UNITED WAY OF SOUTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN

PROGRAM INVESTMENTS: UNITED WAY SCMI (UWSCMI) AND ITS DEDICATED STAFF ADVANCE THE COMMON GOOD BY OPTIMIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT THAT ADDRESS DISPARITIES. AREAS OF FOCUS FOR INVESTMENT INCLUDE, BUT AREN'T LIMITED TO, FINANCIAL STABILITY, EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND BASIC NEEDS. COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR: BATTLE CREEK/KALAMAZOO -- $2,780,430 INVESTED IN 60 PROGRAMS THROUGH 59 AGENCY PARTNERS. CAPITAL AREA -- $245,000 INVESTED IN 18 PROGRAMS THROUGH 18 AGENCY PARTNERS AND 3 COLLABORATIVES. JACKSON COUNTY -- $300,000 INVESTED IN 19 PROGRAMS AT 17 AGENCIES.

COMMUNITY IMPACT & INITIATIVES: UWSCMI DRIVES SYSTEMS CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT THROUGH DIVERSE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, ASSESSMENT, ADVOCACY, VOLUNTEERISM, AND COLLABORATION TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS COLLECTIVELY AND STRATEGICALLY VIA PROGRAM PARTNERSHIPS, UWSCMI-DRIVEN INITIATIVES AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES. EXAMPLES OF IMPACT & INITIATIVES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR:PROGRAM ASSISTANCE CENTER -- A MICHIGAN ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PROVIDING HOUSEHOLDS WITH DIRECT ENERGY ASSISTANCE TO PAY HEAT AND ELECTRIC BILLS. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETE A NEEDS ASSESSMENT SO THEY ARE CONNECTED WITH NON-ENERGY ASSISTANCE SERVICES THEY NEED. 5,491 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED ENERGY SECURITY/SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMMING OR REFERRALS. 3,990 HOUSEHOLDS WERE SERVED USING STATE FUNDING AND FUNDING FROM CONSUMERS ENERGY.VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) -- VOLUNTARY INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) IS ONE OF UWSCMI'S CORE PROGRAMS, PROVIDING FREE TAX PREPARATION SERVICES FOR HOUSEHOLDS EARNING BELOW $69,000. THE VITA PROGRAM OPERATES IN FIVE COUNTIES IN MICHIGAN: CLINTON, EATON, INGHAM, KALAMAZOO, AND SHIAWASSEE. IN THE 2025 TAX SEASON, UWSCMI'S VITA PROGRAM SERVED 5,400 HOUSEHOLDS, WHO COLLECTIVELY RECEIVED MORE THAN $7.4 MILLION IN FEDERAL, STATE, AND HOME HEATING CREDIT REFUNDS INCLUDING OVER $1.5 MILLION IN EARNED INCOME TAX CREDITS (EITC). ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH THE FREE SERVICE PARTICIPANTS COLLECTIVELY SAVED MORE THAN $1.6 MILLION IN COSTLY TAX PREPARATION FEES. KALAMAZOO COUNTY CONTINUUM OF CARE -- INCREASED COORDINATION AND FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE GAPS, INEQUITIES, AND CHALLENGES TO REDUCING HOMELESSNESS. IN 2025, THE COC ADMINISTERED FEDERAL FUNDING AND STATE FUNDING TO PREVENT AND ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS; PROVIDED MINI-GRANTS TO LOCAL NON-PROFITS SERVING THE UNHOUSED; AND REDESIGNED THE RENTABLE PROGRAM TO BETTER SUPPORT ALICE HOUSEHOLDS IN SECURING OR RETAINING THEIR HOUSING.JOBSTAR -- A RESOURCE FOR EMPLOYERS TO HELP THEIR EMPLOYEES OVERCOME OBSTACLES THAT MAY IMPEDE THEIR ABILITY TO WORK. 2025 HIGHLIGHT: REFERRALS PROVIDED: 1,652 REFERRALS PROVIDING 877 EMPLOYEES ACROSS MORE THAN 20 BUSINESS. TWO HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED IMPLEMENTING THE FIRST YEAR OF JOBSTAR'S MULTI-YEAR WORKPLAN AND WRAPPING UP THE FEDERAL EARMARK THAT ALLOWED 10 NONPROFITS TO PARTICIPATE IN A YEAR OF PROGRAMMING. CAPITAL AREA COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK (CAPCAN) -- A COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE FOCUSED ON INCREASING POST-SECONDARY ATTAINMENT AS AN ACHIEVABLE REALITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS BY FOSTERING HIGH EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS THROUGH THE ALIGNMENT OF OUR INSTITUTIONS AND RESOURCES. 2025 HIGHLIGHT: CAPCAN STAFF LAUNCHED THE COLLEGE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IN WHICH THEY TRAINED 20 RISING SENIORS TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR PEERS AT SCHOOL REGARDING THE COLLEGE PROCESS AND HELP BUILD A COLLEGE GOING CULTURE. STUDENTS SERVED: 1,900.