United Way of Southwest Michigan is seeking nominations of volunteers for recognition at the organization’s annual Volunteer Recognition Event, to be held this year on October 3. The deadline for nominations to be submitted to United Way is August 16, 2019.

Every year, food pantries across Southwest Michigan are fully stocked in the winter months thanks to generous holiday donations—but when summer comes, donations drop dramatically and pantry shelves become sparse. This can leave low-income, hard-working families with limited options during this time of year. So, for the third year in a row, United Way of Southwest Michigan asked local businesses and community members to participate in its Christmas in June event to stock local food pantries with items to get them through the warmer months. 

Indiana Michigan Power, an AEP Company; Gast Manufacturing; Spectrum Health Lakeland; and Whirlpool Corporation compete to out-collect each other in food drive for local pantries.

Three local HEALTH nonprofits—Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Michigan, Girls on the Run Southwest Michigan, and Be Healthy Berrien—have been chosen as the contestants in United Way of Southwest Michigan’s THIRD “Pop Up Giving” event on Thursday, May 9 from 5-7 p.m. at Lehman's Orchard Brewery & Farmhouse in Buchanan. This event gives the community the chance to decide where funds go.

“This event generated more than $160,000 during last spring’s Appliance Sale,” said Gokul Nair, Whirlpool Corporation’s Senior Manager of Global Operations.  “You’ll see average discounts of more than 40% on some incredible appliances. And it’s all to impact our local community.”

Three local HEALTH nonprofits—to be announced prior to the event—have three minutes to pitch a project that will impact the community, followed by two minutes of Q&A with the audience. (The audience has five minutes to complete their ballots to determine the winner.) Proceeds from ticket sales are combined to create a “donation pot.” Second and third place finishers each receive consolation cash prizes of $250, while the organization with the most votes WINS THE REST!

“Books! Books! Books!  There is no better way to give your child a head start than to expose them to the world of learning through books.  Open their minds to the possibilities around them and they will grow.  We [Wolverine Mutual Insurance] are pleased to be able to participate in this meaningful initiative.  We all can do nothing better for the next generations than to educate them,” said Jim Laing from Wolverine Mutual Insurance Company.

United Way of Southwest Michigan gathered with around 500 guests from the community at the Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College on Thursday, March 14 for this year’s annual Celebration, reflecting on another successful campaign.