Jackson County
IMPACT! UW & Labor Partnership Delivers
The start of a new year is my favorite time to pause and reflect on the successes and setbacks of the last year. It doesn’t need to be said that 2021 had its challenges. A blog by Nikkia Hurlbert In Jackson, we saw a student homelessness rate of over 20% in some school districts, our…
Read MoreIMPACT! Tackling Trauma in Teens
Mental health can be influenced in many ways—traumatic events, substance abuse, depression and anxiety, and much more. Jackson County residents struggling with issues like these can connect to counseling services through a voucher program offered by Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties, and Family Service & Children’s Aid—a partnership we’re proud to help…
Read MoreIMPACT! Food Access Lifts Families
About one of every eight people in Jackson County—that’s more than 20,000 people—is food-insecure, according to Feeding America. United Way believes no one should have to worry where their next meal is coming from. That’s why we partner with South Michigan Food Bank to make sure every person has access to food. South Michigan Food…
Read MoreIMPACT! Someone’s Got Your Back
Adults sometimes need a guardian who has their back. Family Service & Children’s Aid, a United Way partner, makes that possible through their Jackson Guardian Program: Charlie is a 75-year-old Jackson resident that lived with his two older sisters. Due to his cognitive limitations, he relied on them to help him with his finances and…
Read MoreIMPACT! Transforming a Young Life
We’re incredibly proud to work with Family Service & Children’s Aid’s JUMP program (Just Understand My Potential), which provides at-risk juveniles with services to promote regular school attendance, employability, improved behavioral choices, better family relationships, and prevent future prosecution or recidivism. The following story illustrates the important ways this program is changing young lives: A…
Read MoreIMPACT! Personal Stories of Change
We’re always excited to share these stories of IMPACT! every week, but do you know who tells the stories better than we ever could? The people whose lives are changed. Recently, our partners at Child Care Network did just that. They asked recipients of child care scholarships through the Family Support Program how their lives…
Read MoreIMPACT! Driving to a Better Future
One of the biggest barriers to employment that financially struggling people face is transportation. Most of the time, if you don’t have a car, you can’t get to work. AWARE, Inc., an important partner with United Way, helps address this need when it can. Here’s a great example: It doesn’t happen often, but now and…
Read MoreIMPACT! Partnership Means We’re Interconnected
The great team at Partial To Girls, a United Way partner, recently shared this unique perspective on what we mean when we say “partnership”: “In April 2021, Partial to Girls was able to help a 19-year-old pregnant woman who had a 3-year-old son from sleeping in her car for almost three weeks straight. She also hadn’t…
Read MoreIMPACT! Life Beyond Trauma
Sexual assault is a heartbreaking, life-shattering trauma. Coming to grips with the impact and rebuilding one’s life is a tough journey. We support AWARE Shelter’s counseling services to help Jackson County residents cope with trauma: One of AWARE’s counselors had been working with an adult survivor of sexual assault over the course of eight months.…
Read MoreIMPACT! Trust Brings Rescue
Trusted Advisors provide a crucial link for Jackson County residents who are struggling. Our partnership with the Great Start Collaborative of Jackson County supports this vital program. Here’s an example of how this effort rescued a couple from being forced to live in their car: A Trusted Advisor met “Kevin” and “Kelly” in a park…
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