When Arne Gustafson thinks about giving back to Brown County, he isn’t looking for a Band-Aid.
He wants to understand what is underneath the challenges our community faces and invest in ideas that have the potential to address them at the root.
For Arne, that idea is community.
Both of Arne’s parents were educators, and his mother was a reading specialist. So as Achieve Brown County has deepened its focus on early literacy, he sees a clear connection between children learning to read today and their long-term opportunities for self-sufficiency and success.
He also recognizes something at the heart of Achieve Brown County’s mission: not every young person begins with the same opportunities.
Brown County has never lacked people who care.
When Arne looks at Brown County, he sees growth. He sees a community people want to be part of. Most importantly, he sees people who genuinely care about one another.
The opportunity is bringing those people together around the challenges no single person or organization can solve alone.
That’s what stands out to him about Achieve Brown County.
“Achieve Brown County is the glue that brings the community together.”
— Arne Gustafson
Rather than one organization trying to solve a complex challenge alone, Achieve Brown County creates spaces where community members, businesses, schools, nonprofits, health care systems and families can see how their individual strengths fit into a much larger picture.
Sometimes, those connections uncover possibilities people didn’t even realize existed.
What happens when the right people are in the room?
Arne points to early literacy as an example.
When partners from Emplify Health by Bellin participated in our Early Literacy Event, conversations began about how health care could play a role in helping more children become strong readers.
That connection grew.
Emplify Health recognized opportunities to contribute data to our shared understanding of early literacy and expanded Reach Out and Read across its locations, putting books and conversations about literacy directly into children’s health care experiences.
No single organization could create that kind of change alone.
It happened because people came together around one shared challenge and began asking: What role can we play?
That’s the kind of work Arne wants his giving to make possible.
A launching pad for something bigger
He sees that same potential in our Built Literacy Environments work.
Volunteers and community partners are exploring ways to bring literacy into everyday places where families already spend time, from parks and walking areas to laundromats and waiting rooms.
Arne doesn’t just see these projects for what they are today. He sees what they could become.
“It’s a launching pad. If we see it working, others can grab onto it.”
— Arne Gustafson
That’s the momentum he’s excited about.
Start with an idea. Bring the right people around it. Learn what works. Then make it possible for others to build on it.
And while the data tells us there is urgency, including that only about 54% of Brown County third graders are reading at benchmark, Arne knows numbers don’t tell the entire story.
Behind those numbers are children, families, opportunities and an entire community with a role to play.
Investing in the glue
Arne’s $10,000 investment in Achieve Brown County isn’t about believing Achieve Brown County has all the answers. It’s almost the opposite.
He believes in Achieve Brown County because we can be the glue that brings a community together to uncover the answers.
We don’t have to be the organization doing everything. We can help connect the people who know something, have something or see something that someone else needs.
That’s how communities begin addressing root causes instead of symptoms.
That’s how good ideas gain momentum.
And that’s how we build a Brown County where every young person has the opportunity to thrive.
For Arne, that’s an idea worth investing in.
Every Investment Matters
Arne’s investment is ultimately an investment in our community.
Building that community doesn’t depend on one person making a $10,000 investment. It takes more people choosing to be part of it.
“We need more people to get invested in the idea.”
— Arne Gustafson
That’s the purpose behind Better Futures. Together., Achieve Brown County’s monthly giving community.
Whether you invest $10, $25, $50 or $100 a month, your investment helps create the connections that bring more caring people together, turn conversations into action and give promising ideas the chance to grow.
Because Brown County doesn’t lack people who care. We just need more ways to connect them.
Ready to get invested?
Join Better Futures. Together. and make a monthly investment in a stronger, more connected Brown County where every young person has the opportunity to thrive.