The Annual Backpack & School Supply Drive Begins Monday

It’s that time of year again for Marshfield Area United Way’s Backpack and School Supply drive. For the

last nine years, United Way has worked with Marshfield Clinic to organize this community-wide collection that helps provide hundreds of area children with school supplies. United Way became involved with this project because every child deserves to start the school year with everything they need to be successful.

As Marshfield Area United Way’s intern again this summer, I am more than thrilled to be part of this project. This project means a great deal to me for many reasons. When the backpack and school supply drive first started in 2005, it was organized by Marshfield Clinic’s Employee Assistance Program. My mom, Jeanine Breu, who was an administrative secretary in that department, spear-head the program by organizing, collecting and distributing school supplies to families in need. I am proud to be able to work on the same project that my mom helped create.

As a recent graduate from UWSP with a degree in education, I have experienced first-hand how important it is for students to have all the needed school supplies in order to succeed. Students’ main focus while they are in school should be on the course-work at hand. They shouldn’t need worry about having all the proper tools to participate in class. Providing children with school supplies not only allows them to walk into their classroom on the first day of school prepared, but more confident as well. Imagine what it would feel like to be a child entering a new classroom and new school year where everyone else around you has proper supplies and you don’t.

As a teacher, it is important for me to do all that I can to make a difference in the lives of children and to be a part of their academic success.  You, too, can make a difference by doing something as simple as donating a few supplies. Please consider participating in United Way’s annual backpack and school supply drive from July 28^th until August 10th. For a comprehensive list of school supplies needed and to find out where you can drop-off your donations, please visit marshfieldareunitedway.org.

Alyssa Breu, Summer Intern

Marshfield Area United Way

Time To Make A Difference

Late. Not a word that typically makes anyone happy. Bosses don’t appreciate employees being late for work. Expecting mothers aren’t usually too excited about their newborn child deciding to arrive late. And we all know how companies feel when you don’t pay a bill on time. But late, in this circumstance, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

The annual community campaign at Marshfield Area United Way is embracing the thought that the campaign is running a little late this year. The fact is, this means there is still time to make a contribution to this year’s campaign. It’s never too late to help make a difference. Any donation, large or small, does matter, so please consider investing in our community today. Your donation will support crucial community programs in the coming year that will help make the Marshfield area a better place to live. Here are just some of the ways your gift made a difference in our community last year:

Last year, with your help, 12,149 people received services in Marshfield and ten surrounding communities. Last year, because you care about your community, 303 seniors were able to remain living independently in their home through the help of United Way programs and 2310 people facing crisis had their basic needs met. Last year, 1218 books were distributed through the Reach Out and Read program, promoting early childhood literacy and 735 backpacks with supplies were distributed to area students. Last year, your investment helped provide mentorships to 4052 area children and youth.

Marshfield Area United Way’s annual community campaign is currently at fifty-five percent of the $900,000 goal set by the Board of Directors to meet our community’s health and human service needs in 2014. Your tax-deductible donation can be mailed to: Marshfield Area United Way, PO Box 771, Marshfield, WI, 54449 or dropped off at the United Way office located at 156 S Central Avenue. A secure donation may also be made online. Simply visit marshfieldareaunitedway.org and click on “Give Now.”

"The Statisticks of Marshfield" Wins Wave Award

Click on image to watch the video.

The WAVE (Web Audio Video Excellence) Awards recognizes the best web, audio and video media productions created in the Greater Madison area. Recently, “The Statisticks of Marshfield,” a Marshfield Area United Way video, won the WAVE Award in the PSA/Public service category at the Wave Award show.  “The Wave awards are kind of like the commercial Emmy Awards of Madison - it's pretty competitive and it’s judged by media/communication veterans from outside Wisconsin,” said John Holcomb, producer of “Statisticks.”

