A bingo hall and a wish granting nonprofit might not seem like an obvious pair. One is a night of numbers, daubers, and prizes. The other, Make A Wish South Dakota and Montana, grants personalized wishes to children with critical illnesses, creating experiences that bring hope, strength, and joy to children and their families. The pairing, is two groups that both use joyful experiences to bring people together.
Why a Wish Matters During Treatment
For a child undergoing treatment, life can quickly narrow down to appointments, procedures, medications, and physical limits. A wish gives that child something else entirely, an experience shaped around their own interests and imagination.
According to Make A Wish’s own research, the impact of a wish tends to reach well beyond the day it happens. Wish alumni, parents, and medical professionals have reported real improvements in emotional well being, quality of life, and family connection afterward. A wish can hand a child back a sense of normalcy and confidence at a time when so much feels out of their hands. Make A Wish South Dakota and Montana has granted more than 2,100 wishes since 1984, including 110 wishes in its 2025 fiscal year alone.
How Giving Hope Bingo Plays a Part
As a community bingo hall in Sioux Falls, Giving Hope Bingo creates an affordable place for people to gather, and it uses bingo proceeds to fund nonprofits serving children and families throughout southeastern South Dakota. That funding runs through the Giving Hope Grant Program, which distributes money to organizations focused on education, mentorship, recreation, healthcare, basic needs, and other essentials for young people. Since 2017, Giving Hope Bingo and its players have helped raise nearly a million dollars for local children and youth programs.
Make A Wish South Dakota and Montana is one of the nonprofits that has received grant support through that program, funding that helps cover a wish, many times including logistics, travel, and medical considerations.
Wine and Purse Bingo is the most visible piece of Giving Hope Bingo’s support for Make A Wish, drawing new attention and extra dollars each year through purse drawings and event turnout. But that single event is only part of the picture. It’s the regular, weekly bingo sessions throughout the year that build the foundation Giving Hope Bingo relies on for grants to non profits like Make A Wish throughout the region.
One evening of bingo might feel small on its own, but week after week, those nights add up into real grant dollars and real opportunities for kids and families across the region and since aligning with Make A Wish, Giving Hope Bingo has supported over $60,000 in grant funds.
A huge thank you to Make A Wish South Dakota and Montana for the incredible work they do every day, turning hard seasons into moments of hope for kids and families across our region. We’re proud to help fund even a small piece of that mission.
