Change the Story
Happy Thanksgiving!
Maybe it’s wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices. —Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love I’m a fan of Gilbert’s advice. In our hustling, bustling, plugged-in world, it’s easy to let the power and…
Read MoreHunger Awareness: Ending the "Rumblies"
In the classic cartoon, “Winnie The Pooh and The Honey Tree,” Pooh Bear sings of his love for honey to satisfy his hunger, what he calls a “rumbly in my tumbly.” But for more than 58,000 people in the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo region, hunger isn’t a happy song; it’s a daily question mark. That’s…
Read MoreUnited Way Builds on Momentum of Change
As we kick off our annual fundraising campaign, we’re looking to build upon positive changes made possible by community support. “Over the past year, we’ve made great progress through key initiatives, programs and partnerships in education, income and health,” said Michael Larson, president and CEO of UWBCKR. “Our region is changing the story because people…
Read MoreHave You Met ALICE?
There are 39,611 ALICE households in Calhoun and Kalamazoo County and more than 1.54 million households in the State of Michigan according to the recent United Way ALICE Report released by local United Ways. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These are households earning more than the official U.S. poverty level but less…
Read MoreAll Staff Day of Caring
Volunteerism is one of our pillars; we believe that it takes all of us working together to create lasting change. This is why we spent August 15 engaging our staff and board in a Day of Caring in Battle Creek. We had three projects set up with our partners at the Food Bank of South…
Read MoreUnited Way Invests Millions in Local, Regional Programs
From early grade reading to support services for seniors, 106 programs operated by nonprofit agencies across the region are welcoming support totaling more than $7.6 million from United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWBCKR). “Because of our incredibly generous supporters, United Way is able to fund programs that are changing lives in…
Read MoreUnited We Read: Taking Action
A book is more than an object on a shelf. It’s a gateway to new worlds, new insights and new opportunities in life. This is especially true for children. Kids who read proficiently by third grade are far more likely to graduate high school, pursue post-secondary education and land a rewarding career. That’s why United…
Read More‘John’s’ Story: Why Mental Health Matters
“John” appeared to have it all—great job, nice house, loving family. But his personal and professional life brought enormous pressures, and a difficult childhood left emotional scars that hadn’t healed. “Constant fear and depression ruled my life,” John said. “I hid it pretty well, but it kept eating away at me. Finally, there came a…
Read MoreNot Waiting a Single Moment: Why Volunteers Matter
Annelies Marie Frank packed a lot of life into her 14 years and a lot of wisdom into her little diary. An aspiring journalist in 1940s Amsterdam, young Anne jotted down her thoughts and experiences while in hiding from the Nazis with her family. Among her insights is this nugget: “How wonderful it is that…
Read MoreBe a Volunteer—and Change Your World!
by Abby Lumbard, HandsOn Battle Creek April is National Volunteer Month, and this week is National Volunteer Week—two great reasons to get engaged in your community as a volunteer. Our community needs volunteers to thrive. The beautiful thing about volunteering is that anyone can do it. Everybody is capable of giving a little bit of…
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