About Us
Brief History
The People Project sprung from the mental well-being workgroup of the ReThink Mental Health Initiative of Cass and Clay Counties.
ReThink Mental Health was formed after the 2013 Greater Fargo Moorhead Community Health Needs Assessment identified mental health as a priority health issue, and community leaders agreed to work together to rethink the fragmented, crisis driven service system, focus more on prevention, and create a community that flourishes.
Our focus on mental well-being comes from our belief that just as physical health is more than the absence of disease; mental health is more than the absence of mental illness. Numerous studies have shown that we can apply tools to retain our minds to focus on the positive and improve our wellbeing. We can build greater social connections, improve sleep and immune function, and enhance memory. The tools are simple… and life changing. A special thanks to Dr. Jill Nelson, Professor of Counseling at North Dakota State University for creating the tools. For more information about the tools and the research behind the tools, contact her at jill.r.nelson@ndsu.edu.
Mission
Building personal connection and resiliency through education, partnership and action.
Vision
Individuals, organizations, and communities are flourishing by promoting health through happiness.
Values
Gratitude | Connection | Joy | Compassion | Resilience
PERMA
A Theory of Well-Being
Positive Emotion
Developing feelings of contentment and joy.
Engagement
Being absorbed, interested, and involved in an activity.
Relationships
Feeling loved, supported, and valued by others. Other people matter!
Meaning
Having a sense of purpose, feeling life is valuable and worth living, or connecting to something greater than ourselves.
Accomplishments
Working toward and reaching goals and feeling able to complete tasks and daily responsiblities. Feeling of mastery and acheivement.
2022-2023 Participants
The following organizations participated in The People Project:
Churches United, Clay County Public Health, Essentia, Great Plains Food Bank, SENDCAA, Serenity Assisted Living and Memory Care, and Tellwell Story Co.
2021-2022 Participants
The following organizations participated in The People Project:
Churches United, First Link, Head Start/SENDCAA, Lakes & Prairies Community Action, Heritage Middle School, Horace High School, Lakes Country Service Cooperative, NDSU, Wells Fargo.
2020-2021 Participants
The following organizations participated in The People Project:
702 Communications, City of Moorhead, Clay County Social Services, Discovery Benefits, Gate City Bank, Lakes & Prairies Community Action, and Wells Fargo Bank.
2019-2020 Participants
The following organizations participated in The People Project:
Bell Bank, Boys & Girls Club of the Red River Valley, Clay County Public Health, Clay County Social Services, Eide Bailly, FirstLink, Moorhead Horizon Middle School, Oak Grove Lutheran School, St. John Paul II Catholic Schools, Boys & Girls Club of the Red River Valley, City of Moorhead, and Cass County Public Health.
Pilot Program
The following organizations participated in The People Project pilot program:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, Boys & Girls Club of the Red River Valley, Cheney Middle School, City of Moorhead, Creative Care for Reaching Independence, Discovery Benefits, Eastwood Elementary, Emerging Prairie, Essentia Health, Fargo Cass Public Health, Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce, GOLDMARK Property Management, LE Berger Elementary, Lakes Country Service Cooperative, Microsoft-Fargo Campus, Moorhead Public Schools Administrative Offices, Myriad Mobile, SE Education Cooperative, Sheyenne High School, Tellwell, West Fargo High School, and West Fargo Schools District Office.