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Take the 21-Day Disability Equity Challenge
During the month of August, United Ways across the state of Michigan – including United Way of South Central Michigan – are partnering with local Centers for Independent Living to present the 21-Day Disability Equity Challenge. This statewide effort to explore disability from a position of equity and pride is designed to raise awareness, increase…
Read MoreUWSCMI Names Chief Equity Officer, Chief Impact Officer
Jen Hsu-Bishop, Alyssa Stewart Take Key Roles United Way of South Central Michigan announced that Jen Hsu-Bishop has joined the organization as Chief Equity Officer, guiding UWSCMI’s diversity, equity and inclusion work. United Way also named Alyssa Stewart as Chief Impact Officer, focused on leading efforts to address key social issues across the six-county region.…
Read MoreDay of Action 2022: Support Summer Stock Up
At United Way of South Central Michigan, we invite you to participate in Day of Action 2022 by making a donation to Summer Stock Up, a virtual food drive fundraiser aimed at alleviating a pervasive summertime struggle for many families throughout our six county region – keeping food on the table.
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United Way, Kellogg’s Team Up to Feed Families
Through Summer Stock Up Food Drive
For many Michiganders, summer is the much-awaited break from a long, gray winter. But for the 1 in 8 people who face hunger, there are fewer resources available to feed their families when school lets out for the season. That’s why United Way of South Central Michigan is joining Michigan United Ways and the Kellogg…
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 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 MoreRedistricting: Your Chance to Make History
Gerrymandering is a term you might be familiar with thanks to your high school civics class. For those of us that may need a refresher, gerrymandering is the practice of manipulating geographic boundaries of electoral districts in a way that gives one party a disproportionate advantage over its political opponents. It was an approach traditionally…
Read MoreBehind The Scenes: Here’s Your Curtain Call
By Chris Sargent, President & CEO I love it when our local communities earn national recognition. Battle Creek has earned All-America City status, and Kalamazoo recently topped a list of coolest, most affordable cities. Among the strengths that gain such attention is our rich cultural life, notably live theater. If you’re like me, one thing…
Read MoreBehind The Scenes: Ready When Disaster Strikes
Tragic events don’t always happen somewhere else. Sometimes they happen right here in our community—be it natural disasters, violence, or a piece of a global pandemic. What we’ve learned is the value of approaching the next crisis in a more powerful, collective way. United Way BCKR and its community partners have a solid track record…
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