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Family Initiative in Prairie du Chien. Prairie du Chien (or "prairie of dogs" in French) is a community of 5,600 lying in the beautiful, yet dangerous, flood plain of the Mississippi River. During massive floods in the spring and summer of 1993, the flood plain, along with the farms, houses, and stores lying within it, was under water. Even the grounds of Villa Louis, one of Wisconsin's oldest historic sites recognizing this early North American fur trading center, was under water. Thus, the two largest sectors of the economy, agriculture and tourism, experienced a "dry year" in that wettest of years. It's not just during floods that Crawford County experiences economic problems, however. The total population for the county is 16,000. There are no stop lights, most villages have a population of 100 to 700 people, and "poverty" and "recession" are familiar words. The median household income for the county was $21,436 in 1989, compared to Wisconsin's median household income of $29,442; the rate of poverty in 1989 was 14.6% (compared to Wisconsin's rate of 10.7%); and the rate of unemployment for 1992 was 6.5% (Wisconsin's rate was 5.4%).

In 1989, Prairie du Chien received a grant from the Wisconsin Children's Trust Fund to utilize a collaborative model in establishing the Family Resource Center of Crawford County. Prairie Memorial Hospital is the fiscal agent for this parent education and support initiative which involves the public health agency, the human services department, the county extension office and a local child care agency. The center offers home visits to parents of newborn infants and also provides a variety of center-based services: parent education classes, support groups, nurturing classes, diaper bag drop-ins, respite care, plus a toy and book lending library. The center staff have focused much of their energy on teen and young parents; high risk families are referred to the public health agency or the human services department for more specialized services. The goal is simple: to provide parents with the education and support they need in the first months and years of an infant's life, that critical time when parents are most committed to creating a positive environment for their child. Many of the young moms who participate have gone on to complete their high school education and some have also gone on to college or vocational school. Most of the participants report that they have gained alternative forms of discipline, are better able to praise their kids and are happier as a result.

Family Initiative in Cumberland. Cumberland is a scenic community of 2,100, built on an isthmus between two lakes in the northwestern corner of Wisconsin, just close enough to the Twin Cities to attract tourists, but far enough away to maintain its rural character. Agriculture, tourism and light industry are the mainstays of the economy. Milk prices have made it difficult for farmers to continue farming and increasingly they are dropping out of dairying. Paul Landstrom, the pastor of Augustana Lutheran Church (this is Lutheran country with strong Scandinavian influences), agonizes that only two families in his congregation are involved in dairy farming at this point. Rev. Landstrom is on a local economic development committee that is seeking to strengthen the possibilities for tourism and industry in the county. The community went through a major renovation of the downtown area, had extensive conversations with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation when they proposed moving the major state highway, have discussed possibilities for a regional airport and are currently seeking funds for renovation/expansion of an old cheese factory. These efforts are important when you consider that out-migration has depopulated the area, school enrollment has dropped by several hundred students, farms and farm families have declined dramatically, and business income has declined due to the farm crisis and residents shopping in nearby cities.

The community has also been involved in efforts to support families, especially farm families and those involved in agribusinesses. In the early 1980's when the farm crisis was first becoming apparent, Rev. Landstrom worked with Austin Belschner (a local veterinarian at the time) to form the Cumberland Area Farm Support Group. A "network of care" has evolved which has been an incredible help to farm families, agribusiness owners and other community residents-teachers, bankers, businessmen and area residents. In the early years, there was an emphasis on outreach to families in need. The group utilized veterinarians, milk haulers, auctioneers, lenders, bartenders, and restaurant employees to link with farm families in difficult situations. Group members participated in the Lutheran Peer Listening program and offered educational programs on a range of topics: vocational/technical training opportunities, debt restructuring and Chapter 12 bankruptcy, Community Action Program resources, Extension resources, and discussion centered around the movie "Country." The group also established a local "crisis phone line," developed a listing of farmers with excess hay during the drought of 1988, helped school staff understand how to be supportive to farm kids under stress, assisted a farm family support group in another community get started, and met with Wisconsin's Governor to discuss dairy marketing. The group now meets on an intermittent basis and offers considerable support to families in need over the phone. Their philosophy through the years has been simple: "Caring and sharing is important. Isolation can be devastating. We try to provide a safe environment for people to unload problems."