BC/Kzoo
Give for Tomorrow – Starting Today
Dec. 1 is Giving Tuesday At the beginning of this year, none of us at United Way were fully prepared for what was to come. And none of us know what the next year will bring. We do know that faced with a once-in-a-generation challenge, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo stepped up. United Way staff, donors,…
Read MorePreparation Softens Pandemic Blow, Strengthens Community
Many disasters have a common trait that leads to the greatest tragedies: lack of preparation. United Way and its community partners have a solid track record of coming together to respond quickly when a crisis strikes — historic flooding in 2018, mass shootings in 2016, violent storms in 2011 and the economic downturn in 2009,…
Read MorePartnership Helps with Rx Costs During Pandemic
The average American spends $1,200 per person each year on medications. For those living below the ALICE threshold, that’s a significant financial burden. Throw in a global pandemic and its economic effects, and that burden becomes unbearable. Fortunately, a long-time partnership between United Way and FamilyWize has eased that burden locally by more than $277,000…
Read MoreVirtual Dialogue Tackles ALICE Needs
Families struggling to make ends meet have a tough time under any circumstances. COVID-19 has made it a whole lot tougher. That’s the realization that sparked a virtual community conversation, “ALICE In The Workplace,” sponsored by United Way BCKR and MichiganWorks! Southwest. Around 40 people from the region’s businesses, education and nonprofits gathered online to…
Read MoreAre You Up for the Challenge?
Equity is a journey, not a destination. It’s a sentiment often voiced at United Way BCKR, where the journey toward becoming an anti-racist organization has lasted the better part of a decade and continues to be integral to our vision of a vibrant community where all people realize their full potential. The journey has involved…
Read MoreUW Launches Second Leadership Lab
At the United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWCKR), we tackle the toughest issues facing our community by mobilizing every resource, partner and voice to solve those challenges. That work includes supporting and investing in the skills and people who directly lead the on-the-ground efforts in our community. A new 12-month, cohort-based…
Read MoreLocal Racial Equity Work Highlighted by UW Worldwide
United Way Worldwide’s newest Innovation Case Study spotlights United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region’s efforts to center equity in every aspect of its work. “The case study offers a comprehensive overview of our internal equity, diversity and inclusion work, equitable grantmaking practices, COVID-19 response, and Catalyzing Community Giving (CCG) work,” said Claire…
Read MoreBlack Households Face Greater Financial Risk
Newly released data related to ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) shows just how closely poverty and racism are connected at a local, statewide and national level – and how much work remains in addressing racial and economic disparities. In Michigan, 63 percent of Black households fall below the ALICE Threshold (the minimum income needed to afford…
Read MoreKellogg Grant Provides Hot Meals, Infant Nutrition
The Battle Creek Family YMCA may not be serving up its traditional fitness options this summer, but the organization has found other ways to contribute to community needs. In partnership with United Way BCKR and with funding support from Kellogg Company and its charitable funds, the YMCA channeled its staff and volunteer capacity into serving…
Read MoreUnited Way Worldwide Embraces New Bylaws Promoting Racial Equity
United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region applauds this week’s vote by United Way Worldwide’s membership to strengthen the network’s commitment to ending racism and ethnic discrimination. The UWW bylaw changes bring stronger commitments by local United Ways to learning, acting and measuring their impact to creating more equitable communities. When our United…
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