Archive for 2018
Partnership Tackles Racial Disparities
When it comes to racial equity, our regional community can do better. By Sara Coppo, Guest Blogger “Whether it’s education, whether it’s income, whether it’s health, families of color line up behind at all times.” As CEO of YWCA Kalamazoo, an organization that has been active in the community for 130 years, Dr. Grace Lubwama…
Read MoreSee What's Ahead in the Education Quarter
Last fall, United Way volunteers visited elementary schools in Battle Creek and Comstock to read and deliver books as part of the 2017 UW Book Drive. The students were excited to listen to stories, and afterward they spread the donated books on the gym floor, eager to choose one to take home. These were a…
Read MoreBuilding Healthy Families One Connection at a Time
Lee Gray and Amy Smith know how to build relationships. It’s a skill that has proven essential to the facilitation and growth of their family education program, Family Connections. By creating an environment of trust and open dialogue, program co-directors Gray and Smith say they are quickly able to engage even the most reluctant of…
Read MoreYouth United Way Inspires Students to Engage Deeply in Community
Members of Youth United Way are learning early just how much impact they can have on their community. The group, composed of Kalamazoo County high school students, celebrated the end of the school year earlier this month by announcing 23 grants totaling $60,000. They awarded funding to organizations serving youth in the areas of college/career…
Read MoreFire Hub Shows Burning Passion for Community Impact
By Sara Coppo, Guest Blogger Even after its closing in 1983, Fire Station No. 4 has been a landmark in Battle Creek since 1904. After driving past the old building nearly every day and learning that it was set to be demolished, Chef Michael McFarlen of FireKeepers Casino decided that he had a good use…
Read MoreHow to Rain on a Food Desert
A chilly downpour didn’t stop Kellogg volunteers from fighting hunger in Battle Creek. On June 9, community members came together with United Way BCKR and Kellogg’s® Raisin Bran® volunteers today to enhance local community gardens at Leila Arboretum. Their aim was to make sure people in need have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Despite…
Read MoreParchment Students Show Heart for Homeless
It began with a story and ended with a volunteer effort touching the lives of 600 homeless kids. Ninety students at Parchment Middle School held a Pop Up Volunteering event with United Way BCKR on June 1. The students from teacher Meg Vollick’s ELA classes packed 600 personal care kits that were delivered to The…
Read MoreCommunity Effort Yields Thousands of Diapers for Babies
The count is in! During the first two weeks of May, the second annual United Way Diaper Drive brought in thousands of diapers in a massive effort that is already helping families in our region. Area businesses, volunteers, nonprofits and individuals joined together to collect, repackage and distribute 55,415 diapers that went out to more…
Read MoreYouth Day of Caring Brings Volunteerism to Life for Hundreds of Students
Hundreds of students in blue “Live United” T-shirts fanned out across Calhoun County on Friday to get a taste of volunteerism and make an immediate impact in the process. United Way’s 10th annual Youth Day of Caring engaged nearly 400 area teenagers from 10 schools and organizations. They gathered at Full Blast in Battle Creek…
Read MoreHere's Where All Those Diapers Are Going
Dozens of families from the Battle Creek community come to Parkway Manor each month to accept diapers during the Battle Creek Diaper Network’s distribution events. Families can take up to 35 diapers, though Program Coordinator Denise Rucker said she would eventually like to bump that number up to 50. Infants need an average of 12…
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