Archive for April 2020
Fund Lifts Small Businesses With $1.12 Million in Loans
From restaurants to retailers, Kalamazoo small businesses are tapping a financial lifeline to help them deal with the economic impact of COVID-19. Thus far, the Kalamazoo Small Business Loan Fund (KSBLF) has approved 63 low-interest loans totaling $1,120,600. The fund was created earlier this month through a partnership of the City of Kalamazoo and United…
Read MoreRelief Bill Includes $300 Tax Break for Charitable Gifts
Americans have access to a new tax incentive this year when making a donation to qualifying charities, including United Way of the Battle Creek Region and many of our local nonprofit partners. The federal relief stimulus under the CARES Act allows taxpayers to claim an additional $300 deduction on their taxes without itemizing. The universal…
Read MoreJackson Calling! And 2-1-1 Is Answering
2-1-1, the telephone line that connects people in need with resources to help, is proving its value once again in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Melissa Ladd Patnode, Central Michigan 2-1-1 Program Supervisor, said the call center at Lifeways in Jackson has received 1,268 pandemic-related calls from the nine-county coverage area as of April…
Read MoreGood Tales From a Crisis: Changing Lives Together
There’s no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic is tragic. People have died; more likely will. Others are sick, or will be soon. Thousands right here in Jackson County are losing jobs and income. Many don’t know where they’ll get food or essentials for their families. Yet from this crisis we see the power of compassion…
Read MoreBattle Creek Generosity Bolsters Relief Fund
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Battle Creek area foundations and individual donors are stepping up in a big way. Recent donations from the Battle Creek Community Foundation, the Miller Foundation and the Binda Foundation strengthened United Way’s Disaster Relief Fund by $25,000. What’s more, those gifts will bring an additional $15,000 from DTE,…
Read MoreUW Partnership Addresses Drug Costs, Access During Pandemic
United Way’s partnership with FamilyWize is especially crucial in helping individuals and families get access to lower-cost medicines during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s essential for people to take their prescribed medicines as directed by their physicians, especially as the health care system is stressed by COVID-19. Community residents can call FamilyWize for free customer support…
Read MoreIMPACT! Hope in the Midst of a Pandemic
Some of the most at-risk people in Jackson County are living two weeks in the past. That’s not the premise of a science fiction story. It’s reality for those who struggle with addictions to opioids and other substances as the coronavirus pandemic grows. “These people are our friends and family members, and they are stuck,”…
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