The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon of Austin will be holding a breakfast fundraiser at the Austin American Legion, 809 12th St. SW, from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.

Free will donation will help support the newly forming Beyond the Yellow Ribbon of Austin mission of supporting military servicemembers, veterans and military families.

A local steering committee started organizing last May, connecting and coordinating between agencies, organizations and employers for support of servicemembers and military families. The goal is to create community contacts that soldiers and military families can use when they are in need of services, such as transportation, house repairs or even child care.

Members of the committee will also be participating in the Family Reintegration Academy at the Owatonna National Guard Armory on March 3. The Academy will include workshops on preparing the family for the return of soldiers during this coming year.

In addition to the breakfast fundraiser, committee members are organizing a human resources program on the “Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act 101.” This program, which will be held at Riverland Community College, will detail the employer and employee obligation for returning soldiers under this law.

Although Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is derived from the National Guard, support from Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is available to all active, reserve and guard soldiers, their families and veterans. For more information about the program, call 507 279-3586 (Beyond the Yellow Ribbon) or Paul Spyhalski, chair, at 507 437-6748.