Posts Tagged ‘income’
New United Way Investments Locally Top $5.57 Million
Financial coaching, stable housing, access to food, and social emotional development are among 95 area programs receiving a total investment of $5,571,769 from United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWBCKR). The programs, managed by 65 partner agencies, continue to advance the community toward goals in education, financial stability, and infant and family…
Read MoreCareer Life Expo Connects Jobseekers to Bright Future
Perched at the Kalamazoo Literacy Council table inside the Kalamazoo Expo Center, Cakneeshia Stegall smiled brightly at the dozens of jobseekers wandering past. She was eager to connect with them. After all, she knew what they were feeling. Stegall was once on the other side of the table, looking for work, at a past Career…
Read MoreTalking 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%…
Read MoreCareer Life Expo Nears; Volunteers Sought
The Career Life Expo brings many opportunities for people looking for work and for people looking to volunteer. The Career Life Expo takes place Tuesday, March 26, 12 noon to 5 p.m., at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake Street. Employers from the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo region will be there to conduct interviews…
Read MoreJobs, Homes and Financial Stability: See What Our Income Quarter is All About
When more than 530 jobseekers walked into United Way’s Career Life Expo last February, they found 83 employers ready to talk about job opportunities. But day to day, many people can’t pursue such opportunities because of barriers such as lack of identification, incomplete education, lack of housing and no transportation. That’s why the Expo also…
Read MoreTaking 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 MoreImpact Week: Fighting for Financial Stability
More than 1 in 3 households in our region are either in poverty or struggling to make ends meet. United Way works to help these vulnerable families and individuals become financially stable. That includes ALICE—Asset Limited, Income Constrained Employed—people who work but can’t get ahead financially, who are one unexpected bill away from poverty. United…
Read MoreImpact Week 2018: Delivering Results, Changing Lives
Making a charitable gift or volunteering your time isn’t just a feel-good exercise. It’s an investment, and you want to see that investment pay off. United Way wholeheartedly agrees. “Our impact begins by identifying where we can invest resources, people and expertise to solve our region’s biggest challenges,” said Matt Lynn, Vice President for Community…
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 MoreEducation 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…
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