A Simple Beginning: In 1998, a parishioner in North Dakota, Margaret Bruce, sought a way to
support farm families and came up with the idea of a green ribbon and a card that read "We care through
prayer." Around the same time, NCRLC began receiving emergency calls from farm families in stress
and saw that the situation was getting worse across the country. In November 1998, NCRLC launched
the Green Ribbon Campaign at our 75th anniversary meeting. We developed and began to disseminate
rural crisis packets to help parishes deal with the growing rural crisis.

When Margaret Bruce began wearing a green ribbon for farm families, she said at the time: "I can’t do
much, but I can wear a green ribbon to let families know that I care through prayer." Her "can't do
much" example has turned into a national campaign that brings support and hope to thousands. Her life
is an example of how ordinary people doing ordinary things have extraordinary results. Margaret was
the Pastoral Associate at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Grafton, North Dakota. She died of
an aneurysm in Grand Forks, ND, on Jan. 27, 2001. Please keep Margaret and her family in your prayers.