‘Amazing!’: Board Member Climbs Kilimanjaro

“Phenomenal. Amazing. Humbling.” That’s how Dr. Ashutosh “Ash” Goel described his incredible trek up Mount Kilimanjaro. Goel and his daughter, Amiti, along with his nephew Tilak Gupta and niece Shagun Gupta, set off in mid August to climb the famous dormant volcano in Tanzania. In the process, they raised over $8,000 to support childhood education…

Read More

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…

Read More

Itzel’s Story

La Academia Azteca is funded in part by United Way and aligns with our community goal of improving graduation rates by supporting the social and emotional well-being of students. The program utilizes Latinx volunteers from Western Michigan University and provides a safe space for students to explore their social, emotional and academic development in a culturally competent environment. The youth choose how they want to spend their time, which can include mentoring, tutoring, traditional dance, soccer and conversation focus groups.

Read More

That’s a Wrap for the Live United Tour

More than 20,000 Acts of Kindness Completed During Live United Summer Tour The 2019 Live United Summer Tour has come to an end, and we are thrilled to announce our road trip results. Together with more than 250 community volunteers, many corporate partners and individual donors, we have achieved our goal of 20,000 Acts of…

Read More

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 &…

Read More

Triniti’s Story

Triniti and Patricia

Triniti was one of dozens of students this year to be paired with a volunteer Reading Buddy as part of Kalamazoo RESA’s Reading Mentorship Program, funded by United Way as a strategy to improve early grade reading.

Read More

5 Ways to Grow Passionate Readers

Ian reads

Learning to read is a big milestone in a young student’s life, and an important one. In fact, United Way has identified early grade reaching achievement as a key strategy in improving graduation rates and fostering success in academics and beyond. Schools and other educational programming will always be a big part of that strategy,…

Read More

Taking Impact Personally

Taking Impact Personally

Chris Sargent, President & CEO, reflects personally on Impact Week 2018. Every now and then, someone asks what draws me to the work of United Way. The answer is easy: For me, it’s personal. I’ve spent much of my life living in this area. I have children here. Grandchildren, too. This is my home, and…

Read More

Impact Week: Hope Through Education

Hope Through Education

Benjamin Franklin was right: An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. It also delivers the greatest hope. That’s why United Way BCKR invests heavily in Education, with the goal of improving high school graduation rates to 83 percent by 2030 while reducing racial and economic disparities. Erica’s Story The CLIMB (Concrete Lessons in Mindful…

Read More