United Way Fox Cities provides Focused Funding Grants twice per year. These grants are designed to promote approaches to solving a community problem as well as to support existing program expansion. The following agencies received a collective total of $100,000 in grant money for the fall cycle of 2014: Boys and Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley, Community Family Resource Centers, Fox Valley Veterans Council, Housing Partnership of the Fox Cities, NAMI Fox Valley and Sexual Assault Crisis Center. Read about how the organizations will use the grant funding.

In August and September, United Way and Valley Transit convened two focus group sessions to discuss the future of The Connector, a local community-supported transportation service. United Way staff shared that, in 2013, The Connector provided 16,793 rides, 94% of which were for employment-related purposes and will provide a projected 20,000 rides in 2014, based on increased demand. The sessions were attended by approximately 25 individuals representing local businesses, government organizations and nonprofits that offered insight and feedback on transportation issues affecting their employees or clients, how The Connector is helping to alleviate transportation barriers and how the service has benefitted local businesses and organizations. Learn about how The Connector is improving self-sufficiency.

Rhonda Hannemann, Community Development staff at United Way Fox Cities, has been invited by the National Diaper Bank Network to share information about the success of the Fox Cities Diaper Bank at the 2014 National Diaper Bank Conference. Rhonda will be presenting information outlining our unique community-wide efforts to provide nearly 400,000 diapers annually to families in need through the Diaper Bank, an initiative of United Way Fox Cities. Diaper Bank leaders from across the country will learn about the generosity of the Fox Cities through volunteer repacking efforts, diaper drives and the Post-Crescent's annual "Dollars for Diapers" Do It! Campaign. Thank you to everyone who as supported the Fox Cities Diaper Bank! Read about volunteers who repacked 35,000 diapers for the Diaper Bank in one day.

Updated outcomes for United Way's PATH (Providing Access to Healing) for Students have been tabulated through August 31, 2014. New numbers show that, since its inception in 2008, a total of 830 students who were unable to obtain care elsewhere in the community have been served through the school-based program, including approximately 24 new students served from March 2014 to August 2014. Many of the students served by PATH were on long waiting lists of up to a year and a half elsewhere in the community. 75% of students reported progress toward treatment goals (an increase of 2% compared to results reported in March 2014), 72% reported experiencing reduced symptoms (an increase of 3% compared to results reported in March 2014) and 96% said they would return to therapy if needed, a number consistent with earlier reports. Due to its success, the PATH program was recently featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and on Wisconsin Public Radio.

In September, United Way Fox Cities' Youth Board welcomed over 35 local high school students to the first bi-monthly meeting for the 2014-2015 school year! Many returning students attended the meeting along with several new students who have committed to making a difference in our community by serving on the Youth Board. Students will participate throughout the year volunteering for numerous community organizations, awarding grant funding offered to youth-driven projects and planning theme ideas for the annual February youth leadership event, Teen Symposium. We are very excited for another year of the Youth Board and encourage interested 10-12th grade students to apply. Applications are accepted anytime. Please visit our website for more information, including downloadable applications.

United Way Fox Cities supports programs that help children enter school ready to learn. Born Learning Trails, a United Way Worldwide initiative, are designed to strengthen families and provide children with quality early learning opportunities. The trails are an interactive, playful and visible tool to help parents, caregivers and communities support early learning, to boost children's language and literacy skills and to encourage families to get active. The first Born Learning Trail in the Fox Cities was built at Plamann Park in May. In August, Miller Electric employees partnered with the City of Appleton to install a Born Learning Trail at Pierce Park. Do you want to support the next Born Learning Trail at Fox West YMCA in Greenville, WI? Vote online now through October 24th for the project to win a $5,000 grant!
 

In July, United Way Fox Cities welcomed Michelle Pierquet-Hohner as the new 2-1-1 Manager. Michelle has a degree in Human Development Family Studies with a concentration in child development. She has several years of experience working in a hospital setting where she was part of a family-centered care approach. She also worked as the Services Director at the YWCA in Green Bay/DePere. Most recently, Michelle was employed with CASA of Brown County as Advocate Supervisor where she was responsible for coordinating support for abused and neglected children. Michelle said, "I am honored and

excited about the opportunity to take on the role of 2-1-1 Manager. To be able to assist individuals by connecting them with more than 5,000 health and human services in our community is pretty amazing! I am looking forward to getting to know and establishing relationships with our community partners." Read about how 2-1-1 helped residents who lost their health insurance.