South Dakota.

While finishing his master’s degree, he remembers teaching his first class – college algebra at USD – and how nervous he was. “My knees were knocking the first week or two, but it got better, and, pretty soon, I ended up really enjoying it,” Paul said. 

After he received his MBA, serendipity stepped in with a phone call, and Paul took a job teaching accounting at Northern State University in Aberdeen.

He went on to spend more than 30 years teaching at NSU. He also spent many tax seasons working for local accountants up there – including former students. 

His parents moved to Sioux Falls in the early 1990s, and his father died in 1993. Paul watched as the neighbors around his mom helped her out – mowing the lawn of her rental house, inviting her over for coffee, neighborhood potlucks and all the birthday dinners they had shared together.

After he retired, he moved back to Sioux Falls to take care of his mom, who was showing signs of dementia. They shared a house for a while, and then she moved to a nursing home and passed away in 2016. For Paul, it was a bittersweet time, taking care of her while watching the disease progress. 

It’s one reason he enjoys giving to nonprofits that help with quality of life or people facing illness.

‘People would gravitate to him’

Paul also gives to organizations that help underserved children – and the reason for that is a boy named DuWayne.

DuWayne was 2 years old when he came to live with the Everson family as a foster child. He had several health issues, but what Paul remembers is the daily joy he brought to their home. Paul was a teenager when he came to live with them. 

Paul and DuWayne shared a bedroom, so, in the morning DuWayne would wake up and call out to Paul, who would get up with him and start the day together. “He loved everybody,” Paul said. “The whole town knew him and loved him. In church on Sundays, people would gravitate to him.”

He lived with them for about five years, before moving to Sioux Falls to receive specialized schooling. Paul, understandably, is emotional when he talks about it – and the experience his family had fostering a child left an indelible mark on him. He still sponsors children through other philanthropic endeavors.

He gives to causes like Children’s Home Society, Lutheran Social Services, St. Joseph Indian School and others because he understands, at some level, what it takes to help someone. He supports his church, Abiding Savior Free Lutheran Church, including their school and building fund. He gives to Bible camps and Union Gospel Mission and places that improve the quality of life for people with illnesses – like Make-A-Wish. 

“But that’s not the reason I do it. I’ve been able to live a comfortable life through hard work and people who put their faith and trust in me. I get a good feeling helping others, the same way people helped me.” Paul said.

‘That’s the way I grew up’

Mary Kolsrud, chief philanthropy officer with the Community Foundation, said giving to causes you have a personal connection to can be especially meaningful for donors. 

“It’s heartwarming to hear the why behind someone’s generosity,” Kolsrud said. “Paul is a great example of taking what’s been important in your life and using it to help others.”

And for Paul, there’s trust in giving through the Community Foundation, where he has a Donor Advised Fund and a planned endowment through his estate. First, it’s convenient, he said, letting the Foundation manage the details of giving, like writing checks. 

Paul also appreciates being able to give to local nonprofits – he’s seen the work many of them do through his childhood experiences and through volunteering as an adult. 

“I’ve always been family oriented,” Paul said. “If I could help someone, I would do it in a heartbeat. That’s just the way I grew up.”