Archive for December 2017
2017: A Year of Impact
The end of one year and dawn of another is a natural time of reflection and gratitude. At United Way BCKR, we have much to be grateful for. Our work is a collective effort that includes dynamic corporate and community partners, engaged volunteers and generous donors. That means our successes belong to you as well…
Read MoreUnited When Disaster Strikes
When a 2016 mass shooting in Kalamazoo left six people dead and two seriously wounded, United Way joined with community foundations in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek to raise money to aid victims and families. That’s what United Way does when tragedy and disaster strike. While UWBCKR focuses on local needs, United Way Worldwide stepped up…
Read MoreGwen's Story
Gwen’s Story: A Century of Impact Volunteer Profile Gwen Tulk has been changing lives and inspiring others for nearly all of her 100 years. She spent many of them as a teacher and elementary school librarian, and her impact on others didn’t stop with her retirement in 1982. She instead turned her attention to volunteering,…
Read MoreZoetis Employee Wins 2017 Sweepstakes
This year, the holiday gift-giving season took on a whole new level of excitement for Cheryl Hawkes. Hawkes, a Kalamazoo resident who works as an administrative specialist for animal health company Zoetis, won this year’s United Way Sweepstakes. Hawkes was chosen at random from thousands of qualified donors in this year’s United Way campaign to…
Read MoreOutfitting Kids with Shoes and Smiles
[su_label type=”info”]AGENCY SPOTLIGHT: FIRST DAY SHOE FUND[/su_label] Leatrice Fullerton joined First Day Shoe Fund earlier this year as a program committee member, and is one of dozens of volunteers who keep thousands of children – a record 4,684 this year alone – outfitted in new shoes at the beginning of each school year. She holds…
Read MoreCreating Strong and Enduring Relationships That Improves The Lives Kids Facing Adversity
UNITED WE WIN by changing the lives of children facing adversity. United Way of Jackson County supports community-based mentorship through Big Brothers Big Sisters. This program provides these kids with strong and enduring, professionally reinforced, one-on-one relationships that change their lives for the better. Bigs are encouraged to promote health, wellness and financial stability, among…
Read More