When we entered a new three-year grant cycle in July 2020, we welcomed several new agencies and programs to Heart of West Michigan United Way. Read more about how our Community Grant Fund invests in solutions that fight poverty.

This year, don’t pay to file. Schedule your free tax prep appointment with Kent County Tax Credit Coalition, or use MyFreeTaxes, United Way’s easy online platform, to save hundreds of dollars in fees.

From the first hello, 2-1-1 is here to provide expert, caring help for every person and every problem.

Our featured blogger this week is Alex Rodrigues, from the 2-1-1 team, with her experiences of the celebration of Posadas Navideñas.

The Michigan Association of United Ways (MAUW) released new ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) data, which shows 63% of Black households statewide are unable to make ends meet. Heart of West Michigan United Way is taking action by reinforcing its commitment to race and equity in both policy and action.

As part of our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Heart of West Michigan United Way is excited to announce it has engaged Inclusive Performance Strategies (IPS) to conduct an independent equity-focused review and analysis of our RFP Community Grant Fund Application and review process.

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic in Kent County, Heart of West Michigan United Way is partnering with Kent County to support local nonprofit organizations providing certain relief services during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Kent County Board of Commissioners recently allocated $9.5 million in federal CARES Act dollars to create the Kent County Non-Profit Organization COVID-19 Grant Fund.

The pain is real because the injustice is real.

As a white woman, I can never truly understand the grief, fear, and despair of my black and brown colleagues and friends. But I know that to be angered by injustice is appropriate and right. I’m angry too.

Today, Nijyel Johnson is a little over a month into basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia. It’s a very different place than the one he was in eight years ago. Find out how Steepletown Neighborhood Services helped him get there.

Before COVID-19 thousands were struggling to afford housing here in Kent County. Now, with unemployment at historic levels, the need is even greater. Through the Coronavirus Response Fund, Heart of West Michigan United Way is helping local agencies provide safe shelter, family housing, rent assistance, and more to our neighbors.

With thousands in Kent County out of work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, United Church Outreach Ministry and other agencies are seeing a big increase in the number of families seeking assistance. In March alone, 83 new households approached UCOM seeking assistance.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, food pantries like The Green Apple have seen an increase in demand for their services. The Green Apple is one of the many local agencies receiving funding from the Coronavirus Response Fund at Heart of West Michigan United Way to ensure they can meet the need in our community.

West Michigan is enriched by women leaders whose faces you might not see on the evening news but whose contributions to our community are no less essential. In honor of International Women’s Day, March 8, we want to introduce you to one of those leaders: Leah Carpenter.

If your household earned $56,000 or less in 2019 and you live in Kent County, you’re eligible to have your taxes prepared for free by Kent County Tax Credit Coalition. Starting this week, appointments can be made by calling 2-1-1.

This Monday, United Way employees will join volunteers around the country for the 25th-annual MLK Day of Service. Find out how you can get involved too.

For many of the ALICE families in Kent County – the thousands of households working but struggling to make ends meet – the holidays can be a stressful time. If food and rent are a stretch, there’s probably not much left in the budget for presents. That’s where Adopt-a-Family comes in.

Jan. 10, 2020. With ice storms in the forecast and power outages predicted, make sure you’re prepared if the weather turns nasty.

When I was 16 years old, five years after entering institutionalized foster care, I finally had a small ray of light enter my dark life. Her name was Sara, and she was my CASA.

Food pantries and community meal centers are critical for combating food insecurity here in Kent County, where one in nine people is struggling to get enough to eat. But they’re not the end of the story. Our Kitchen Table’s Program for Growth is all about food justice..