Monthly Newsletter -November 2023
Help Fill 1,000 Holiday Hope Bags

Holiday Hope Bags is an initiative to provide food-insecure students and home-bound seniors in Montcalm and Ionia counties food during the holiday. As a majority of students rely on free school meals and after-school third-meal programs, the holiday season can add additional family stress by adjusting tight food budgets to accommodate the two weeks students are home during winter break.

This year we are asking local businesses, schools, groups, and all community members to help provide needed items to over 1,000 food bags in Montcalm and Ionia Counties.
Join Us for a Discussion on Housing
What is Housing Burdened for ALICE?
ALICE: Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed

ACROSS MICHIGAN, 39 PERCENT OF HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLE TO AFFORD THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF HOUSING, CHILD CARE, FOOD, TECHNOLOGY, HEALTH CARE AND TRANSPORTATION.

That's why United Ways across Michigan, with help from the Consumers Energy Foundation, have come together to bring you the ALICE Project. 

The ALICE Report is the most comprehensive depiction of need in Michigan to date. In the years since the Michigan Association of United Ways released its first ALICE Report, Michigan residents have started to get a clearer picture of their neighbors, loved ones, friends, and acquaintances than ever before.

Many families across Ionia and Montcalm Counties are struggling to make ends meet.
Can you balance money and stress for 30 days?
Women United in the Community
Women United is dedicated to helping under-resourced women and their families advance out of poverty through initiatives focused on philanthropic action and volunteerism. If you would like to become involved with United Women, click this link
Some of the recent projects that they are working on are:
  • Providing seniors with pillows and pillowcases. They have sewn 300 of the cutest pillowcases!
  • Decorated over 3,000 lunch sacks for food-insecure children.
  • Packed 800+ first aid kits with Narcan for community partners.
  • Created and supplied books for Alzheimer's Resource Boxes at several community locations.
Corporate Partners Give Back at Day of Caring

West Michigan Works!
Thank you to our friends at West Michigan Works Ionia and Greenville branches for helping us pack feminine hygiene kits for our local schools.

Did you know that a menstrual cycle is the number 1 reason girls miss school?

Isabella Bank
1 in 3 of our kiddos in Montcalm County are food insecure. That means they might not know where their next meal is coming from. Isabella Bank packed 60,000 meals for our local food pantries.

Thanks to the Daily News staff for answering the call to help make this event a success.

Independent Bank- Belding Branch
Independent Bank, Belding Branch helped pack hygiene projects that will be distributed to every elementary, middle, and high school in both counties.

You can help too, by donating clean cosmetic bags to the Independent Bank Branch in Belding or the United Way office.

Independent Bank-
Operations Department
The Operations Team hosted a drive-thru diaper distribution at the United Way parking lot. Residents of Montcalm and Ionia Counties came to collect FREE diapers, wipes, and diaper cream for their little ones. The crew supplied hundreds of diapers and feminine hygiene products to community service partners.

Mercantile Bank
Mercantile Bank employees helped with a large community mailing. Folding letters, stuffing envelopes, sealing, and stamping them ready to get in the mail. Thank you for the extra hands.

Shout Out to Dan & and Michele!
These SuperStar Volunteers Hero,
who help out all year round.
They are the definition of Living United.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Volunteer for VITA! The Volunteer Tax Assistance program provided free help preparing tax returns for qualified households. By giving your time to VITA, you'll help local working individuals and families become financially stable, and you do not need to be a math wiz to volunteer!
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