Healthy Community Initiative

By Chloe Kucera for the Faribault Daily News

There’s no better way to get acquainted with a community than to take a tour of some of its unique businesses and organizations.

The new President and CEO of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Benya Kraus, has been getting to know the communities she will be serving.

SMIF, an Owatonna-based nonprofit, is a regional development and philanthropic organization that fosters economic and community vitality in 20 counties of southern Minnesota through a culture of collaboration and partnership. SMIF’s region includes the counties of Blue Earth, Brown, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Goodhue, Martin, Le Sueur, Nicollet, Mower, Rice, Olmsted, Steele, Sibley, Waseca, Wabasha, Winona and Watonwan, as well as the Prairie Island Indian Community.

And Kraus is determined to get to know them all.

Along with the former SMIF President and CEO Tim Penny, the two went on a five-day regional tour, stopping in Faribault on Thursday.

Their first destination was Little Scholars Academy’s second location at 550 Wilson. Although the daycare has not yet opened its doors to offer its services, as it waits for licensing, it plans to open sometime in August.

SMIF has been a supporter of the daycare since its beginning. In collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and nonprofit organization Faribault Cares, the need for an increase in childcare was recognized as a priority for the community.

“We did a community needs analysis where we discovered a gap of 500 childcare slots here in our community,” said Casie Steeves, chamber director of operations and lead of Faribault Cares.

SMIF provided them with a consultant to develop a child care plan.

Hala Al-Harthi, owner of Little Scholars Academy, was then brought on to open a second location of her daycare to help meet the need and provide an essential piece of early childhood education for children.

Between the daycare facilities and a pod project at the Faribo West Mall, the organization is currently working on, 100 daycare slots will be added.

As Al-Harthi gave Kraus the tour of her facility, Kraus asked questions to learn more about their operation.

Kraus was impressed with the daycare center and told Al-Harthi to inform her if SMIF can provide further assistance.

“Please let us know if SMIF can support at all, both in terms of training needs that you all are hearing,” Kraus said. “Or as you think about purchasing and expanding your childcare empire, we can talk about lending opportunities.”

Penny and Kraus then made a stop at Twisted Chicken, a loan client of SMIF. Following that, the two toured Cry Baby Craig’s facility, another business that is a loan client of theirs.

Co-owner Sam Bonin brought them through the unique process of their hot sauce production.

“We’re the only people who actually manufacture this way,” he said. “That’s why we have to have our own facilities. We’re not doing anything special. We’re just pickling like your grandmother used to do. It would be just vinegar, salt, and water, and then that preserves the peppers as long as they’re needed. Then we’ll bring them up and blend them with the spice blend and fresh garlic.”

Starting Cry Baby Craig’s in the Twin Cities, they wanted to expand, but buildings in the area were too expensive. They were able to come to Faribault and purchase a space for their operations at a significantly lower cost.

Bonin has found that the partnerships his business has with the city, the EDA, the State Bank, SMIF and the Chamber of Commerce have significantly contributed to their growth.

During her time in Faribault, Kraus felt deeply inspired by the way community leaders and organizations supported one another.

“Opening up the conversation today, just the depth of collaboration here, is amazing,” she said. “You have leaders who see their work and mission as interwoven with each other, and that’s a really special ingredient. When you have that, it’s your superpower to drive everything else.”