Time For Taxes! VITA Offers Free Tax Prep

Doing tax returns isn’t usually much fun. For households that can’t afford to hire an expert, it can be a missed opportunity to get the full refund they’re owed. That’s where United Way of South Central Michigan’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program can make a vital difference. VITA provides free tax preparation to low- and…

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Celebrating Black History Month at UWSCMI

Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. February commemorates the impactful Black leaders of our past and shines a spotlight on our everyday…

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Day 1: How do you think about your racial and social identity?

Blue background with white text reading: Day 1

“Not seeing race does little to deconstruct racist structures or materially improve the conditions which people of color are subject to daily. In order to dismantle unjust, racist structures, we must see race. We must see who benefits from their race, who is disproportionately impacted by negative stereotypes about their race, and to who power…

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Nominations open for Capital Area Volunteer of the Year

Four people stand together around a plaque.

Annually, the United Way of South Central Michigan-Capital Area Volunteer Center recognizes community volunteers for their significant impact on nonprofits in the Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties through their gifts of time and talent. These awards recognize individuals who provide valuable volunteerism to our community through their dedication and hard work, making a difference in…

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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…

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A message from our Chief Equity Officer

Blue background, white ltex

Thank you to those who have joined us for the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. Over the next 21 days, you’ll join many colleagues, neighbors, friends, and family as we examine the history and impacts of racism in our community. You’re taking the first step by signing up for this challenge, and now the real work…

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Partner Spotlight: One Center, One Community, Many Services

Photo shows a mural on the side of the building with an image of a tree and the name Cristo Rey Community Center.

LANSING – Since 1968, Cristo Rey Community Center has played an important role in providing vital services to the Capital Area community, particularly the Latino community. The Center takes a holistic, hands-on approach to care for the whole person, including their mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. They achieve this through an array of services that support…

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Creating Healthy Communities in Northwest Lansing

LANSING – With its dedicated team of staff members and volunteers, Northwest Initiative supports the communities bordering the Grand River in Lansing with an array of services that range from food distribution to prison diversion programs. NWI is a currently funded partner of United Way of South Central Michigan.  The organization’s work around nutrition is…

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Embracing Our Values: The Heart of It All

Graphic noting Our Values, which are Equity, Community, Integrity, Compassion, Collaboration, and Results.

This is the last in a three-part series exploring UWSCMI’s recently adopted vision, mission and values. You can find them all in one place at unitedforscmi.org/vision-mission-values. Part 1: Where We’re Going | Part 2: What We Do Tibor “Ted” Rubin had every reason to be bitter. As a Jewish Hungarian-American, he faced anti-Semitism and constant…

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Get help with your tax returns

A photo shows a hand with a pen writing down figures next to a calculator. Words over top of the image read: VITA: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

They say there are two things certain in life, and one of them pops up every year: income taxes. If you’re looking for help in doing your tax returns, USCMI has answers! The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, or VITA, is a national effort sponsored by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. This free service helps…

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