Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Pifher.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
I’m the founder and co-owner of Creating Community Consulting, where we journey alongside communities and organizations to create healthier communities for people to live in. We have a team of seven people located between Frazee and Moorhead and one who travels abroad, and we serve communities from Duluth to Bismark. Creating healthier communities includes building the capacity of organizations to authentically engage communities, to care for their assets and address needs by leveraging human, cultural, social and financial capital. We measure impact and tell stories of change along the way. We have a highly talented team of people who have been recognized through several regional awards, and who have led projects that have been uplifted across the state and region as promising and best practices in achieving health and economic outcomes. We are one of the only teams in Greater Minnesota offering this unique array of services.
Where did it start? Well, my passion for community developed through my life experiences. I had my oldest son when I was 16 years old and while I was in tears in the Vice Principals office, he told there was no shame in dropping out of high school. I was so overwhelmed and emotional, I was in a very unhealthy relationship, and my world was turning upside down. I was in speech competition, band and other activities. I taught religious release and I was a good kid. It was a hard time… and the judgement of people made an imprint on my life, as did those who believed in me.
I did not drop out, and I graduated high school and went off to college. That unhealthy relationship turned for the worse and I was forced to flee with my two year old child. I was homeless, and so I went to live with with my parents for six months until I could get back on my feet. I had to drop out of college as I couldn’t afford to take care of my son, go to college, work, and still live. I moved to Frazee in 2002 and worked as a CNA to start with. I met someone, got married, had small children, and we decided to build a dairy farm. This was such a dream for us both, we had two more children on the farm, and the good times are so memorable. And it was hard. We both worked jobs outside the home and still lost our farm during the Great Recession. It was heartbreaking, and we fell apart.
Then I was single parenting once again. I went through years of legal battles with my oldest son’s father who ended up in prison, which meant safety for us. However, when a child’s parent passes away they receive social security, or you receive child support or shared costs of parenting if you are separated or divorced. If they go to prison for abusing your family you receive nothing. So, I was about 30 years old and extremely frustrated; and no matter how much I worked, it was never enough. I went back to college for social work to help people around the time that we were finished farming. I knew how hard it was to live in poverty, to live in fear of losing your home or not knowing how to pay your bills, and to work several jobs without any end in sight, etc. I also remember standing in the lobby of Human Services and being humiliated as I had to explain in the lobby about my situation while sobbing (in front of seven other people) while I was told that there was nothing they could do for me. No one should have to experience these things.
Once I finished college I worked at Essentia Health as a social worker, then as a social work manager and community health manager while working on my Master’s in Community Development from NDSU. I knew that I couldn’t really improve the well-being of people when our systems and communities were broken, so I wanted to learn how to truly improve them. I completed my Masters and was promoted to West Region Manager around the same time. My role included leading Community Health Needs Assessments across five counties, working to identify top priorities, and then creating plans with community partners to improve well-being.
While at Essentia, I led the initial stage of development of the CornerStone Community and Youth Center in Frazee (which I still lead development services for today) which was one of our priorities to improve health and wellbeing of youth in that community. In 2022 I felt called to do this work a little differently. Essentia provided a place for me to learn and grow, and I was ready to run. I left and developed “Creating Community Consulting”, where I could work with a variety of organizations, where I could support people most impacted by health disparities, could support building capacity for change, and allocate funding to respond to needs and build on strengths. As of Dec 2023, Creating Community Consulting has grown to a team of seven people; we serve communities from Duluth to Bismark and have allocated over $2 million in resources towards projects that improve well-being in communities. I’m still working with CornerStone, which I’m incredibly proud of (CornerStoneFrazee.org); I am leading Economic Development in Frazee, grant development for Wannigan Regional Park, am working with several County Public Health agencies on health impact and many non-profits have strategic planning, community engagement or grant writing services through us. My husband and I now own three businesses between us. We love our family, our community, and we give back generously because we’ve been blessed.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No one can ever prepare you for some of the toughest personal battles that consume your life. Poverty kills…and because of my privilege and social connection I was able to move out of it. I’m forever grateful, and I know that not everyone has that same opportunity. In starting a new business everything is scary! And, through my strong belief in my faith I dove head first and have prayed my way through it.
- Business obstacles: navigating policies and people takes a lot of work. I’m creative, a visionary, and my ideas are often outside the box. Not everyone get’s on board with that right away, so you need to find your people, hang on for dear life and be okay with successful failures when they happen
- CornerStone Community & Youth Center: this has been the biggest venture, and many people said, “That will never work here.” And I said, “Well, what if it did?” I did a ton of research, asking questions and looking for options that would work in our community and serve people most impacted well. There were key people that were “never give uppers” and they were the secret sauce to making things happen!
- Creating Community Consulting: we are a unique consulting business that is one of the only operating in our exact way in the region. It’s been challenging as we do contract work that always ebbs and flows. However, we are committed to our mission and continue to learn and grow. I’m never afraid to ask questions, to try things knowing there is risk, or to ask for help. I learn every day, and invest in trying to build my knowledge so we can provide the best services possible.
Thanks for sharing that. Can you tell us more about your work next?
I’m most well known for my role in developing the CornerStone Community and Youth Center in Frazee. We identified that 52% of 11th graders in 2019 felt depressed or hopeless in the past two weeks in the Frazee-Vergas school district. I led community engagement sessions, and we asked youth why they felt this way and what they needed to feel better. In addition, we looked at community needs and what we could design that would align and provide sustainable income. This led to the current model, which includes two levels: A full community and youth center with a STEAM lab, hangout space, a full kitchen and food pantry, games, mentors, and community service opportunities. The upper level includes a bistro and coffee shop with retail and gift and a performing art stage. CornerStone engages the community to empower youth using art, mentorship, food, safe spaces, and meaningful activities. We serve youth in grades 4-12. In a town of 1,300 people, we have 250+ youth enrolled and using the space. It’s free for youth to come as a drop-in center. Also, since June of 2023, more than 98 youth have provided over 1,500 hours of community service. Not only are we making a difference in the lives of youth, but they are now giving back and feeling connected to the community. We are monitoring the Minnesota Student Survey data to monitor change (every three years, this is measured), and we are excited about the daily impact. Other communities are now trying to replicate the model due to its success.
What changes do you expect to see in your work and the industry over the next five to ten years?
Given the workforce shortage as the population in greater Minnesota continues to grow along with industry and baby boomers retiring, we anticipate a continued need for contract-based services. We can come alongside and with communities and organizations to fill short-term or longer-term gaps that build capacity. We successfully allocate grants and leverage resources to create valuable amenities that bolster community well-being and economic impact. We anticipate a demand as long as communities and services need to grow and change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.creatingcommunityconsulting.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/creating-community-consulting/
