Michigan United Ways are taking over the state this week to send a message: To live better, we must LIVE UNITED.

Collaboration is one of United Way’s greatest strengths. In that spirit, United Ways across Michigan, including United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, have joined forces again this year to share their successes and invite people statewide to get involved in their home communities. We’re telling our story on billboards, online, on air and everywhere.

This unified kickoff of local campaigns began four years ago with four local United Ways: Capital Area United Way, United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, United Way of Jackson County and United Way of Southwest Michigan. Today, dozens of other United Ways, along with the Michigan Association of United Ways, take part in this collective effort.

“The power of United Way is reflected in our name: united,” said Michael Larson, President and CEO of MAUW. “Local United Ways impact lives locally, plus we share our ideas, successes and strategies to change lives across our great state.”

Beyond shared advertising and online promotion, participating United Ways collaborated on a common web page, letsliveunited.org. Here, you can connect to any United Way in Michigan.

The unified kickoff doesn’t replace local outreach, nor does it add any costs. It simply offers the chance to coordinate and share United Way’s message of impact and partnership on a larger scale.

So watch for signs of the shared kickoff throughout Michigan this week, but don’t stop there. We encourage you to share in our spirit of collaboration by engaging with your local United Way.

We have one life. To live better, we must LIVE UNITED.