EmBe looks to community to build on history of generosity in meeting needs

This paid piece is sponsored by EmBe.

In the coming year, families whose incomes aren’t enough to cover the cost of child care will receive help closing the gap.

Women hoping to advance their careers will receive mentorship and professional development.

And preschoolers who might never have seen a tablet or computer at home will work with a Chromebook for the first time in their classroom.

Those moments and countless others at EmBe are made possible thanks to donors such as Sammons Financial Group, which has a long history of supporting the nonprofit and a long list of reasons why.

“We look for connections – ways we can make a difference for the community and at the same time make a difference for our employees,” said Rachelle Tieszen, vice president of total rewards and HR business partner.

“So we look at workforce programs, leadership development, child care services, those things that are really important to our employees and the community at large.”

One of those employees is Tami Daly, director of controls.

She first became connected to EmBe when her children were part of the child care program.

“My kiddos went to preschool there, did the summer care program, and my daughter attended KinderCollege when she was 4, which is a fantastic program,” she said.

Then, she herself became part of an EmBe program as a graduate of the Women’s Leadership Program.

“I think it’s an outstanding opportunity for any leader. I learned a ton and experienced great leadership development and networking,” Daly said.

“When I graduated, the area where I wanted to continue to grow and develop personally was community involvement.”

That led to an invitation to join EmBe’s board of directors, where she now serves on the programming committee and continually sees opportunities for Sammons Financial Group to be a partner philanthropically.

And those have been numerous, including twice contributing to fund buses so kids had transportation to programs and schools, and supporting the Girls on the Run program.

Sammons Financial Group also is an ongoing supporter of the Women’s Leadership Program and events that lift up and celebrate women, including the In Her Shoes Empowerment Breakfast and the Tribute to Women awards.

Most recently, Sammons Financial Group stepped up with a $20,000 donation to fund scholarships for families in need of child care.

“We know this is an area of focus for EmBe in 2022, and we want to continue to make scholarships available and accessible to families,” Daly said. “It’s a win-win for the families and for us as we want to continue to grow in our communities and hire talent. We need this available so people can come to work.”

And as part of Giving Tuesday last month, Sammons Financial Group came forward with $10,000 to fund Chromebooks for KinderCollege, Junior KinderCollege and EmBe’s Spanish classrooms.

“The sooner they can get exposure to technology they will be using in school, the better, and some of these kids may not have access to this at home, so having it at preschool is phenomenal,” Daly said.

Gifts such as these are key to allowing EmBe to serve the entire community, CEO Kerri Tietgen said.

“Sammons is a wonderful supporter of technology and program excellence. This goes directly with the education we’re providing, and without that kind of support, we would not be able to deliver opportunities like this,” she said.

“We need to continue to talk to our community about the number of ways people can give and support EmBe. Whether that is through a corporate gift or a $10 gift, all gifts add up and are very meaningful. Every gift supports and helps us to create new programs and services that are needed in our community. The community and EmBe need to work together to meet these rising needs. Our leadership team is ready to pivot and work towards being positioned to meet the future needs in the community.”

New face in leadership

Leading EmBe’s efforts to connect philanthropically is Susanne Gale, who joined EmBe this month after five years as director of development for Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

As chief development officer, she’ll be a member of the leadership team and is jumping right into her new role.

“To be a part of something that helps our broader community was really exciting to me,” Gale said. “I just absolutely love their mission of empowering women and families. I’m looking forward to meeting more people who are connected to EmBe, including our current and future donors, and there are so many things I’m ready to tackle. I’m just eager to get started.”

From a donor perspective, EmBe is unique because of the many services it offers, she said.

“From child care to women’s leadership to Dress for Success, you can think of someone or you know someone who has used EmBe at some point in life where you would see the benefit and want to give,” she said.

Ways to connect

Most people know EmBe for one program or service, added CFO Michelle Hentschel. But once they connect to the organization, they often find multiple areas where they’re drawn to give.

“We have individuals who send a small monthly gift, and over time that makes an enormous difference, and we know we can count on them to help us meet underlaying expenses,” she said. “We try to price our programs so they cover their cost, but they also don’t exclude anyone because of inability to pay. So whether that’s child care or swim lessons or Girls on the Run or even lifeguard training, our donors are the reason we’re able to fill those gaps and make these opportunities possible for people of all ages.”

Sammons employees have volunteered in many ways for EmBe, including data entry at Girls on the Run.

Dress for Success is another good example, she said. While the community is extremely generous with donations of clothing, professional attire isn’t the right fit for all women who come through the program.

“We have people working in the cleaning industry who need good sturdy shoes or in food service who need nonskid comfortable shoes or in the medical world who need scrubs or other industries who need uniforms, and we support those needs thanks to contributions from donors,” Hentschel said.

The coming year will offer more ways to give, including as part of EmBe’s downtown renovation.

“We’re looking to outfit parts of the building that weren’t usable before and now will be, and that will create opportunities to help with equipment and furniture and naming of some spaces,” Hentschel said. “And no matter where you give, it’s important to us that donors know we are an organization with audited financial statements, and we’re very careful with internal controls and how we use our money to make sure we’re making optimal use of your donation.”

To learn more about giving opportunities and corporate sponsorships at EmBe, contact Susanne Gale at [email protected], or call 605-681-9834. To make a donation online, click here.

“I think it’s important to remember our roots too,” Tietgen said. “For the last 100 years, EmBe has stepped in to meet voids in this community. In 1921, women starting an organization to support women was insane. So we’ve been the bold organization that continues to see and meet the needs of the community, but that really does require community support.”