Uncategorized – United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region
As an organization committed to anti-racism, we cannot stand by in silence as acts of violence, racism and hate continue to plague our country and our community. Just as we were compelled to condemn the killing of George Floyd, we are called to acknowledge several heinous acts that have happened since – the killing of…
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Newly released data related to ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) shows just how closely poverty and racism are connected at a local, statewide and national level – and how much work remains in addressing racial and economic disparities. In Michigan, 63 percent of Black households fall below the ALICE Threshold (the minimum income needed to afford…
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Nothing focuses your mind on the impact of a deadly disease than thinking a loved one—and possibly you—could have it. One of my adult daughters began showing symptoms of COVID-19. Like any concerned parent, I took her to the doctor to be tested. Results took 48 hours, putting our family on pins and needles. And…
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A grant program unveiled last month will bring $500,000 in relief to 100 Kalamazoo microbusinesses dealing with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of the businesses will receive $5,000 through the Kalamazoo Micro-Enterprise Grants (KMEG) program, a partnership between the City of Kalamazoo and United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region.…
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UWBCKR envisions a vibrant community where all people realize their full potential. Violence, fear, and racism are in direct conflict with that vision and our values. We are therefore compelled to acknowledge and condemn the unjust killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers along with the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbrey, Breonna Taylor and…
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Americans have access to a new tax incentive this year when making a donation to qualifying charities, including United Way of the Battle Creek Region and many of our local nonprofit partners. The federal relief stimulus under the CARES Act allows taxpayers to claim an additional $300 deduction on their taxes without itemizing. The universal…
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A new partnership puts United Way in a key role helping ALICE workers and their employers in the City of Kalamazoo affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. With $2 million in support from the Foundation For Excellence, United Way launched the Kalamazoo Small Business Loan Fund. The fund will provide low-interest loans between $5,000 and $50,000…
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Editor’s note: Article was updated on March 30, 2020, to include additional dollars raised. United Way’s Disaster Relief Fund has received strong corporate, foundation, and individual donor support that will be applied to local, broad-based needs related to COVID-19. Donations over the past several weeks have reached more than $1,100,000. Local donors can help further…
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United Way’s Disaster Relief Fund is being applied to local, broad-based actions to address COVID-19. Local donors can help drive that impact by supporting the fund and leveraging a matching gift challenge. According to Alyssa Stewart, Vice President of Strategy & Impact, United Way is working with area nonprofit agencies and municipalities to determine what…
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We’ve all heard the advice: If you’re sick, stay home. For ALICE, that might not be an option. “Equal access to precautionary measures cuts along the same lines that divide the United States in other ways: income, education and race,” according to a new article in The New York Times. “Service industry workers, like those…
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