Partnership in Action: Joint County-Wide Meeting

On May 25, the Goodhue County Child & Family Collaborative and RiseUp Partnership launched their first joint county-wide meeting in Red Wing. This gathering brought together approximately 60 participants from across Goodhue County, including strong representation from school staff and leaders, to collectively work toward three shared goals:

• To understand the alignment between RiseUp and the Collaborative.

• To review a proposed unified organizational structure that supports shared goals.

• To identify individuals and roles for this emerging collaboration.

A Vision of Unified Effort

Superintendent Jeff Sampson (Cannon Falls Area Schools) and Kris Johnson (Deputy Director, Goodhue County Health & Human Services) shared the journey of these two groups and the natural overlap in their missions. While some key stakeholders were already active in both efforts, others were missing, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and coordinated structure.

Kris Johnson, who has long supported the Collaborative and more recently worked with RiseUp, led the effort to create a new, merged structure that reduces duplication while expanding capacity. This combined approach honors the work of both groups and sets the stage for deeper community impact. 

The Wallace Foundation joined as a special guest, actively participating in the day's activities. They provided valuable feedback, engaged in relationship-building with local partners, and shared insights about systems-change work.

Together, we focused on:

• Building trust-filled relationships, the foundation for real collaboration.

• Having honest conversations about what’s working, what’s duplicated, and where the gaps in youth services are.

• Facing funding challenges head-on, seeking ways to align and stretch limited resources to better serve youth.

One of the most powerful moments came when every participant placed a post-it note with their name on a whiteboard, indicating where they wanted to contribute in this shared effort. That simple act was a bold commitment: "I’m in."

Participants included:

• Cannon Falls Area Schools

• Cannon Falls TreeHouse

• CARE Clinic

• City of Red Wing

• Education Partnerships Coalition (EPC)

• Fernbrook Family Center

• Goodhue County Court Services

• Goodhue County Education District (GCED)

• Goodhue County Habitat for Humanity

• Goodhue County Health & Human Services

• Goodhue Public Schools

• Hispanic Outreach of Goodhue County

• Hope and Harbor

• HOPE Coalition

• Lake City Public Schools

• Mayo Clinic

• Red Wing Family YMCA

• Red Wing High School Black Student Union (BSU)

• Red Wing Public Schools

• RiseUp Partnership

• Three Rivers Community Action

• United Way of Goodhue, Wabasha, and Pierce Counties

• Wallace Foundation

• Workforce Development, Inc.

• Zumbrota-Mazeppa Public Schools