RAPID CITY, S.D. – March 20, 2020 - The entire staff of Black Hills Federal Credit Union recently had an opportunity to positively impact the communities in which they serve by completing projects for several local organizations. One of the organizations BHFCU staff partnered with was the South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center (SDSFEC).
SDSFEC’s main goal for their K-12 segment is “to help all students thrive in positive, safe, and engaging classrooms that culminate with successful achievement of a high school diploma.” To support this goal, over 300 BHFCU employees from across the state gathered to assemble three different types of kits. These kits will be distributed to classrooms in 20 counties, 160 schools (110 Elementary, 50 Middle School) and over 9,000 children within the state of South Dakota.
The kits assembled included STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) Kits, Tactile Kits and Medicine Wheel Kits. The STEAM Kits were developed around the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings, which combat the rise of intolerance and conflict in society by promoting appreciation and understanding of our differences. BHFCU staff also assembled Tactile Kits that include dried food, nature items, and buffalo hides. These kits are used as scavenger hunt objects for classroom activities. Medicine Wheel Kits were also made in different formats, including yarn and construction paper.
Morgan VonHaden, Project Director for SDSFEC, was excited to partner with BHFCU to improve the lives of children in our communities. “What an amazing day of team building and learning. The partnership with BHFCU is above and beyond anything I could have imagined to get the educational materials into the hands of schools throughout South Dakota.”
BHFCU looks forward to continuing their partnerships with organizations such as SDSFEC. In March, Community Action Team projects will benefit the Hope Center in Rapid City, The Banquet in Sioux Falls and more.
With support from its members, BHFCU’s employee-led Community Action Team contributes to and volunteers with more than 60 local, charitable organizations and causes through the Black Hills FCU Charitable Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, every year. You can get involved with and stay up-to-date on all of BHFCU’s projects by following BHFCU on Facebook.
About Black Hills Federal Credit Union
Established in Rapid City in 1941, Black Hills Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit, financial cooperative serving more than 74,000 members. The community-chartered credit union has locations in Rapid City, Custer, Eagle Butte, Hot Springs, Pierre, Sioux Falls, Spearfish, Sturgis, and Wall, South Dakota. For more information, visit bhfcu.com.