First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard and LSS have built a thirty-year history of working together to make a difference in the Sioux Falls community.
PREMIER and LSS share the belief that children and families are at the core of every community and communities thrive when they are supported. “LSS has relied on the generosity of community donors dating back to 1920 when a group of church leaders and women’s groups started the ministry,” says Rebecca Kiesow-Knudsen, LSS President and CEO. “Since then organizations like First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard have continued that legacy and assist us in working toward our vision that all people in South Dakota will be healthy, safe and accepted.”
Paige Short, LSS Vice President of Philanthropy Services, added “The advocacy and financial support given by First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard are extraordinary. We are incredibly grateful that they are passionate about lifting up the community through support of local nonprofits like LSS.”
Just this year, PREMIER contributed a total of $50,000 to LSS, including $20,000 to support the current transition of the Multi-Cultural Center to LSS and $15,000 as the Presenting Sponsor of the 2023 Festival of Cultures, June 10.
“We could not be happier to support the mission of LSS and the Multi-Cultural Center,” said PREMIER Bankcard CEO Miles Beacom. “Sioux Falls is a welcoming home for people of many different cultures and backgrounds. I’m incredibly proud of our employees and the support they have provided LSS through donations of time, talents and resources. Working together, we can truly make a difference in our community.”
While PREMIER has also financially supported LSS Mentoring Services for the last twenty years, perhaps their greatest gift is provided by their many dedicated and generous employees serving the Pre-K to 12th grades as youth mentors. Since the program began in 2001, more than 300 PREMIER employees have given their time and dedication to students who benefit from a mentor. Their volunteer commitment plays an essential role in helping individuals, families and communities find inner strength during difficult and challenging times.
“There is nothing quite like giving your time, talents and resources to help a neighbor, a friend or even a stranger. At LSS, every gift makes a difference because every gift helps lift someone up. Every gift helps strengthen our communities. First PREMIER has been a strong part of this mission starting back in 1993 when they began supporting consumer credit counseling and financial education for families; that support continues today,” says Short.
PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard also have assisted LSS in two major capital campaigns in the last 15 years.
LSS responds to changing needs in South Dakota communities. Our mission: Inspired by God's love, we care for, support and strengthen individuals, families and communities and believe in the vision that all people in South Dakota will be healthy, safe and accepted. LSS is one of the largest private non-profit human service agencies in South Dakota serving people of all ages, faiths, races and economic status with professional, confidential and affordable services statewide.
