United 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…

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“Not Just a Merger, but a Transformation”

July 10 marked a huge step for our regional community: the United Way of Greater Battle Creek and the United Way of Greater Kalamazoo merged to form the United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWBCKR). I know, it’s a mouthful!  But beyond the longer name this merger represents much more change to…

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Motivating Monday: Denise Washington, From Poverty to Ph.D

Denise Washington seemed destined to be a poster woman for young, single mothers aspiring to little more than a minimum-wage existence. Forty years ago, Washington was offered a college scholarship to pursue a degree in accounting at Western Michigan University and had a promising internship lined up.  But with a semester left before her high…

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Top 25 Breakfast

Early morning meetings seem to be happening much more frequently around our office. Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the annual Top 25 Breakfast, this year held at the Gilmore Car Museum. What an amazing location with so much history! Though it was early, excitement was in the air from the region’s largest…

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United Way; A Catalyst for Change

If I do my job right, you’ll never again think of United Way as simply a fundraiser. Of course, that’s how most people view United Way – understandably so, since raising and investing funds in the community is an important part of our work. But if our region is to thrive, United Way must be…

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