How The 1917 Foundation Walks With Sioux Falls Families Through Pediatric Hospital Stays

 

Author: Amy Stockberger
Date Posted: November 14, 2025

 

When you’re building a life in Sioux Falls, SD, you’re not just choosing a house—you’re choosing a community you can count on when things get hard. And few seasons test a family like having a child in the hospital.

Over the years, I’ve watched clients, friends, and neighbors navigate pediatric hospital stays at places like Sanford Children’s Hospital and Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center. The medical side is intense. But what most people don’t see is the hidden cost: gas to drive back and forth, meals grabbed on the go, hotel nights, and the emotional load of trying to make a cold hospital room feel a little more like home.

That’s where The 1917 Foundation comes in—and why I’m proud to feature them as one of our trusted Home Support Team Partners.

The Mission Behind The 1917 Foundation

The 1917 Foundation is a non-profit organization focused squarely on families facing pediatric hospital stays. Based near Sioux Falls in Brandon, SD, their entire mission is about taking some of the weight off parents’ shoulders so they can focus on their child.

Their work shows up in three big buckets:

1. Practical, Real-World Help
   • Gas cards for families during hospital stays
     
   • Meal support for families of hospitalized children
     
   • Lodging assistance for families of hospitalized children

2. If you’ve ever done daily drives to a hospital in Sioux Falls, SD from a surrounding town—or even from across the state—you know fuel, parking, and food costs add up fast. These resources keep families close to their children instead of being forced to choose between finances and bedside time. 

3. Comfort and Emotional Care
   • Care packages and comfort items for hospitalized children

   • Comfort care for children in pediatric hospital stays

4. Small things can be huge when your child is scared or hurting. A cozy blanket, a stuffed animal, an activity kit—these are more than “extras.” They become lifelines that give kids familiarity and joy inside a clinical space.

5. Community, Events, and Ongoing Support
   • Monthly donor support programs
     
   • Event promotion and sponsorship opportunities for community events like the Throttle Thursday series at The Canton Barn starting in spring 2026, where local sponsors, families, and community members rally around this cause.

Together, these pieces create a system of support that keeps families from feeling isolated in one of the most stressful seasons they’ll ever walk through.

What This Looks Like in Real Life

Picture this:

A Sioux Falls family rushes their child to Sanford Children’s Castle of Care. Tests turn into an unexpected admission. Days turn into a week. Parents start rotating nights at the hospital, juggling work, childcare for siblings, and the constant back-and-forth between home and the hospital. 

By day five:

• The gas tank is draining faster than the paycheck.
  
• Takeout meals are stacking up on the credit card.
  
• A hotel room is starting to sound necessary, but the budget says otherwise.
  
• Their child is overwhelmed, frightened, and bored.
  

Now imagine the 1917 Foundation stepping in with:

• Gas cards so transportation is no longer a constant financial stress.
  
• Meal support so grabbing a sandwich doesn’t feel like a guilty splurge.
  
• Lodging assistance so both parents can be close when their child needs them most.
  
• Care packages and comfort items for hospitalized children that transform sterile rooms into places with color, warmth, and familiarity.

Is this going to fix everything? Of course not. But it can be the difference between a family barely hanging on and a family who feels seen, supported, and held by their community.

Why The 1917 Foundation Belongs in the Home Support Team

Our Home Support Team is built around a simple concept:

“You shouldn’t have to figure life out alone—especially in the hard seasons.”

Most people think of real estate support as home inspectors, lenders, movers, painters, and contractors. Those matter. But real Lifetime Home Support™ also means knowing who to call when life throws a curveball you didn’t expect.

The 1917 Foundation belongs in that circle because:

• They’re hyper-local and deeply rooted in the Sioux Falls, SD and Brandon, SD community.
  
• They deliver immediate, practical support rather than vague promises.
  
• They give homeowners, renters, and families one more safety net in a moment that feels anything but safe.

How Sioux Falls Residents and Businesses Can Get Involved

If you’re living, investing, or building in Sioux Falls, you’re in a prime position to help multiply the 1917 Foundation’s impact.

Here are a few ways to plug in:

• Become a Monthly Supporter
  Join their monthly donor support programs so families know this support will be there year-round. Even modest recurring gifts add up to significant impact.

• Sponsor Community Events
  If you own or lead a business in Sioux Falls, SD, explore their sponsorship opportunities for community events—from Friend of the Foundation to higher visibility tiers tied to Throttle Thursday at The Canton Barn. Your brand gets exposure while directly supporting care packages, gas cards, lodging assistance, and meal support.

• Participate in Event Promotion
  Show up, share their events on social media, bring your team, or donate raffle items. Event promotion is a major engine for awareness and fundraising.

You can learn more or connect directly here:
The 1917 Foundation

Phone: (605) 310-9929
Email: the1917foundation@outlook.com

How This Ties Into Your Real Estate Journey

Real estate, for me, has never just been about closings and commission checks. It’s about building big, juicy legacies and making sure your home base is supported by the right people and resources.

Here’s how to pair your connection to the 1917 Foundation with your Lifetime Home Support™ ecosystem:

• Check your home’s value and plan ahead with a Free Market Analysis:
  
• Make sure your home is working for your family’s real needs—location, layout, and proximity to Sioux Falls hospitals—through our buyer resources and Home Maintenance & Prevention Guide:
  
• Explore our VIP Club to access free moving trucks, tools, and lifestyle perks that make home transitions easier:
• Dive into our Home Support Team hub and see how partners like The 1917 Foundation fit into your long-term support system:
  
• Browse deeper education and stories on our main blog hub:
  

And of course:
To get access to our full lineup of trusted Home Support Team Partners, click here:

Local FAQs

Q: Is The 1917 Foundation only for families who live in Sioux Falls, SD?

A: No. The 1917 Foundation supports families whose children are hospitalized in Sioux Falls-area pediatric facilities, including those who travel in from Brandon and other surrounding communities, even if they don’t live directly in Sioux Falls.

Q: Can local businesses in Sioux Falls sponsor specific events with The 1917 Foundation?

A: Yes. The 1917 Foundation offers sponsorship opportunities for community events—such as the Throttle Thursday series at The Canton Barn—with tiered partner levels, signage, recognition, and marketing exposure tied directly to supporting families during pediatric hospital stays.

Q: How do donations to The 1917 Foundation help families?

A: Donations fund care packages and comfort items for hospitalized children, gas cards, meal support, lodging assistance, and comfort care during pediatric hospital stays, ensuring families have both emotional and practical support right when they need it most.