The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls (FSLF) announce the successful completion of the community outreach phase of their Future Legacy Planning initiative. This outreach is part of their commitment to steward their land, buildings, and mission in ways that will continue to enrich the local community for generations to come.
During this outreach phase, the Sisters engaged several hundred community members through broad-reaching surveys, invitational focus groups, open town halls, and targeted conversations with youth, agricultural workers, the Hispanic community, and Indigenous community members. Their goal: to listen deeply, understand pressing local needs, and gather ideas for how the Sisters’ campus and properties might serve the common good in the years ahead.
Community members consistently identified several priority needs in the region, including:
· Mental health and addiction support
· Affordable and transitional housing
· Childcare and youth spaces
· Transportation
· Agricultural education and environmental stewardship
Participants also offered numerous ideas for how the Sisters’ property could help address these needs. Several themes emerged repeatedly, including:
· Community hub, with welcoming spaces that promote peace and reconciliation
· Housing for seniors, young adults, and individuals in recovery
· Youth and family programs (such as childcare and camps)
· Job training, higher education opportunities, and agricultural learning
· Gardens, sustainability projects, and initiatives that honor Native land and traditions
“These ideas will serve as seeds for future possibilities,” Sister Bea Eichten, FSLF Community Minister. “We are profoundly grateful for the thoughtful input and the shared hope expressed by so many in our community.”
With the outreach phase now complete, the Sisters will begin exploring these community-inspired ideas with potential strategic partners. They plan to invite local organizations into conversation, including Morrison County Health & Human Services, Northern Pines Behavioral Health, The Initiative Foundation, Sourcewell, CentraCare, and their neighbors at St. Otto’s Care Center and CommonSpirit’s St. Gabriel’s Hospital.
“Our hope is that our neighbors, community partners, healthcare providers, and service organizations will join us in imagining and co-creating something that strengthens our entire community,” Sister Bea Eichten said. “Together, we can build a legacy rooted in compassion, stewardship, and shared flourishing.”
The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls have served central Minnesota and beyond for more than 130 years through ministries in healthcare, education, spiritual care, environmental stewardship, and social justice. Guided by the Franciscan values of peace, care for creation, and service to those in need, they continue to seek meaningful ways to support the well-being of their neighbors and the environment.
For more information contact Tim Houle, COO, thoule@fslf.org, (320)632-0635 or visit www.fslf.org.
