Generous Donors Lift Flood Fund

Donors across the region have stepped up in a big way to support relief efforts for victims of February’s massive flooding in Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo Flood Relief Fund, established by United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region and the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, has received $229,500 in contributions. “Once again our community shows the…

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Improving Homes, Improving Lives

[su_label type=”info”]Agency Spotlight[/su_label] A morning news report about free furnaces prompted Paul and Sharon to check out Community Homeworks. They’re glad they did. They found that, based on their fixed income, they qualified to receive a new furnace. Paul and Sharon also discovered what hundreds of the nonprofit’s clients experience each year – more money…

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Women's History a Source of Inspiration, Resilience

Guest blog by Kama Mitchell, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Rootead, a United Way partner agency. March is Women’s History Month. Honestly, before this year, I never paid attention to it. I have spent most of my adult life in survival mode as a woman of color raising two sons on much less than a…

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We Fight For Those Who Need A Voice

UNITED WE FIGHT for the financial stability of everyone in Jackson County. Your support helps low-income households avoid homelessness, protect them from domestic violence, and assist them with accessing health care, food and other basic need supports. Programs such as Legal Services for Very Low Income Individuals and Families through Legal Services of South Central…

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Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Lifts Families, Local Economy

Joan Miller was hesitant when the Internal Revenue Service first approached her workplace looking for tax preparation volunteers. “Taxes were something I never had a desire to do, because I really did not have any confidence in my ability,” said Miller, Marketing and Communications Manager at BlueOx Credit Union. “But, there was a need.” The…

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Every Month Is Reading Month

UNITED WE WIN by providing the opportunity for students all across Jackson County to succeed in school. Your support increases the reading proficiency of struggling elementary students in our community. United Way’s Energizing Education Program pairs students who are behind in their reading with trained mentors. Last year, 140 mentors helped 177 students to gain…

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Jeff's Story

Navigating Benefits, Planning for the Future Jeff’s story begins, literally, all in his head. Years ago, he underwent surgery to remove a tumor in his brain. A decade later, he sustained a second traumatic brain injury from a fall. Both events left Jeff finding it hard to hold a job in his field of finance.…

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Fund to Support Kalamazoo Flood Relief

A new fund will support flood relief efforts across Kalamazoo County. United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWBCKR) and the Kalamazoo Community Foundation (KZCF) started the Kalamazoo Flood Relief Fund together with lead contributions of $10,000 each, for a total of $20,000. The public can add tax-deductible donations to the fund through…

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Helping Families and Children Succeed

UNITED WE FIGHT for a life of stability for children in our community. Your generosity allows UWJC to support the Emergency Child Care Program through the Felician Children’s Center. The main focus of the program is to offer temporary, quality childcare on an emergency basis for parents who a dealing with a traumatic experience. The…

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3 Ways to Live United in March

Want to make a difference in your community? Here are three ways you can join us this month to explore some of the issues facing local residents and learn how you can help: Make an Instant Impact If you haven’t attended one of our Pop Up Giving events yet, this is a great month to…

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