Whether it is requiring a long drive to the nearest grocery store or medical facility, living in a rural area presents challenges every day. 

Those challenges are often exacerbated for business owners, especially nonprofits, which work to serve the spread-out and, often, independent communities of North Idaho. When building space runs at a premium in towns like Sandpoint, overhead costs increase and can leave businesses that people depend on in danger of shutting down. 

That's where the Community Resource EnVision Center hopes to come into play.  

CREC Executive Director Katie Begalke said the 10,000-square-foot center, which is located at the former Coldwater Creek campus in Kootenai, has been built with the idea of collaboration in mind to reduce costs for residents and companies. 

"It's not a big organization; it's just seeing all of these moving pieces and partners and then finding ways to navigate through that for the folks that are in need of assistance," Begalke said. "The internet is amazing, and AI is amazing, and all of these tools that we have to gather information are incredible. However, the actual navigation of the services it's really helpful to have that human touch point, and that's what we offer." 

Begalke said that one of the challenges with the rural areas is that many people moved to North Idaho for a slice of independence, which can make them hesitant to reach out. She said that the organization serves primarily single mothers and seniors. 

 The latter of the two is often the most reluctant to reach out for help, Begalke said. 

"All of a sudden, an injury happens or a financial setback happens, and now they can't really live there, but they can't live in town either," Begalke said. "So, what happens is they kind of just flounder and require more resources and tap into the community and what we have available to offer." 

Begalke said for that reason, the CREC has two rural specialists who work in Bonners Ferry and Priest River, respectively. These two play a key role in building connections to bring more people into the CREC to access the connected resources in one place. 

"They're always at the library, they're going to community meals, they go to the food bank, and they build relationships, so that when people do come out finally and say, 'Hey, I really could use some help,' it doesn't feel like a hard ask," Begalke said of the specialists. "They already know that person, they've seen their face, it's just a brilliant, beautiful thing." 

Over 35 partners reside in the CREC, creating the opportunity for those businesses to share costs such as internet and power. Begalke and the CREC unveiled their dream concept at an Idaho Department of Commerce event in April, called The Hub. 

In the concept, the center would expand to the entire former Coldwater Creek campus, inviting organizations from across the county to create a true community hub. In Begalke's vision, The Hub houses some of the key non-profits in the region and becomes a place where people come for everything from social gatherings to key resources such as a food bank. 

"What would it look like to be in a space where you could come and you could get your social connection, you could get food, you could get help with your health care paperwork," Begalke said. "Or you can just commingle with people and feel like you're part of the community by going to one spot instead of all the spots." 

To make the dream a reality, the organization would need around $8 million, which Begalke has said she knows is a tall task. However, she's betting on the collaboration of the numerous non-profits in the county to come together around the vision. 

After even a short conversation with Begalke, her enthusiasm for the project is obvious. She said that stems from her origins in Bonner County, when she depended on the same community services that she works to bring together for the county. 

"I'm always looking for belonging and a place where I can feel in community, and I know that I'm not alone in that," Begalke said. " I don't think that Bonner County knows what we're sitting on, and if I can do more open houses, and I can partner with people that know how to make big things happen, it'll happen."