Dear editor,

The Marshfield Area United Way campaign for our local community is currently in process for 2017. We are a proud partner program of the United Way. I respectfully encourage your readers to look at the programs the United Way supports and helps. I would hope that you would then be able to see how important your donation is to your neighbors in this community.

Soup or Socks is a volunteer-driven, community-based food pantry and clothes closet. We serve Marshfield and the surrounding area working in collaboration with Marshfield Area United Way and North Central Community Action program.

Soup or Socks’ mission is to provide households experiencing a crisis with enough healthy food for every member of the household. The funding we receive allows us to provide fresh foods as well as other perishable foods to each household. We also purchase nonperishable foods as needed to make sure we have our shelves stocked.

Our clothing closet provides to those who need quality clothing that will help the family stretch their limited budgets. Our volunteers love the look on the faces they see when they find shoes that fit or the perfect top for an adult or child that needs help.

With the assistance of Marshfield Area United Way, we have over the past few years been able to help many children with back to school clothing that included each child receiving a new pair of shoes, pants, and a top for that all important first day of school.

Recently, made possible in part through the generosity of Marshfield Area United Way, there are extended hours for the food pantry one day per week. On Thursdays we will screen at Marshfield Area United Way offices until 5:30 p.m. It is our goal with this to serve households that need help but are unable to reach us during our regular hours to receive food.

It is my hope that you can see how much a difference your donation can make in helping our community be the great place it is to live and work.

Cheryl Lewis Hartl

Soup or Socks Director

Dear editor,

Many people wonder what Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Community Services does. The name is long and does not tell what services are provided in the community. What does Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin have to do with Marshfield?

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin has a vision for children in Wisconsin to be the healthiest kids in the country. That means not just physical health correlated with Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee and the Fox Valley but also social, emotional, and behavioral health. Our Community Services division helps with these aspects of health.

In Marshfield we offer the Family Resource Center, child and family counseling, and supervised visitation. Specifically, we provide parenting classes, play-and-learn sessions, one-on-one meetings, a warmline for parenting questions, and other services. Helping families with resources they need supports healthy development of children and also improves the well-being of our community.

Many of the services mentioned require funding to ensure that all families, regardless of financial ability, receive services and support. The United Way helps with this funding and focuses on very similar goals: education, income, and health. All children deserve to have basic needs met, and United Way helps ensure this.

The United Way campaign is happening now. Please consider donating to the United Way so children and families in Marshfield receive support they need to be educated and healthy regardless of income.

Our slogan at Children’s is, “Kids deserve the best.” Help make this a reality. Give to the United Way today.

Jenna Hanson

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin-Community Services

Dear editor,

Pathway Partners Mentoring Program, a United Way partner program, has been serving high school students since 1999. Pathway Partners is a free, voluntary program providing mentors for any high school student who is interested. Adults from the community volunteer to mentor students. Matches are made according to career interests as well as hobbies and other shared interests.

Mentors do not only assist students with career guidance and advice. They are instrumental in providing students with new experiences in the community, introductions to community members, and helping students to develop into well-rounded citizens.

Pathway Partners Mentoring Program works with students to arrange job shadow experiences in the community. These experiences have been well received by both students and community members. A job shadow experience in high school gives students insight into a potential career as well as teaching valuable skills. These skills include preparing for their job shadow experience, meeting and interviewing with an adult, and developing self-confidence. Job shadowing introduces the concept of seeking out and cultivating mentoring relationships. In addition, the employer is linked to a potential new employee.

Pathway Partners is a unique program to the Marshfield area. Many communities do not have this option for their high school students. Our students are fortunate to have a supportive community that takes a vested interest in the development of our young citizens.

Your contribution to United Way assures that Pathway Partners can continue to engage students in these important relationships. Thank you for your support.

Beth Albee

Pathway Partners Mentoring Program Director