At Achieve Brown County, we believe real change happens when organizations come together around a shared purpose. Progress grows from trusting relationships. From alignment on goals. From conversations that move to action.
One of our valued relationships is with the Howe Community Resource Center and Executive Director Corrissa Frank. Corrissa leads with intention. She shared:
“In my personal and professional roles, I value showing up authentically and leading with compassion and empathy.”
She believes in valuing each person as a whole person. Personal and professional lives are connected. They cannot be fully separated. Her mindset aligns deeply with our collective impact work.
“A core part of my approach is empowering those around me, while also committing to my own continuous growth and reflection.”
Shared Focus on Early Childhood
Howe Community Resource Center serves families across Brown County through:
- Parents as Teachers home visiting, serving families prenatally through age four
- Monthly programs open to the broader community
- School-based mental health supporting students attending Howe Elementary Community School
Much of Achieve Brown County’s current work focuses on birth through age nine. The alignment of our partnership is clear.
Corrissa shared what first drew her to Achieve Brown County and being a part of the work:
I was encouraged to see an organization intentionally facilitating important conversations and driving projects forward to address gaps in the community and strengthen collaboration.”
From Conversation to Action
The work is already taking shape.
At Achieve Brown County’s Reading Success Summit, there was intentional conversation around access to books for kids from 2 to 6 years old – before they reach school.
We all agreed that this is a gap that should be filled and no external barriers should prevent kids from having books. These conversations sparked the launch of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Brown County.
About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, families in the 54301 and 54302 zip codes can receive a brand-new, age-appropriate book in the mail every month -completely free.
As of 2026, the Howe Community Resource center is supporting 752 children per month through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. It has never been below 700 over the past few months.”
Corrissa Frank
From birth until age five, children build their very own library at home, sparking a love of reading and creating special moments for parents and children to share together. This matters because reading with your child is one of the most powerful ways to support their growth and learning.
Corrissa reflected on the collaborative effort:
“That type of coordinated, community-wide effort may not have happened without ABC creating space for shared conversations.”
Continued Collaboration
The Howe Community Resource Center and their team saw the value in working with Achieve Brown County. There are now active team members from HCRC who are participating in action groups. These groups focus on early literacy and child developmental screenings.
Our action teams consist of people from all areas within our community. This is designed to allow for dynamic conversations that wouldn’t happen otherwise. Nonprofit leaders are speaking with teachers. Policy makers are speaking with parents.
The outcome = a better Brown County for our young people.
For Corrissa, success looks like,
A strong, supportive community where families are connected to more resources that best meet their needs. This is made possible with successful collaboration and trust.
At Achieve Brown County, we are the community champions. We connect families to resources. We find gaps in our programs to build a better Brown County for our young people!
A Stronger System for Families
Corrissa sees one of the primary challenges as the need for stronger connections across organizations. Achieve Brown County brings together community champions willing to have the dig into the greater needs of our young people.
“As individual organizations, we often see the direct impact of our own programs. This work creates an opportunity to understand how those efforts intersect across systems.”
With the help of nonprofits like Achieve Brown County and the Howe Community Resource Center,
“Organizations are able to walk alongside families, rather than having families navigate systems on their own.”
Collaboration Matters
Cross-sector collaboration matters because barriers often exist for every person, every parent, and every family. When partners come together around a shared goal, those barriers can be addressed and action can begin to happen.
And that is the heart of Achieve Brown County’s work. Shared conversations that turn individual efforts into collective impact for our community.
We are grateful for Howe Community Resource Center’s leadership, partnership, and commitment to families in Brown County. The work continues. And it continues together.
Interested in Becoming a Partner?
The Achieve Brown County Collective Impact Partnership is made up of volunteers, called Partners.
Partners can be individuals or organizations from across Brown County who bring lived or learned experience.
An active partner contributes their voice and insight to move our work forward through data, collaboration, and action.