A STAR is Born: 2022 STAR Awards

United Way of South Central Michigan (Battle Creek Kalamazoo Region) and Gryphon Place are honored to recognize 19 individuals or groups of volunteers who were nominated for the 2022 STAR Awards. The STAR (Sharing Time and Resources) Celebration and Community Volunteer Awards have long been a time to volunteers for their contributions of time, talent,…

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“Go! Go! Go!” After School Care At Work

“Start small, focus on the kids you have, retain those kids, and grow.” These words have been the mantra of Dan Walsh ever since the beginning of his career in Santa Monica, Calif. A pioneer and journeyman in the world of after-school programs, Walsh has built from scratch and helped grow top-tier programs in California,…

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Kzoo Boxing: Fighting with a Purpose

Jermont Reece of Kzoo Boxing stands inside his establishment filled with boxing equipment.

For Jermont Reece, the pandemic was not an opportunity to slow down, but to start up. Owner of Kzoo Boxing, Reece took the leap and built his own business after the startup he was working for closed. After getting the space he needed in July of 2020, he was ready to take the next steps…

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Kalamazoo Grant Program Returns,
Providing Relief for Smallest Businesses

city of kalamazoo with Kalamazoo Micro Enterprise Grants as title

KALAMAZOO, Mich. [March 30, 2022]—A grant program in its third year of bringing crucial relief to Kalamazoo’s smallest businesses will offer two additional rounds in 2022. The Kalamazoo Micro-Enterprise Grants (KMEG) program provides grants of $5,000 to eligible microbusinesses within the city limits. The grants are a partnership between the City of Kalamazoo and United…

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Seeding Leaders Grants: Blossoming Nonprofit Leadership

bloomed flowers sit beneath a sunset/sunrise with "seeding leaders" and the uwbckr logo on the page

United Way of Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region has awarded $2,500 mini-grants to 10 local leaders as a part of a new program called Seeding Leaders. These grants are intended to support the wellness, leadership, and professional development of nonprofit leaders and primarily focused on leaders who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color),…

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Heirloom Arts: Building More Than a Business

Picture shows Tempest creating a tattoo on a persons forearm

When Tempest Anderson co-founded Heirloom Arts, LLC, in 2018, they couldn’t have anticipated the challenges they would face in the business’ first year. But two years after the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the small business community, the non-binary owned tattoo shop has found its niche, and is thriving. Founded on a desire to build…

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Black History Month Spotlight: Month in Review

image with spotlights on ruby bridges, dr. addis moore, leatrice fullerton, nichelle nichols, texas western, lucille gorham, fannie lou hamer

This year in honor of Black History Month, United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region invited staff and community members to reflect on and share their thoughts on who in Black history – past, present, local or global – has inspired them. Every Tuesday and Thursday during February, we shared these submissions on…

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