Founded as the Interagency and Family Collaborative Board in 2010, the Carbon Collaborative’s mission is to build a community network to improve the quality of life for children and families in Carbon County. The Collaborative meets five times a year, and over 100 Carbon County social service organizations and nonprofit partners are invited, with more than 35 attending regularly. The Carbon Collaborative identifies gaps, barriers, and opportunities and prioritizes care, education, services, and resources. Subcommittees and initiatives have been formed to build capacity, such as transportation, literacy, early childhood education, and prevention efforts.

On Friday, April 19th, the Carbon County Collaborative hosted the Annual Health and Human Services Breakfast (download the brochure here). The theme was Homeless Not Helpless, Finding Your Way Home. Speakers and sponsors are pictured in the first picture. From left to right: Rosemarie Lister – St Luke’s, Wayne Nothstein – Commissioner, Robert Frycklund – Attorney, Aggie Schoenberger – Peaceful Knights, Cathy Lamm – Family Promise, Jill Geissinger – Children & Youth Services, Kellie Cummings – SHARE, Rob Nicolella – Carbon County Housing Authority. Front row from left to right: Sue Ziegler – Area Agency on Aging and Kim Miller – Action Committee for Human Services.

This year, the Excellence in Service Award was presented to Larissa Kimmel for her dedication and commitment to improving the lives of Carbon County children and families. Larissa is pictured with Breakfast Committee members in the second picture. From left to right: Sue Ziegler, Wayne Nothstein, Larissa Kimmel – Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services, Jill Geissinger, Sharon Alexander – Carbon County Community Foundation. For over 20 years, Larissa has been dedicated to helping the children and families of Carbon County achieve their personal and professional goals and build a stronger, healthier community.

The Carbon Collaborative also presented the Health & Human Services Scholarship worth $1,000 to a local student planning to pursue higher education or a career in a health or human services field.

If you want to learn more or join the Collaborative, please email Secretary Rosemarie Lister at rosemarie.lister@sluhn.org.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Mr and Mrs Wayne Nothstein

PA Area Health Education Center (AHEC) East

AmeriHealth Caritas Northeast

Carbon County Community Foundation

St Luke’s University Health Network

Lehigh Carbon Community College

2023-24 Officers:

• Co-Chair, Wayne Nothstein (Carbon County Commissioner)
• Co-Chair, Sue Ziegler (Carbon County Area Agency on Aging)
• Vice Chair, Jill Geissinger (Carbon County Children and Youth Services Administrator)
• Secretary, Rosemarie Lister (St Lukes Univ Health Network)
• Treasurer, Cindy Lynd (Eastcentral PA Area Health Ed Center)