BC/Kzoo
Stabenow Support Lifts ALICE Initiative
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) successfully championed a $257,000 federal budget appropriation to support UWSCMI’s workplace initiative sustaining ALICE employees. United for ALICE@Work in Michigan is a business education and certification effort to help small- and medium-sized businesses better understand the needs of low-wage workers below the ALICE threshold. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained…
Read MoreSeeding Leaders Mini-Grant Applications
UWSCMI provided nine $2,000 Seeding Leaders mini-grants in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, intended to support the wellness, leadership, and/or professional development of nonprofit leaders, with a focus on leaders who identify as (or in the intersections of) being: Applications are now closed. To be eligible to apply, an individual must have had a documented affiliation…
Read MoreVolunteers Needed for Point-in-Time Count
KALAMAZOO – The Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care is seeking volunteers to help us conduct the unsheltered portion of the county-wide 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. The Point in Time Count is a literal count of all the people experiencing homelessness in our community on a single night. The data gathered from the PIT count also…
Read More‘Amazing!’: Board Member Climbs Kilimanjaro
“Phenomenal. Amazing. Humbling.” That’s how Dr. Ashutosh “Ash” Goel described his incredible trek up Mount Kilimanjaro. Goel and his daughter, Amiti, along with his nephew Tilak Gupta and niece Shagun Gupta, set off in mid August to climb the famous dormant volcano in Tanzania. In the process, they raised over $8,000 to support childhood education…
Read MoreWhirlpool Appliance Sale Comes to Battle Creek
Hundreds of deeply discounted appliances supplied by Whirlpool Corporation will be on sale to the public in a special two-day event benefitting two area United Ways. On Dec. 11-12, major appliances such as ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, washers and dryers from Whirlpool Corporation’s brand portfolio including Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid will be available at significant savings. Shoppers…
Read MoreAnalysis: Pandemic Hits ALICE Families Hard
Lower-income people struggled in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to financially stable households, according to a new analysis. “The Pandemic Divide: An ALICE Analysis of COVID Surveys” found a much higher percentage of lower-income people struggling to get by, having lost jobs and income, and wrestling with depression and anxiety. The report comes…
Read MoreUnited Way Grants Address Disparities in Vaccine Access
Community grants totaling $50,000 will help local nonprofits and grassroots groups connect underserved people to information and opportunities to get vaccinated against COVID-19. United Way BCKR provided the local grants as part of the Get Vaccinated Michigan campaign led by the Michigan Association of United Ways and the Michigan Nonprofit Association. The statewide effort aims…
Read MoreSupport Services for Individuals at Ampersee Encampment
The Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care is coordinating a partnership of community service agencies offering support to help individuals at the Ampersee encampment transition to safer, more stable shelter. The encampment has grown significantly in recent months, with many inhabitants coming from outside of Kalamazoo. Law enforcement and support workers report increased incidences of violence,…
Read MoreStatement: Closing of Ampersee Encampment
The Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care, a partnership of local government and community service agencies coordinating housing and services for houseless families and individuals, supports the decision to close the Ampersee encampment and provide safer shelter for those affected. The encampment, which has grown to 180 people, has become known in other unhoused communities as…
Read MorePartnership Brings Crucial Grants to 90 Microbusinesses
A unique local partnership is bringing $450,000 in crucial funds to strengthen 90 Kalamazoo microbusinesses. United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWBCKR), the City of Kalamazoo and the Foundation for Excellence jointly announced the second round of Kalamazoo Micro-Enterprise Grants (KMEG) for the second consecutive year. In 2020, the partnership granted $500,000…
Read More