2012 Celebration of Caring and Giving

February 8 | 5pm - 7pm  Kahler Grand Hotel Heritage Hall

Register here

before 02/03/12

ABOUT YOU is designed to learn more about our community and the people who live here.

How can you help YOU?

• Go to www.about.org

• Take the survey.

• Advocate to at least 10 others to take the survey.

• Check out the forums on the website.

January 2012 marks the 11th anniversary of National Mentoring Month, an annual media campaign to recruit volunteer mentors for young people.

Mentors, backed by quality mentoring programs, play a powerful role in preventing substance abuse and youth violence, as well as boosting academic achievement and workforce readiness.

Studies have shown a more than 250 percent return on a $1 investment in mentoring and a myriad of quality of life benefits to the mentor, too. Mentors help build young people’s character and confidence, expand their universe and help them navigate pathways to successful adulthood.

Despite this proven impact, the gap between the number of mentors and the number of young people who need a mentor is still too large. While three million young people have a mentor, 15 million need a caring adult mentor in their lives. 

For additional information about National Mentoring Month, click here.
For local mentoring opportunities, click here.

SEMAR MLS Donates Laptops

Margaret Heise, MLS Executive Director of the the Southeast Minnesota Association of REALTORS® [SEMAR] (right) delivered 14 laptop computers donated by that organization.

"We were looking for a way to make good use of these laptops," said Ms Heise. "The board decided that United Way was well-positioned see they were put to good use."

"Great thanks for a very generous gift, " says United Way President Karen Mathison (left) adding that donations of technology are always welcomed and are quickly put into service supporting our work and that of partners. 

4th Job Training Partnership Welding Class Graduates

This month sees eight additional graduates receive their certificates of completion as part of the Job Training Collaborative. This fourth class gradates from a program expanded to include twice the number of hours of hands-on instruction with a curriculum modified to reflect specific skills and aptitudes identified by local employers. Several of the local employers were on-hand to interview graduates current openings.

"Today serves as a powerful demonstration of how we all benefit when our community comes together to help individuals access skills required to take the first steps toward financial security - stable employment at a living wage with benefits,"said United Way president Karen Mathison in her remarks.

There have been eighty-three graduates from this program since it began in 2010.