Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays is behind us and we've welcomed in the New Year, I thought I'd take a moment to update you on what's been going on here at CWU and what's coming up.

For me, the high point of the past several months was the grand opening ceremony of our new "Career Family Opportunity" (CFO) program, located in South Boston. Friends, supporters, colleagues, dignitaries, and program participants filled the tent on a balmy November day to officially launch this groundbreaking program. The first of its kind in Massachusetts, CFO is designed to help 20-40 low-income single parents achieve economic independence within five years. If you couldn't join us for the ceremony or didn't catch it live on the web, click here to view it and the panel discussion that followed at UMass Boston, moderated by WMJX News Director Gay Vernon.

I know that for many of you, the primary time we connect each year is at the Amelia Earhart Award Luncheon. This event, a part of the Boston social fabric for twenty-five years, has contributed wonderful donations and new friends to the work of CWU. We are grateful to all of you who have made it such a special event. However, all such events run a natural course, and both CWU and the corporations that have long supported the Amelia are looking for new ways to connect with the community.

Therefore, we have decided not to hold the Amelia Earhart Award Luncheon this year and instead have formed a committee to examine how we can better raise friends, funds, and community awareness of our work. Please let us know your ideas about this, and, in turn, we'll keep you posted about our new developments.

Speaking of new developments, we'll be releasing updates of our economic self-sufficiency index and our Hot Jobs report later this winter. Our economic self-sufficiency index determines the real cost of living in Massachusetts and what families need to earn to make ends meet, without public assistance. The Hot Jobs report identifies careers that take two years or less of post-secondary education, pay enough to support a family, and currently have 100 job vacancies available statewide. These updates of the 2007 reports will reflect today's changed economic landscape. Keep an eye out for our announcement of their release coming soon.

Thank you for your generous support, and I hope you continue to Live, Work and Thrive in 2010!

Elisabeth D. Babcock
President/CEO

Crittenton Women's Union
One Washington Mall, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02108
t: 617.259.2900
f: 617.247.8826
www.liveworkthrive.org