United Way of South Central Michigan has awarded 21 mini-grants to organizations in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo that are striving to increase the number of households living above the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold.
“The opportunity to receive any funds of any kind is a blessing,” said Rhonda Ethridge of Life Cycles Bike4Life. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to use this funding for general operations and new equipment.” Bike4Life is an after-school organization that helps children and teenagers with mental and physical health by providing “mental reflection time,” a spin cycle class, and nutrition course.
These grants were allotted to programs and projects that are aligned with the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo impact goals:
- A Safety Net for ALICE: In the region, all individuals and families with an immediate need for shelter, food or other necessities are connected to a robust support system that can meet their needs.
- Pathways for ALICE: A community that initiates and supports efforts to ensure that individuals and families have pathways to financial stability, living above the ALICE survival budget thresholds.
- Community Building for ALICE: A community that understands challenges individuals and families face and makes commitments to address inequities and improve conditions for those struggling financially.
Across these goals, UWSCMI has a special interest in supporting organizational efforts designed to assist Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), persons with disabilities, and other individuals who are living below the ALICE threshold with overcoming obstacles ascribable to systemic and social inequalities.
Associate Director of Community Impact, Andrea Macklin, said she was excited to offer these mini-grant opportunities to local organizations who are doing the hard work to lift ALICE families in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo.
“These grantees are all new to United Way funding,” Macklin said. “Many of them are grassroots organizations, born out of the passion of individuals who want to help their communities thrive. We are proud of them and their work.”
For more information on these grants and grantees, visit https://unitedforscmi.org/mini-grants/.