Archive for June 2018
Building Healthy Families One Connection at a Time
Lee Gray and Amy Smith know how to build relationships. It’s a skill that has proven essential to the facilitation and growth of their family education program, Family Connections. By creating an environment of trust and open dialogue, program co-directors Gray and Smith say they are quickly able to engage even the most reluctant of…
Read MoreYouth United Way Inspires Students to Engage Deeply in Community
Members of Youth United Way are learning early just how much impact they can have on their community. The group, composed of Kalamazoo County high school students, celebrated the end of the school year earlier this month by announcing 23 grants totaling $60,000. They awarded funding to organizations serving youth in the areas of college/career…
Read MoreFire Hub Shows Burning Passion for Community Impact
By Sara Coppo, Guest Blogger Even after its closing in 1983, Fire Station No. 4 has been a landmark in Battle Creek since 1904. After driving past the old building nearly every day and learning that it was set to be demolished, Chef Michael McFarlen of FireKeepers Casino decided that he had a good use…
Read MoreHow to Rain on a Food Desert
A chilly downpour didn’t stop Kellogg volunteers from fighting hunger in Battle Creek. On June 9, community members came together with United Way BCKR and Kellogg’s® Raisin Bran® volunteers today to enhance local community gardens at Leila Arboretum. Their aim was to make sure people in need have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Despite…
Read MoreParchment Students Show Heart for Homeless
It began with a story and ended with a volunteer effort touching the lives of 600 homeless kids. Ninety students at Parchment Middle School held a Pop Up Volunteering event with United Way BCKR on June 1. The students from teacher Meg Vollick’s ELA classes packed 600 personal care kits that were delivered to The…
Read MorePreserving Our Commitment To Young Students of Jackson County
I want to let you know about some changes to Energizing Education (EE) — changes that will preserve EE’s commitment to helping young students read proficiently while we adapt EE activities to reflect financial challenges. The simple fact is, for all its success, EE has struggled to acquire the necessary funding to run the program.…
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