Who We Are
A county-wide collective of neighbors, organizations, and leaders working together so Carroll County thrives.
Our Story
From a first conversation to a county-wide effort
Stronger Together Carroll County grew out of a simple idea: that Carroll County's challenges are best solved by the people who live and work here, working side by side.
It began with a meeting of local school superintendents and grew into the Carroll Youth Resiliency Collaborative and the Empower Youth Coalition, efforts that brought schools, health providers, faith leaders, and nonprofits to the same table.
Today, Stronger Together uses the Collective Impact model to align those partners around shared goals, so that work already happening across the county adds up to lasting change.
Phase 1: Foundation Building (Jan – Jun 2024)
Stakeholder recruitment, formation of working groups, baseline community health survey, and development of the common agenda.
Phase 2: Implementation (Jul 2024 – Jun 2025)
Launch of pilot programs for youth mentorship and senior wellness, regional resource mapping, expansion of community outreach, and mid-point evaluation.
Phase 3: Sustainability & Scaling (Jul 2025 – Dec 2026)
Evaluation of pilot outcomes, policy advocacy for long-term funding, expansion of successful programs to secondary districts, and publication of the 2026 final impact report.
Our Mission
To strengthen Carroll County by fostering collaboration, promoting prevention, empowering residents, and building resilience so every person can thrive.
Our Vision
A thriving Carroll County where all residents are healthy, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
How We Work: Collective Impact
We believe that complex community issues like health equity cannot be solved by a single organization acting alone. We utilize the Collective Impact framework to bring together cross-sector partners, including healthcare, education, local government, and community members, to create long-term, systemic change.
Common Agenda
A shared vision for change, including a common understanding of the problem and a joint approach to solving it through agreed-upon actions.
Shared Measurement
Consistent collection of data and measurement of results across all participants to ensure efforts remain aligned and accountability is maintained.
Mutually Reinforcing Activities
Participant activities are differentiated while still being coordinated through a mutually reinforcing plan of action.
Continuous Communication
Consistent and open communication across the many players to build trust, assure mutual objectives, and appreciate common motivation.
Backbone Support
A separate organization with staff that serves as the backbone to manage the initiative, coordinate participation, and provide administrative support.
Leadership Structure
Executive Steering Committee
Provides overall strategic direction and ensures alignment with the common agenda.
Advisory Council
Offers domain-specific expertise and community feedback, including representatives from faith-based organizations, small business owners, and youth leaders.
Working Groups
Action-oriented teams: Health Equity (Dr. Alicia Vance), Community Engagement (Jessica Martinez), and Data & Evaluation (Robert Chen).
Backbone Support Team
Manages daily operations, scheduling, and grant coordination. Lead Manager: Linda Hayes.
2026 Community Priorities
Concrete goals our work groups are tackling this year.
Nutrition & Food Access
- Increase farmers market voucher distribution by 20%
- Establish two new community pantries in underserved sectors
Mental Health & Wellness
- Launch mobile crisis response team
- Provide free mental health first aid training to 500 residents
Physical Activity & Environment
- Renovate central park playground
- Install three miles of protected bike lanes
Health Equity & Outreach
- Multilingual campaign for preventive screenings
- Mobile health clinic pilot program in rural districts
2026 Current Focus
Reducing food insecurity, improving mental health access, and expanding recreational green spaces.
Steering Committee
Coordinator: Kelly Morris · Carroll County General Health District
"If we don't start doing what is hard, we will always be where we are today."