Commitment to Mankato
We continue to be pleased with our foundress’ decision to establish province headquarters in Mankato, Minnesota. The continued management of success stems from our commitment to our mission, the environment, staff, and to Greater Mankato as a whole. And, almost 100 years later, education, advocacy and service to those in need continues to be at the heart of the our ministries.
Dedication to Family and Community
Good Counsel Learning Center, located on Good Counsel Hill, serves nearly 200 parochial and public school children annually in the greater Mankato area. Semi-retired sisters provide one-to-one tutoring for students who need help in language, reading, and math skills.
Loyola Catholic School remain a significant educational ministry for the sisters as demonstrated through their classroom teaching and administration, participation on the Loyola education board, and support for the school through reduced rent of the former Good Counsel Academy.
Theresa House, an ecumenical ministry, serves as an emergency shelter and transitional housing for homeless families and single women in the greater Mankato area.
Employees from MRCI join SSND staff in laundry services. Through partnerships like this, it is MRCI’s goal to enhance self-reliance and give people opportunities to make choices and to preserve the dignity and worth of the individual while recognizing their unique needs.
Through the Center for Earth Spirituality and Rural Ministry, located on Good Counsel Hill, the School Sisters of Notre Dame provide garden space each summer for use by Mankato community members and local immigrants and refugees.
The Fund for Mission is available to the community at large. The Fund was developed in the 1990s to help empower persons to reach the fullness of their potential within the communities where they work and live. The areas of concern supported by the Fund for Mission are women, youth, the economically poor, cross-cultural communities, rural communities, and systemic change efforts.
The School Sisters of Notre Dame support Mankato’s fine arts organizations by providing the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Counsel as a venue for a wide variety of concerts including those given by Musicorum, Minnesota Chorale, Mankato Symphony, and Bethany College.
Mankato is enriched by the sisters’ presence in parishes and health care facilities; through Sister-Friends and personal relationships; and by offering the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Counsel for ecumenical prayer services.
Commitment to the Environment on the Hill
The School Sisters of Notre Dame’s Environmental Services and Grounds Department uses “green” products in their day-to-day cleaning and maintenance of the building and grounds. For example, garlic oil is used to repel mosquitoes, compost from food services and the grounds is used for fertilizer, and vinegar is used in the place of chemicals for light cleaning.
We used environmental friendly practices in the improvement of land for the renovation project started in 2001 and looked carefully at what materials we wanted to use in the new space, how the hill would be landscaped, and what types of heating and cooling systems should be used.
In a sustainability audit using the Leadership in Energy in Environmental Design (LEED) rating system from the US Green Building Council, the project received an equivalent of the “gold” rating, one level away from the top platinum rating. Areas evaluated include erosion control, light pollution reduction, optimal energy performance and monitoring, building reuse, use of local and durable materials and those with high recycled content, ventilation effectiveness, maximization of natural lighting and views.
Dedication to Mankato Businesses
We use local vendors including printers, mail-house, graphic designers, compost and recycling facilities, financial institutions, and contractors.
The School Sisters of Notre Dame gave special attention to local businesses during the bid process of the provincial house renovation project. Many local businesses, such as Schwickert’s Inc., were involved in the $20 million renovation completed in 2003. Schwickert’s Inc. won first place in the prestigious National Design/Build Award competition sponsored annually by Contracting Business Magazine for their work on the project. This award recognizes a true commitment to quality by contractors, manufacturers, and building owners/managers alike.
Creation of Quality Jobs
The School Sisters of Notre Dame provide over 125 full- and part-time jobs for people living in the greater Mankato area, as well as students attending area colleges. They serve in health care, environmental and food services, building and ground maintenance, and throughout administrative offices.
Many college students pursuing health-related degrees work in the healthcare wing gaining important people skills and training from dedicated staff. We work with the specific needs of employees to teach the highest standards in healthcare and build Mankato’s strong healthcare workforce. It is our desire that all our employees reach the fullness of their potential.
