Kellogg Adds Incentive to Promote Letter Carriers’ Food Drive

Kellogg Company is bringing a little something extra to this year’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive: an incentive to prompt more donations and benefit hungry families locally. The National Association of Letter Carriers’ annual drive happens Saturday, May 11. It’s the biggest one-day food drive in the country. Kellogg is a national sponsor of Stamp…

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UW Launches Small-Business Partnership

Lasting, meaningful community change isn’t something that any one organization can accomplish alone. It takes a shared vision and buy-in from nonprofits, government, schools, individuals, and businesses – large AND small. Now there’s a way for local small businesses to get involved in a powerful way. Small Business United is a new corporate partnership program…

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STAR Award Nominations Are Now Open

The nomination period is now open for the 2019 STAR Awards, celebrating volunteers in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. We, along with our partners at Gryphon Place, invite you to consider your fellow citizens and most devoted volunteers, and honor their efforts by nominating them for an award. Then, join us as we celebrate your nominees,…

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UW Honored for Supporting Survivors of Sexual Assault

United Way’s support and advocacy for the survivors of sexual violence earned us special recognition. Bronson Healthcare’s Sexual Assault Services (SAS), based in Battle Creek, awarded our United Way the distinguished Betty Christ Memorial Award. The award honors outstanding community advocacy on behalf of sexual assault survivors. United Way “has gone above and beyond in…

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Talking about ALICE

Let’s talk about ALICE. Let’s talk about what it means to be Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed. Let’s talk about the challenges faced by 4 in 10 households in our region—hard-working households that still struggle to make ends meet. Let’s talk about the difficulty they face in trying to better their lives when 61%…

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5 Ways to Grow Passionate Readers

Learning to read is a big milestone in a young student’s life, and an important one. In fact, United Way has identified early grade reaching achievement as a key strategy in improving graduation rates and fostering success in academics and beyond. Schools and other educational programming will always be a big part of that strategy,…

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Still Struggling: ALICE Report Shows 40% at Risk Financially

Four of every 10 households in the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo region are either in poverty or barely getting by financially, a new report on Michigan’s working families reveals. The Michigan Association of United Ways (MAUW) has released a study on the condition of Michigan’s working families, which it has dubbed ALICE households—those that are…

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Career Life Expo Nears; Volunteers Sought

The Career Life Expo brings many opportunities for people looking for work and for people looking to volunteer. The Career Life Expo takes place Tuesday, March 26, 12 noon to 5 p.m., at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake Street. Employers from the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo region will be there to conduct interviews…

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Period Poverty Spurs New Program at Charitable Union

“Period poverty exists when a woman cannot access the necessary hygiene products needed during menstruation,” said Teresa Allen, Executive Director at Charitable Union. “The national data shows that 1 in 5 low-income women struggle to leave their homes during menstruation. We had no idea.”

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