SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — Philanthropist T. Denny Sanford is donating $1 million to the One Sioux Falls Fund to help Sioux Falls residents with housing insecurity.
Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken announced the donation at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. He said Sanford reached out to the city with his donation.
“He has a tremendous heart,” TenHaken said.
Mayor Paul TenHaken set up the One Sioux Falls Fund on March 17 to help people experiencing a housing crunch during the pandemic. The fund surpassed $1 million in its first two days of existence, largely through corporate donations.
TenHaken said the additional money “will be a huge sigh of relief for people in our community.”
The fund is specifically for people dealing with housing insecurity because they lost work due to the spread of the coronavirus. Applicants are asked to provide their employer’s contact information when asking for assistance, and fund organizers would confirm with the employer the applicant was telling the truth. The fund covers at most 70% of an applicant’s rental expenses.
TenHaken said the fund will allow people to get relief before federal assistance arrives. Janet Kittams, CEO of the Helpline Center, said checks are already on the way for the first applicants.
