Heart Of West Michigan United Way

TO IMPACT LIVES IN WEST MICHIGAN BY ENERGIZING AND INSPIRING PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THROUGH DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERISM. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY IS RAISING FUNDS SO AGENCY PROVIDERS AND INTERNAL PROGRAMS CAN IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES WITH A FOCUS ON FAMILY STABILITY, YOUTH EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL SECURITY. WE ALSO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP IN CRAFTING HUMAN CARE AGENDAS OR AS A MEMBER OF COLLABORATIVES FOCUSED ON SYSTEMIC CHANGE THAT ERADICATES INEQUITIES.

IN ADDITION TO ITS NORMAL OPERATIONS, AND DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, ADDITIONAL FUNDRAISING AND GRANTMAKING WAS COMPLETED DURING 2020. ALL PROCEEDS RAISED FOR CORONAVIRUS RELIEF EFFORTS WERE GRANTED TO NON-PROFIT AGENCIES TO ASSIST THE MOST VULNERABLE DURING THE TIME OF CRISIS. THIS RESULTED IN $3,141,290 OF ADDITIONAL DOLLARS BEING GRANTED. COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FUNDS OF $4,170,000 WENT TO NONPROFIT PROVIDERS THAT PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICE TO PEOPLE IN KENT COUNTY. DIRECT SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO APPROXIMATELY 83,500 INDIVIDUALS AND 16,000 FAMILIES. DONORS MAY DESIGNATE GIFTS TO OTHER UNITED WAYS OR SPECIFIC CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS. DONOR DIRECTED DESIGNATIONS OF $2,207,860 WERE MADE TO OTHER UNITED WAYS AND/OR OTHER CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS. AGENCY IMPACT UTILIZES A VOLUNTEER DRIVEN PROCESS TO REVIEW PROPOSALS FOR UNITED WAY FUNDING FROM LOCAL NON-PROFITS. THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO UNITED WAY AND ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO INVEST IN PROGRAMS THAT WILL ACHIEVE MEASURABLE IMPACT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY DRIVEN BY UNITED WAY'S FOCUS ON REDUCING POVERTY THROUGH INVESTMENTS IN FAMILY STABILITY, YOUTH EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL SECURITY. COMMUNITY IMPACT DECISIONS ARE BASED ON BEST-PRACTICE RESEARCH AND REPORTED ANNUALLY.

INTERNAL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS INCLUDE 2-1-1, KENT COUNTY TAX CREDIT COALITION (KCTCC), VOLUNTEER CENTER, LABOR PARTICIPATION PROGRAM, WOMEN UNITED AND YOUNG LEADERS. UNITED WAY 2-1-1 IS A FREE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES "HOTLINE" THAT CONNECTS CALLERS TO MORE THAN 8,000 DISTINCT SERVICES IN 14 WESTERN AND NORTHERN MICHIGAN COUNTIES 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. IT IS STAFFED AND MANAGED BY EXTENSIVELY TRAINED AND CERTIFIED UNITED WAY STAFF MEMBERS. UNITED WAY KCTCC ENGAGES OVER 200 VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WORKING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES GAIN ECONOMIC STABILITY WITH FREE INCOME TAX RETURN PREPARATION, ENSURING THAT THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT IS RECEIVED BY THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE.

THE KENT COUNTY ESSENTIAL NEEDS TASK FORCE FOCUSES ON SYSTEM CHANGE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON COLLECTIVE IMPACT AND THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL SYSTEMS. THE COMMITTEES ARE A REFLECTION OF THOSE BASIC NEEDS THE COMMUNITY HAS DEEMED ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF ITS CITIZENS. THE COMMITTEES ARE GRAND RAPIDS AREA COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS, ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOOD AND NUTRITION COALITION, ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION.

THE GREAT START COLLABORATIVE (GSC) OF KENT COUNTY SERVES AS THE LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR GOVERNANCE, PLANNING, INVESTMENT, ADVOCACY, AND INNOVATION FOR MICHIGAN'S GREAT START SYSTEM. OUR COLLABORATIVE IS PART OF A NETWORK OF 55 GREAT START COLLABORATIVES WORKING IN EVERY COUNTY IN MICHIGAN THROUGH THE MICHIGAN OFFICE OF GREAT START (OGS). CHARGED WITH ENSURING THAT ALL CHILDREN BIRTH TO AGE EIGHT, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN HIGHEST NEED, HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND ENTER KINDERGARTEN PREPARED FOR SUCCESS.