Year in Review:
Pop Up Giving

Did you attend a Pop Up Giving this year? If so, you know that they are eye-opening, impactful, and always involve good eats. We hope you also know that you made a difference. Pop Up Giving popped up four times this year, and between donations from attendees, match sponsors and event sponsors, we were able…

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UWBCKR Joins Call to Increase Earned Income Tax Credit

EITC coalition Brian Asquith Nakia Baylis Alyssa Stewart Eric Stewart

United Way joined organizations from across Kalamazoo County urging state legislators to support Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposal to double Michigan’s Earned Income Tax Credit, an important support for low-income families. The coalition called on lawmakers to show bipartisan support for the proposal to double the EITC from 6% to 12%, which according to a…

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Investing for Impact: $6.24 Million in UWBCKR Grants Drives Change

Childhood trauma, infant health, stable housing and food insecurity are among 110 area programs receiving a total of $6,247,821 in grants from United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region. Sixty programs will receive a total of $3,718,401 in strategic grants annually for three years, according to Alyssa Stewart, Vice President of Impact &…

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Grants available for Census 2020 push

United Way is taking the lead in Kalamazoo County, working as part of a statewide effort spearheaded by the Michigan Nonprofit Association to mobilize local nonprofits in encouraging census participation among hard-to-count populations.

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Talking about ALICE

Let’s talk about ALICE. Let’s talk about what it means to be Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed. Let’s talk about the challenges faced by 4 in 10 households in our region—hard-working households that still struggle to make ends meet. Let’s talk about the difficulty they face in trying to better their lives when 61%…

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Employers You’ll Find at the Career Life Expo

Schupan & Sons

The Career Life Expo is fast approaching, and there are dozens of employers and community resources from the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region lined up to greet jobseekers. The Career Life Expo takes place Tuesday, March 26, 12 noon to 5 p.m., at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake Street. As jobseekers enter the…

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Still Struggling: ALICE Report Shows 40% at Risk Financially

Four of every 10 households in the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo region are either in poverty or barely getting by financially, a new report on Michigan’s working families reveals. The Michigan Association of United Ways (MAUW) has released a study on the condition of Michigan’s working families, which it has dubbed ALICE households—those that are…

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