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Impact Week Day 2: Supporting Mothers and Feeding Children in Battle Creek
It’s Day 2 of Impact Week at United Way of South Central Michigan, and today we are taking a closer look at what’s happening in Battle Creek. ALICE* data tells us that overall, 21,822 households in Calhoun County – 39 percent – are struggling financially, living either in poverty or below the ALICE threshold. But…
Read MoreImpact Week: Let’s meet ALICE
By Ken Toll Maya Angelou once penned an essay titled I’ve Learned. She offered great nuggets of wisdom, including this one: “I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.” After many years leading a legacy United Way and working with communities, I echo Angelou’s insight. I’ve learned a lot—and I have a lot…
Read MoreLet’s End The Violence – Together
The plea was simple: Can we all get along? Thirty years later, our society can’t seem to find a way to say “yes.” The tragic mass shooting at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs is another heartbreaking reminder of how little things have changed since Rodney King, a Black man beaten by police during his…
Read MoreUnited Way SCMI Takes on Kalamazoo County VITA Program
KALAMAZOO – This tax season, United Way of South Central Michigan’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Shared Services team has added Kalamazoo County to its coverage area, bringing the total number of counties covered to nine. VITA provides no-cost, high-quality tax services to households making $60,000 or less, and relies on dozens of trained volunteers…
Read MoreVeterans Struggling: ALICE Analysis Outlines Financial Hardship
They’ve served and sacrificed for our country, yet more than one of every four veterans in Michigan struggle to afford the basics. That finding comes from a new report from the Michigan Association of United Ways (MAUW) and its research partner, United For ALICE. In 2019, 6% of the state’s veterans were deemed in poverty,…
Read MoreLocal UW Leaders Meet with Biden Administration
Leaders from three Michigan United Ways met with the Biden Administration in Washington, D.C., this week to discuss how pandemic-related federal programs are helping United Ways and their community partners statewide meet local needs, especially for those who are considered low- and middle-income and who identify within the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population.…
Read MoreHow Greater Impact Really Happens
Editor’s note: On Oct. 12, United Way representatives from Michigan met with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and other administration officials at the White House. They shared how United Ways across the state have collaborated with local elected officials, nonprofits and other partners to help communities recover from the economic effects of COVID-19. Chris Sargent,…
Read MoreUW/Kalamazoo Micro-Enterprise Grants Bring $300K to 60 Businesses
A third round of grants totaling $300,000 is lifting 60 Kalamazoo microbusinesses and bringing economic benefits directly to 17 neighborhoods. United Way of South Central Michigan (UWSCMI), the City of Kalamazoo and the Foundation for Excellence (FFE) announced the third round of Kalamazoo Micro-Enterprise Grants (KMEG) for the third consecutive year. In 2020, the unique…
Read MoreTake 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.…
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