United Way of South Central Michigan (Battle Creek Kalamazoo Region) and Gryphon Place are honored to recognize 19 individuals or groups of volunteers who were nominated for the 2022 STAR Awards. The STAR (Sharing Time and Resources) Celebration and Community… “Start small, focus on the kids you have, retain those kids, and grow.” These words […]
The Village is a collaborative effort and plan led by members of Battle Creek’s BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities to achieve equity and challenge systemic and structural barriers to their growth and prosperity. Developed around the theory of collective liberation, The Village intends to create systemic change driven by the belief that communities […]
The Community Violence Intervention grants were created as a joint effort by the City of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo County to address the rising epidemic of gun violence in our communities. The Kalamazoo City Commission and the Kalamazoo County Commission invested a total of $1,050,000 of American Rescue Plan funds in this issue and invited specific […]
United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWBCKR) is dedicated to building capacity and accountability into our policies, practices, and partnerships through collective collaboration with communities most affected by inequities. These declarations reflect multiple, evolving core principles that have arisen from conversations with UWBCKR staff, board, funders, donors, and volunteers over the past […]
United Way’s Workplace Campaigns are about bringing people together where they work to tackle our community’s most challenging issues. Whether a small business, a major corporation or even a non-profit organization, you can join more than 300 local businesses and organizations that run United Way fundraising campaigns each year. Every campaign is different and can […]
United Way of Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region has awarded $2,500 mini-grants to 10 local leaders as a part of a new program called Seeding Leaders. These grants are intended to support the wellness, leadership, and professional development of nonprofit leaders and primarily focused on leaders who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color), […]
Inequitable investment into agencies led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and serving this community of individuals is a longstanding trend in the philanthropic sector, and one that cannot be rectified without intentional effort. In 2021, we dispersed our third annual survey asking our Funded Partners to provide us with the self-disclosed racial […]
“As the region’s largest employer and leading health system, Bronson Healthcare is committed to improving the quality of life for individuals and families in southwest Michigan. So is the United Way. It brings together the right partners and resources to take on complex issues that no single organization can solve on its own. Bronson is […]
(269) 962-9538 34 West Jackson Street, Suite 4B Battle Creek, MI 49017 M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (269) 343-2524 709 South Westnedge Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
United Way partners with programs, community leaders, government officials, and legislators across our regional community and the state to advocate for efforts and policies that create positive systemic changes in Education, Income, Health, and Basic Needs. United Way is uniquely positioned to advocate for change because: We have diverse partners and relationships that span the […]
United Way is committed to investing in critical basic needs services. This includes raising and deploying funds effectively during times of emergency. The United Way Disaster Relief Fund proactively supports response and recovery in instances of natural disaster and community crises that affect individuals and families below the ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) threshold in Kalamazoo […]
Patrese Griffin, a champion of fair housing concerns in the Kalamazoo area, has been named Director of the Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care. “The CoC and and United Way of South Central Michigan are thrilled to welcome Patrese to the team,” said Alyssa Stewart, UWSCMI Chief Impact Officer. Griffin brings a passion for housing advocacy […]
Seeding Grants represents a crucial step toward more equitable funding of programs and partners. The one-year, unrestricted investments of $60,000 each went to six organizations in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo led by Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). The grants sprung from United Way BCKR’s learnings through the Catalyzing Community Giving work in Battle Creek. […]
United Way of South Central Michigan (UWSCMI) seeks to increase the number of households in Greater Battle Creek and Kalamazoo County living above the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed) threshold, established by the Michigan ALICE Report. In our latest round of multi-year grants, UWSCMI invited applications that were aligned to Battle Creek & […]