Shared Commitment to Community with Mark and Christine Buche

Mark and Christine Buche have spent their lives rooted in South Dakota values. Family, faith, service and generosity create the foundation for not just their life, but the lives of their families. Both Mark and Christine’s families have helped shape the state for more than 100 years through business and philanthropy. Their family legacies of giving back through the generations have set Mark and Christine on the path to continue to make a difference today. Through their work partnering with South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF), they’ve found meaningful ways to give back to the communities they call home.

The Buches sat down with SDCF’s Jamie Farmen, to talk about their passion for community service and philanthropy. Mark serves on SDCF’s Board of Directors, while Christine is a dedicated council member of the Fairy Godmother’s Fund committee—a fund designed to provide critical, short-term financial support to South Dakota individuals facing immediate hardship.

As longtime residents of Mitchell, the Buches have always had a heart for helping. Their approach to giving is deeply personal, centered on listening to the needs of others and identifying the most direct way to help.

“We’ve always believed that if you see a need, and you can do something about it, you should,” said Christine. “And sometimes that help needs to come quickly, without red tape.”

That philosophy aligns perfectly with the mission of the Fairy Godmother’s Fund. Christine emphasized the impact of this simple, direct support. “When you can look someone in the eye and say, ‘We can help,’ it’s incredibly powerful.”

For Mark, serving on the SDCF board has been an opportunity to see the statewide impact of organized, thoughtful philanthropy. “The reach of the Foundation is impressive,” he shared. “It’s not just about dollars; it’s about helping people create a lasting legacy and making sure their giving matches their values.”

Mark also spoke about the joy of seeing donors support projects that matter to them personally. Whether that’s education, health care, housing or community development. “What SDCF does best is build bridges between donors and needs,” he said.

Buches are particularly inspired by how SDCF leverages local knowledge through local community savings accounts. These funds keep giving them close to home while creating ripple effects that benefit neighbors, friends and entire communities. This inspired them to move Christine’s family foundation–the Tessier Family Scholarship Fund–to SDCF to create a sustainable fund for generations to come. They have also established the Violet Quinn Giving Fund in honor of their beloved granddaughter, who tragically passed away. Through this endowment, their granddaughter’s memory will live on forever. 

Through their own giving and their leadership with SDCF, Mark and Christine are setting an example for others. They see philanthropy not as a grand gesture, but as something that starts simply with a conversation, a need and a willingness to act.

“Sometimes you think a small act won’t make a difference,” Christine reflected, “but you never know what kind of doors it might open for someone.”