Posts by Tammy Mills
ALICE: Calhoun County sees 6% rise in struggling households
CALHOUN COUNTY – The United Way network and research partner United for ALICE released its latest report in April, giving us our first look at ALICE data since the COVID-19 pandemic began. ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — households that earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but less than…
Read MoreNationally, 36 million working households still struggling financially
Michigan was one of multiple states that was included in Wednesday’s release of ALICE in the Crosscurrents: COVID and Financial Hardship, a report that highlights the segment of our population known as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). The research organization United For ALICE, using a new series of standardized measurements, partnered with United Way…
Read MoreTutoring Program Grows Confidence in Readers
SLD Read trains volunteers to work one-to-one with students in local schools BATTLE CREEK AND KALAMAZOO – Fifth-grader Chondell hasn’t always been willing to read aloud in class. But in a recent theater activity, he didn’t hesitate to read the part he’d been practicing. Then he volunteered to read additional parts, sight unseen, for students…
Read MoreChild Care Strengthens Family: Child Care Network
JACKSON – One of the biggest expenses for families, regardless of income level, is child care. When finances are tight, that expense becomes much harder to bear. So imagine how tough that is when a series of unexpected events pushes your family over a financial cliff. That’s the challenge faced by “Sally” and “Robert.” Both…
Read MoreMSHDA Funds Available for Shelter Diversion
KALAMAZOO – The Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care is currently inviting proposals from eligible agencies for projects related to shelter diversion. In 2022, The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) received a state budget allocation of $50 million for the Housing and Community Development Fund (HCDF). These funds are intended to expand housing supports for…
Read MoreDay 21: Take Action in Your Community
Congratulations on completing the United Way Racial Equity Challenge. We are thankful that you have come along with us on this journey and made time to learn and reflect on topics of racial equity. We know these conversations and the feelings they evoke are not always easy but making space for brave dialogue is one…
Read MoreDay 20: Final Reflections
Today’s challenge is to take time to reflect on your experience over the past 20 days. Research shows that a critical component to learning is taking time to reflect or being intentional about processing the lessons being taught by your experiences. Today’s Challenge Reflection More Group Discussion Prompts
Read MoreDay 19: Tools for the Racial Equity Change Process
“The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. Ant that is the only way forward.” –Iljeoma Oluo “To be antiracist is a radical choice in the face of history, requiring…
Read MoreDay 18: Being an Ally
“We all have a unique set of privileges that affords us special access and immunity that others may not have. Through allyship, we can begin to close that gap by strategically using our privileges.” -Allyship (& Accomplice): The What, Why, and How by Michelle MiJung Kim What does it mean to be an ally? An…
Read MoreDay 17: Building a Race Equity Culture
“And I saw that what divided me from the world was not anything intrinsic to us but the actual injury done by people intent on naming us, intent on believing that what they have named us matters more than anything we could ever actually do.” Ta-Nahesi Coates. Every day in the workplace, individuals face challenges…
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