News and Updates
New Funds Available to Nonprofits for COVID-19 Relief
Our community and nation continue to experience the growing impact and devastation of COVID-19 and racial injustice. In response, United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region is launching a second regional activation of its Disaster Relief Fund (DRF)…
On The Eve
of the Election
A MESSAGE FROM UNITED WAY:With the challenges our community faces in 2020 and beyond, we recognize that this year’s election is more important – and more charged – than ever. United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region remains…
Partnership Helps with Rx Costs During Pandemic
The average American spends $1,200 per person each year on medications. For those living below the ALICE threshold, that’s a significant financial burden. Throw in a global pandemic and its economic effects, and that burden becomes unbearable. Fortunately, a long-time…
Virtual Dialogue Tackles ALICE Needs
Families struggling to make ends meet have a tough time under any circumstances. COVID-19 has made it a whole lot tougher. That’s the realization that sparked a virtual community conversation, “ALICE In The Workplace,” sponsored by United Way BCKR and…
Are You Up for the Challenge?
Equity is a journey, not a destination. It’s a sentiment often voiced at United Way BCKR, where the journey toward becoming an anti-racist organization has lasted the better part of a decade and continues to be integral to our vision…
UW Launches Second Leadership Lab
At the United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWCKR), we tackle the toughest issues facing our community by mobilizing every resource, partner and voice to solve those challenges. That work includes supporting and investing in the skills…
UWBCKR Statement on Racism, Violence
As an organization committed to anti-racism, we cannot stand by in silence as acts of violence, racism and hate continue to plague our country and our community. Just as we were compelled to condemn the killing of George Floyd, we…
Local Racial Equity Work Highlighted by UW Worldwide
United Way Worldwide’s newest Innovation Case Study spotlights United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region’s efforts to center equity in every aspect of its work. “The case study offers a comprehensive overview of our internal equity, diversity and…
Black Households Face Greater Financial Risk
Newly released data related to ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) shows just how closely poverty and racism are connected at a local, statewide and national level – and how much work remains in addressing racial and economic disparities. In Michigan, 63…