BC/Kzoo General
Rossie’s Story: ‘Absolutely There’s Hope’
If you’re active in the Battle Creek community at all, you might know Rose “Rossie” Miller. She’s worked with the South Michigan Food Bank, operated a food pantry, served on the Yes we can! initiative through the Battle Creek Community Foundation, chaired the board for what is now Grace Health, and served multiple terms on…
Read MoreBehind The Scenes: Why I Work for United Way – Shreya Naseri
Editor’s note: We asked our United Way BCKR team to share why they’re excited to work for United Way. Here are some thoughts from Shreya Naseri, Customer Relationship Management Administrator. As Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Administrator, my role is to ensure efficient fundraising through our online portal. I handle multiple campaigns including individual giving. Every…
Read MoreBehind The Scenes: Leading With Our Values
It’s said that if you don’t hold fast to your values, whether in good times or bad, then your “values” are really just hobbies. At United Way, our values are fundamental. They drive every aspect of our work—who we are, what we do, how we interact with each other, and how we engage with our…
Read MoreBehind The Scenes: Committed to Equity
Over the past five years, United Way BCKR has been growing its efforts to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). The task ahead is to accelerate this evolution. “We firmly believe EDI is critical to our impact work and to our regional community,” said Chris Sargent, President & CEO. “That’s why every investment, every partnership,…
Read MoreBehind The Scenes: The Community Impact of Win-Win
A win for someone struggling to succeed—to get an education, access health care and achieve financial stability—does a lot more than benefit that person. It’s a win for the community, too. “Poverty imposes costs on the nation in terms of both programmatic outlays and productivity losses that can affect the economy as a whole,” states…
Read MoreBehind The Scenes: ‘Festoon’ for a Better Community
“At United Way, we know that we can’t accomplish our impact work alone,” said Natalie Saucedo, United Way BCKR’s Senior Director of Strategy & Innovation.
Read MorePartnership Expands Small-Business Support in Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo small businesses can benefit from loans and grants through a three-year partnership between the City of Kalamazoo and United Way BCKR that builds on a successful pandemic-related effort. The new agreement, approved by the Kalamazoo City Commission on March 1, does two things. One, it expands the Kalamazoo Small Business Loan Fund (KSBLF), which…
Read MoreWhy United Way Matters
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series called Behind the Scenes, designed to give readers an inside look at what we do, and why. Giving to a good cause is easier than ever these days–click on a GoFundMe link, buy something through Amazon Smile, round up your next fast-food purchase. Those things aren’t…
Read More7 Ways You Can Choose to Challenge Gender Inequity
Celebrate International Women’s Day, March 8, with These Mentorship Ideas Challenges faced together are often easier to manage. That’s true no matter your age or stage in life. Having someone who is by your side to help you face challenges is the power of mentorships! So for this International Women’s Day, we are celebrating the…
Read MoreKalamazoo County Encampments: CoC Update
Editor’s note: Since January 2020, the United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region has led the Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care (CoC); its vision is for all Kalamazoo County residents to live in safe, healthy, affordable homes in a thriving community. Kalamazoo County, like many communities across the country, has experienced homeless encampments…
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