St. Cloud Conference Celebrates Support for Military Workers and Families through Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program

(KNSI) – An event bringing together groups that go above and beyond to support workers serving in the military and their families was held Thursday in St. Cloud.

The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon conference allows companies and organizations to network and share ideas on how best to do that.

Jake Judd/KNSI News

The gathering’s theme was ‘Helping our Military Connected Employees to Thrive.’ Keynote speaker Brigadier General Stefanie Horvath explained there are multiple ways the program helps. “It can take many forms. Sometimes it can be financial support. Sometimes it can be a direct service. But I think what is really important is it’s personalized and tailored to the need of the service member or the service member’s family.”

BTYR members are willing to listen and understand their service members and cater to their needs with its policies. The program helps families function when a loved one is deployed, and it’s hard to measure its critical contributions. “You can’t quantify it, but it is certainly felt. And I think you can see how the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon network corporation partners and the communities continued to expand,” said Horvath.

The main goal of the conference is to continue to recognize all partners in every community that are part of the BTYR network.

The program’s partners met at the Capital One building to honor the business’s fifth year as a member. The company is one of 78 participating in the program. Other local employers include McGough Construction, the Minnesota Department of Corrections, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud Technical and Community College and the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.

In the fall and spring, BTYR companies and organizations take turns hosting the conference. November is also Military Family Month.

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