Emily’s Hope Among 12 Nonprofits Awarded $200,000 in KELOLAND Media Airtime

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.  (MITCHELLNOW)  — Emily’s Hope is honored to announce its selection as a recipient of the 2025 Vern Eide Mitsubishi Tradition of Caring in KELOLAND grant. This program, in partnership with KELOLAND Media Group, will provide $200,000 in donated television and digital advertising airtime, divided among 12 impactful nonprofit organizations.

Emily’s Hope will use this grant opportunity to launch a new campaign focused on raising awareness of youth substance use for parents, families, and the broader community. This initiative builds on Emily’s Hope’s work with its Youth Prevention Coalition, developed after receiving the Drug-Free Communities grant from the Office of National Drug Control Policy and CDC. The coalition leads efforts to prevent youth substance use and mobilize communities for long-term impact.

“We are incredibly grateful to be selected for the Tradition of Caring grant,” said Angela Kennecke, CEO and Founder of Emily’s Hope. “This airtime will allow us to bring critical awareness to the growing issue of youth substance use and empower families with the tools and knowledge to protect their loved ones. KELOLAND’s generosity demonstrates the power of community partnerships in fostering real change.”

KELOLAND Media Group’s Vice President and General Manager, Mari Ossenfort, emphasized the program’s impact: “Tradition of Caring is a difference maker. Each year our television and digital marketing campaigns support the mission of each of the selected organizations. We look forward to serving these twelve worthy organizations in 2025.”

Sponsored by Vern Eide Mitsubishi, the Tradition of Caring program has been a pillar of community support since 1998. “With this sponsorship, our hope is to help grow the awareness of non-profit organizations that need an extra helping hand in the coming year,” Maggie Saugstad, Director of Community Relations and Marketing for Vern Eide Motorcars, shared. “It takes a village, and we are all the village.”

In addition to Emily’s Hope, this year’s grant recipients include Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, Children’s Home Society, Dakotabilities, Family Connections Center, Folds of Honor, HorsePower, McCrossan Boys Ranch, Rare by Design, Sioux Falls Area CASA, St. Francis House, and Volunteers of America, Dakotas.

This grant aligns with Emily’s Hope’s mission to break the stigma surrounding substance use disorder and provide prevention resources to protect youth and families.