Posts by unitedwaybck
Gwen's Story
Gwen’s Story: A Century of Impact Volunteer Profile Gwen Tulk has been changing lives and inspiring others for nearly all of her 100 years. She spent many of them as a teacher and elementary school librarian, and her impact on others didn’t stop with her retirement in 1982. She instead turned her attention to volunteering,…
Read MoreZoetis Employee Wins 2017 Sweepstakes
This year, the holiday gift-giving season took on a whole new level of excitement for Cheryl Hawkes. Hawkes, a Kalamazoo resident who works as an administrative specialist for animal health company Zoetis, won this year’s United Way Sweepstakes. Hawkes was chosen at random from thousands of qualified donors in this year’s United Way campaign to…
Read MoreOutfitting Kids with Shoes and Smiles
[su_label type=”info”]AGENCY SPOTLIGHT: FIRST DAY SHOE FUND[/su_label] Leatrice Fullerton joined First Day Shoe Fund earlier this year as a program committee member, and is one of dozens of volunteers who keep thousands of children – a record 4,684 this year alone – outfitted in new shoes at the beginning of each school year. She holds…
Read MoreCarol's Story
‘We Don’t Have to be Afraid of Each Other.’ Volunteer Profile Carol Hindbaugh can be found every Monday and Friday in the kitchen at Ministry With Community, prepping and serving lunch to members and enjoying every minute of it. She retired three years ago after a 37-year career as a behavioral health nurse at Borgess…
Read MoreMaking Every Week 'Impact Week'
[su_label type=”info”]IMPACT WEEK[/su_label] President & CEO Chris Sargent reflects on our coverage of Impact Week and how United Way is making a difference in our region. I like numbers. Not enough to be a mathematician or an accountant, perhaps. But I like what numbers can tell us. For instance, did you know there are 100…
Read MoreMelrose's Story
Impact Week: Ensuring a Safety Net
[su_label type=”info”]IMPACT WEEK[/su_label] United Way’s regional vision is ambitious: a vibrant community where all people realize their full potential. Getting there can be an even greater challenge for those facing tough times—a job loss, a sudden illness, a broken car, an unexpected home repair. Editor’s note: We’re celebrating Impact Week—highlighting how support for United Way…
Read MoreImpact Week: Healthy Food, Healthy Families
[su_label type=”info”]IMPACT WEEK[/su_label] For one Battle Creek woman, a single working mother with two young children, simply getting to the grocery store is often difficult. Visiting local farmers markets to buy fresh produce for her kids happens even more infrequently. The Sprout Box Scholarship, a first-year program strategically funded by United Way BCKR under its…
Read MoreImpact Week: Saving More Babies
[su_label type=”info”]IMPACT WEEK[/su_label] Infant mortality is more than a measure of babies’ health; it’s a sign of a community’s commitment to its most vulnerable people. Editor’s note: We’re celebrating Impact Week—highlighting how support for United Way is changing lives. Read our Impact Week overview here. Also, check out this week’s blogs on Education and Income/Financial…
Read MoreJackie's Story
Impact Week: Jackie’s story IMPACT WEEK Jackie Hobson drove past Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Service at just the right time. Her blended, growing family of six lived in a three-bedroom townhouse after making a quick relocation from their rented home on the north side of Kalamazoo. Their landlord was moving back from out of state, giving…
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