	United Way St. Croix Valley
	GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.	E-NEWS FROM YOUR LOCAL UNITED WAY

	Your Community News - February 2016 www.unitedwaystcroix.org



Contents Food Resource Center Distributes One Million Pounds Success By 6 Launches Family Friendly Workplace Program Green Bay Packers Foundation Sponsors February Food Resource Center Shipment

Welcome to your local United Way's February e-newsletter. We hope you are staying warm and safe this winter. This month we have some exciting announcements in our newsletter. Thank you for your help in achieving these milestones. We are so grateful for your continued support.

- United Way St. Croix Valley Board and Staff

Food Resource Center Distributes One Million Pounds

The United Way St. Croix Valley Food Resource Center has passed the one million pound distribution mark. Since opening February of 2008, the Food Resource Center has distributed more than 1,025,900 pounds of food and other products to area pantries, shelters and meal programs in Pierce, Polk and St. Croix Counties. That is the equivalent of 789,154 meals for the hungry. The majority of the food came from our partner The Food Group (formerly The Emergency Foodshelf Network) of New Hope, Minn. Thank you so much for your help in achieving this milestone.

Success By 6 Launches Family Friendly Workplace Program

The Family Friendly Workplace certification is an initiative by United Way St. Croix Valley's Success By 6 to connect the business community and families. This trademark-registered program gives businesses the opportunity to earn the Family Friendly Workplace certification for workplace practices that support families and provide financial support to early childhood education programs.

FFW Certified Organizations will increase educational and service delivery funding through certification fees. This and educational aspects connected with certification will lead to:

Enhanced family friendly workplaces
Heightened awareness of importance of early childhood and existing programs and services and increased family participation
Enhanced workplace recruitment and retention of employees

Businesses will earn points for family-friendly practices to be certified as a Family Friendly Workplace. Certification will be at bronze, silver and gold levels. A few examples include: providing time off for child-related activities, offering tax saving options for childcare expenses and providing breastfeeding employees a private location for breastfeeding/expressing milk.

Businesses earning a certification will receive a plaque to acknowledge their certification, which will raise community awareness about the need to support families and attract and retain workers.

To learn more about the Family Friendly Workplace Certification program visit http://familyfriendlyworkplace.org or contact Lara Otsuka at lotsuka@unitedwaystcroix.org.

Green Bay Packers Foundation Sponsors February Food Resource Center Shipment

The Green Bay Packers Foundation sponsored the February United Way St. Croix Valley Food Resource Center shipment benefiting 12 area pantries and two shelters. The Foundation is a Platinum sponsor. United Way is thankful for the support.