News and Updates
Appreciation Week Highlights Youth Development Professionals
Have you thanked a youth development professional lately? Youth Development Professionals Appreciation Week, which kicks off today, is the perfect opportunity. Join us as we celebrate with the Kalamazoo Youth Development Network (KYD Network) and the National AfterSchool Association in…
For Rootead Doulas, Justice Begins At Birth
Kama Mitchell was exhausted, but happy in the days after supporting a client through a lengthy birth process that she called “a huge adventure.” It’s not all that different from the way she describes the work being done by Rootead,…
UWBCKR Earns 4-Star Rating – Again!
Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest evaluator of charitable agencies, awarded United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region its coveted 4-Star rating. It’s the seventh consecutive year that UWBCKR received this highest designation. Charity Navigator rates nonprofits in…
Our Vision: ALICE Doesn't Live Here Anymore
“Why, sometimes I’ve believed in six impossible things before breakfast.” – Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland [Editor’s note: The following blog is by Chris Sargent, Interim CEO for United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region] Over a…
No Wonderland: ALICE Still Struggling
Forty percent of households in Michigan, including more than 58,000 households in the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo region, can’t afford basic household necessities. That sobering fact comes from the recently updated ALICE report, released today by the Michigan Association of…
Learning Circles encourage growth, collaboration
More than 100 nonprofit leaders in the areas of health and education came together this month for two forums aimed at making connections, exploring resources, and learning from one another. The newly developed forums, called Learning Circles, will take place several…
Impact Tours Offer Look At How United Way Partnerships Change Lives
(Editor’s note: This first-person account is provided by Emily Adams, social media intern with UWBCKR.) There’s no better way to learn how United Way partnerships impact lives than to see it for yourself. On March 23, United Way team members…
Saying 'Yes' to the Future
Put a few folks from the nonprofit sector in a room, and they’ll soon start talking about their work, their progress and their fundraising. That’s important, but I prefer when the conversation turns to people. Take this local mom, for…
Driving Impact Through Public Policy
United Way Worldwide recently released its Public Policy Agenda for the 115th Congress. It’s part of the organization’s comprehensive effort to stand up for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. UWW is committed to…