Seventh Generation Initiative (White Earth - Mahnomen, MN)

The Seventh Generation Initiative is a community-wide effort to build a stronger future for the White Earth-Mahnomen area. With the assistance of the Center for Community Stewardship (CCS), the Seventh Generation Initiative has helped unite institutions and jurisdictions to form a determined collaboration focused on a common future. By recognizing community leaders, addressing challenges and identifying opportunities, community members became players rather than spectators, clear goals with shared values were set, and a straightforward plan was put into action.

The CCS believes that success starts with community leaders working together, and the Seventh Generation Initiative has followed suit. Since it was first started, the Seventh Generation Initiative has achieved
significant accomplishments:

• A committee has been formed to assist the Community College and Tribal College to join forces and build a new campus that will be fully accredited by 2010. 
• For the first time ever, all of the area’s educational institutions came together to form an Education Council and are working on developing a “zero tolerance” strategy to address the high rate of absenteeism in the schools.
• A committee is working to build an Assisted Living facility in Mahnomen.
• Grant funds have been received through the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Foundation to support wellness planning activities.
• A web site intended to grow leadership has been developed and is fully operational.
• The first annual community-wide Celebration of Stewardship was held.

The Seventh Generation Initiative is not alone. Center for Community Stewardship staff also helped to initiate Bemidji Leads! and Progress Park Rapids, both of which are seeing the same culture-changing results.