November 16, 2020 – Strengthen ND is deploying a statewide effort titled Rural Matters to gather input on what is important to residents of rural North Dakota. Through the dissemination of postcards through community partners, Strengthen ND is gathering anonymous input from residents about what they value most about living and working in rural communities. The input will be utilized by Strengthen ND for statewide community-building, rural advocacy efforts, and programmatic adjustments.
“2020 was a tough year for many in rural North Dakota,” said Cher Hersrud, Research & Resource VISTA. “Strengthen ND is seeking to remind ourselves and many others of the importance of rural North Dakota – why it matters to us and to others.”
The postcards returned with the anonymous comments will be compiled into a rural storytelling publication and art piece, focused on reflecting the pride and resilience of rural North Dakota residents, their unique culture, and impact across the world. The Rural Matters publication will be available for communities to download and use, as well as distributed widely and well beyond North Dakota.
“We understand the significance of rural North Dakota within the world’s context, and we want to promote it through examples of rural creativity and innovation by combining storytelling, resident reflections, facts, and photos,” remarked Megan Laudenschlager, Executive Director of Strengthen ND.
Individuals, organizations, and communities interested in partnering with Strengthen ND to distribute or complete the postcards are asked to contact Cher Hersrud, Research & Resource VISTA, at cher@strengthennd.com by December 15th, 2020.