In 1996, a grassroots effort began as a response to an editorial in the Bemidji Pioneer newspaper, with a call to action to address Bemidji’s historical reputation as the “crime capital” of rural Minnesota. The Bemidji Area Council on Crime was formed with many local agencies participating.

One of the goals that emerged from those efforts was to reduce assaults in Bemidji’s 4th through 9th grade students. A pilot project was created in 2000 at Central Elementary that provided for a Prevention Specialist to teach cooperative life skills to the students.

The success of the Central Elementary project prompted more meetings to discuss the need for a nonprofit organization that focuses on primary prevention programming in the Bemidji area. Peacemaker Resources was established as a 501(c)(3) organization in July 2003.

We now provide services to several counties in our region, helping to shape the change we want to see in the world.