[Madison, WI] – The Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC), the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (WAFCC), and the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA), in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, are launching the Wisconsin Owns Wellbeing (WOW) Collaborative to conduct statewide and regional safety net strategy sessions over the next nine months.
The WOW Collaborative aims to create a shared vision for Wisconsin’s safety net and the individuals and communities served, and to spur and mature partnerships that will bring the vision to fruition. Tim Size, Executive Director of the RWHC noted, “This effort builds on Wisconsin’s long tradition of effective collaboration with a goal of super charging these partnerships for the future.”
Scott Stewart, CEO at WPHCA, added, “Given everything that is happening socially, politically, and economically right now, this project is extremely timely for safety net partners to have structured time to plan together for the future.”
Dennis Skrajewski, Executive Director at WAFCC, said, “Wisconsin’s safety net providers and partners have the creativity, the grit, and the resolve to determine what needs to change and make it happen.”
Following a visioning session for statewide leaders in December, the WOW Collaborative will test and tailor strategic planning at five regional meetings in 2026:
- January 27, 2026: Market on River; Chippewa Falls
- February 17, 2026: Lake of the Torches, Lac du Flambeau
- March 4, 2026: St. Norbert College, De Pere
- March 19, 2026: Baraboo Arts, Baraboo
- April 15, 2026: Waukesha County Technical College; Pewaukee
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- For additional information about the WOW Collaborative, please see the website landing page:https://www.rwhc.com/wisconsin_owns_wellbeing
- To sign up to receive project updates or notifications when registrations for regional meetingsopen: Wisconsin Owns Wellbeing (WOW) Collaborative Interest Form.
The WOW Collaborative is generously supported by the Roots & Wings Foundation. Roots & Wings is a family foundation established in 2020 by Judy and Gordon Faulkner. Roots & Wings makes grants across the fields of healthcare, early learning, basic needs, and safety & justice. The Foundation supports non-profit organizations that help low-income children and families reach their full potential through prevention, early intervention, and in-depth programming that changes lives. More information available at www.rootswings.org.
