Something exciting is happening across Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties this month. United Way of Southwest Michigan's Campaign Season is officially underway, and a group of local organizations we call our Pacesetters are the ones setting things in motion.

Summer camp is officially back in session, and this year it floats! United Way of Southwest Michigan’s ROCK THE BOAT, Presented by Honor Credit Union, paddles back into the St. Joseph River Channel at the Inn at Harbor Shores on Thursday, July 16 beginning at 5pm! The whole riverfront becomes one giant day camp, and here is the best part, camper: you do not have to build a boat to join the fun. All the fun is right here on the riverfront, and it is free to attend and cheer on our teams.

Every spring, our VITA volunteers get a front-row seat to something genuinely special. They watch their neighbors walk into a tax appointment a little unsure, and walk out with a weight lifted off their shoulders. That's what United Way of Southwest Michigan's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, VITA, does for this community, and this year was no exception.