"The Statisticks of Marshfield" is a short video that takes you on a journey through adolescence with Jamie and Jamie. You will learn how two best friend's lives take different paths and how your investment in Marshfield Area United Way can help the "Jamie's" of Marshfield achieve their full potential. The video was created to bring attention to data collected from responses to the 2012 Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The survey is administered to local students in eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades and is given with anonymity. Students are asked questions on various topics, such as: distracted driving, violence related behaviors, bullying, drug and alcohol use, suicide and healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Jamie and Jamie are more than stick figures and statistics in a video.   They are your child’s friend at school, your co-workers children and your next-door neighbors. Please take a minute to watch “The Statisticks of Marshfield” on Marshfield Area United Way’s website at www.marshfieldareaunitedway.org and click on “click here to watch ‘The Statisticks of Marshfield’ image.”

There is still time to invest in our community. Make a donation to this year’s United Way campaign. Send contributions to: Marshfield Area United Way, PO Box 771, Marshfield, WI, 54449 or drop them off at the United Way office located at 156 S Central Avenue. A secure donation may also be made online. Simply visit marshfieldareaunitedway.org and click on “Give Now.”

Marshfield Area United Way would like to extend our sincerest thank you to Associated Bank for their sponsorship of the video. Your continued support of Marshfield Area United Way, and moreover, the community are greatly appreciated.

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Community Services - Family Resource Center

Miranda is a Grandmother who recently received legal guardianship of her grandson and is feeling overwhelmed with the new challenges of parenting as a grandparent. She is worried that she has out-of-date parenting skills. She says that the Love and Logic parenting class she attended provided her with information that addressed her specific needs and concerns with parenting.  Discipline was at the top of her list.  She acknowledged that she didn’t feel confident, since she previously had the role as a grandparent and that through this parent education class she learned different ways on how to manage her (grand) child in regard to discipline that she feels more comfortable and confident with using.  Miranda said she learned several discipline techniques that she feels are direct, yet nurturing.  In addition, she feels as though she has connected with other parents, including another grandparent in a similar situation who she feels will be a future support.

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Community Services' family resource centers partner with parents and other community resources to strengthen families. Our Family Resource Centers are a place for you to build on your parenting skills.

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Community Services - Child and Family Counseling

Sophia (name changed to protect child's identity) is a 6th grade girl that presented with missing school, peer relational issues, deteriorating parental relationships.  Her initial diagnosis was Adjustment Disorder NOS (not otherwise specified).  After meeting her a couple more sessions it was evident that more was going on than what was presented.  She was being solicited by boys at school for physical contact and electronic sexual messages.  Also, an older sibling was struggling with drug and mood issues that led to a physical altercation in the home.

Treatment goals were to improve her relationship with her mother, and to build up healthy boundaries for herself.

Sophia was seen a total of 7 times over 5 months.  She shared openly and was willing to accept feedback.  Sophia was fearful of her brother, felt violated by boys at school, and cried a lot.  The abuse to her by both brother and the boys was reported by the therapist to Social Services.  Her mother was informed about the situation.  The therapist talked about healthy boundaries and appropriate interactions.  Asserting was one of the main things that the therapist taught her.  Sophia shared more about her brother, and that situation improved.  She reported another incident with a boy at school, and it was also reported to social services.  Mother and Sophia reported that their relationship was improving.

Sophia was discharged successfully with goals met.  When I reflect on this client and the progress, I see a tremendous impact on Sophia’s life versus the alternative of no treatment.  I believe that she would have continued to live with distance between her and mother, that peer relationships would have been more important, and that at some point in the future she would be more severely sexually abused.  The gains for her led to stronger ties with mother and assertive skills to stand up to the pressures of adolescence.  Therapy was ended with a very good bond with the therapist that can be relied upon in the future if needed.

The Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Community Service therapists treat children recovering from trauma such as witnessing domestic violence, surviving physical, sexual. or emotional abuse or other life stressors. Therapists help children and their families improve their level of psychosocial functioning by reducing stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns through clinically appropriate therapeutic interventions.