Archive for 2018
UWBCKR's Elchert Earns Statewide Honor
Unwavering commitment to helping the homeless has earned a statewide award for a United Way BCKR staff member. The Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH) has named Robert Elchert, Community Impact Associate for United Way BCKR, as its 2018 Public Policy Champion. MCAH, a statewide, nonprofit membership organization addressing homelessness and affordable housing, awards the Public…
Read MoreMaxine's Story
Maxine was using methamphetamines when she discovered she was pregnant last year. She had been struggling in the aftermath of a DUI charge, trying hard to “make it all work” and feeling that she wasn’t moving forward in life. “I felt overwhelmed and hopeless,” she said. “I started using meth because I felt like I…
Read MoreJoin us as an AmeriCorps VISTA member
Looking for a way to make a difference? United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region is seeking candidates for two AmeriCorps VISTA positions that will work to connect financially struggling families with local resources. In partnership with the State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, United Way is working to integrate…
Read MoreMercantile Bank Invests Tax Break in Flood Relief
Mercantile Bank of Michigan recently gave $7,500 to United Way BCKR to support the Kalamazoo Flood Relief Fund from tax savings resulting from federal tax reform approved by Congress last December. “It’s one way for us to give back,” said Nancy Turtle, Senior Vice President and Community Bank President for Mercantile Bank. “Flood relief is…
Read MoreGet Your Diapers in a Bunch! Diaper Drive Starts May 1
For the second consecutive year, a massive volunteer effort will tackle a chronic need among low-income families by gathering 75,000 donated infant and toddler diapers from across Calhoun and Kalamazoo counties. United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWBCKR) is spearheading the drive, which will bring together regional businesses and volunteers to gather,…
Read MoreWarner Norcross + Judd is the 2017 Community Law Challenge Winner
If you’ve entered into downtown Kalamazoo from the east lately, chances are you’ve seen a glimpse of United Way’s 2017 Gerard Thomas Community Law Challenge winners. Warner Norcross + Judd employees, featured on a billboard overlooking Kalamazoo Avenue, stood out among their peers for their leadership, participation and financial support for United Way of the…
Read MoreAlejandro's Story
Finding purpose Alejandro is well-spoken and talkative, but at times he simply doesn’t have the words to describe how much his life has changed. Five years ago, he was in a jail cell, serving time for a drug offense. Today, he’s flourishing with a new job, positive influences in his life, and the capacity to…
Read MoreDiaper Drive 2018
Education and Employment Go Hand In Hand At Y.O.U.
There’s a common misconception that today’s teenagers aren’t interested in jobs, said Karen Carlisle, Director of Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.) in Kalamazoo. The hundreds of applications that flood Y.O.U’s MyCITY summer youth employment program each year, however, tell a different story. “So often, we hear today that young people just don’t want to work,” Carlisle…
Read More'On The Ground' Lands Locally
Journalism is about storytelling—and great journalism can help change the story. A partnership involving Issue Media Group and United Way BCKR embeds reporters in a largely low-income Kalamazoo neighborhood to find the stories and the people behind them—people who face challenges that United Way strives to address. “This is journalism the way it used to…
Read More