In 1976, a small group of volunteers opened a modest rented space in West St. Paul with little more than $764 in the bank and a deep commitment to serving women in need. Fifty years later, that seed of hope has grown into Guiding Star Wakota, a thriving 10,000-square-foot center offering wholistic care, from pregnancy support and material assistance to mental health services and community programs. The faces have changed, but the mission never has: every woman deserves to be seen, supported, and empowered.