In February 2021, the Aberdeen Area Community Foundation along with its partner the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation made a grant of $2,500 to the Salvation Army to support activities responding to COVID-19. The Salvation Army used funds funds to support its programs to provide utilities, rent and food assistance to people in need as a result of the impact of the pandemic.
The funds came from the Knight COVID-19 Aberdeen Sub-fund within the AACF. In March 2020, Knight Foundation committed $225,000 in partnership with the AACF and the South Dakota Community Foundation to provide relief in response to the pandemic through the sub-fund. The fund has made more than $140,000 in grants in the Aberdeen area to address the impact of the pandemic.