Northwest Blog

The annual meeting of the ECI community coordinators was held on Tuesday, July 26th at the home of Lin Backstrom, the ECI program manager. The group gets together each summer to network and share projects from their community coalitions. It also provides an opportunity for Backstrom to personally thank the coordinators and show NMF's appreciation for all that they do on behalf of the region's youngest citizens. NMF Program Officer Jim Steenerson presented grant opportunities for capacity-building in ECI coalitions. Each ECI coordinator talked about current and future projects from her community coalition's work for young children and their families. Resource sharing, networking among coordinators and planning for future regional meetings followed. New coordinators from Crookston, Naytahwaush, Park Rapids, and Thief River Falls were also introduced. Pictured, left to right: Lia Larson, Naytahwaush; Jenn Thompson, Marshall County; Theresa Brown, Lake of the Woo

The NMF Board of Directors and staff hosted a donor appreciation reception at the Inn at Maple Crossing in Mentor on Thursday, July 20th. Among the guests were original board members Tom Jorgens and Barbara Muesing, Circle of Vision recipients Mary and Robert Johnson and former board member Mary Beth Sargeant. Jay and Lin Backstrom were welcomed as new Circle of Vision recipients along with four other families. Eric and Joe Bergeson entertained at the gathering. Former NMF Board Members Barbara Muesing, Tom Jorgens Musical entertainers Eric and Joe Bergeson   (l-r)   NMF Pres. Nancy Vyskocil, Jay and Lin Backstrom, NMF Board Chair Eric Bergeson  (l-r) NMF Staff Amy Tobkin, Barb Lien, LaRae Maddox   (l-r)  NMF President Nancy Vyskocil, NMF Board Members Laurie Wilson and Kim Wilson (l-r) Jay and lin Backstrom, Ritch Houge, Jon Quistgaard, Mary and Robert Johnson  (l-r) Trish Quistgaard, NMF Board Member Jon Quistgaard, UMC Chancellor Chuck Casey

NMF staff spent a day working on the Women Build project in Bemidji. L-R Amy Tobkin, Diane Morey, Nancy Vyskocil, LaRae Maddox, Caryl Turnow W omen Build is a Habitat for Humanity International program that encourages women to make a difference by building homes and communities. Women Build provides an environment in which women can feel comfortable learning construction skills they might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn. Habitat affiliates nurture, recruit and train women to build and maintain decent, healthy and affordable homes . Women Build is about more than women building homes. It is about women making a commitment to their communities by making affordable housing a matter of conscience and action. Women not only provide the labor to build the home, they raise the funds necessary to purchase material that is not donated.