Impact Partners
2025-2026
Build Stronger Communities
Impact Area: Healthy Community
Berrien County Health Department – Raising Up Healthy Babies
Working to address health inequities in maternal and infant health outcomes. Will work to develop a pilot to organize and structure institutional and community-based processes across sectors to ensure they promote and never inhibit the achievement of equity in maternal-child health.
OutCenter Southwest Michigan – LGBTQ+ Competent Healthcare and Patient Safety Project
OutCenter Southwest Michigan is the backbone organization of the project working across healthcare systems and practices in the area, leveraging time, talent, and resources to bring equitable healthcare to Southwest Michigan. The goal is to decrease the number of LGBTQ+ people who report poor physical health by increasing access to equitable, safe, and competent healthcare for LGBTQ+ people and their families in southwest Michigan.
Van Buren/Cass District Health Department – Eat Well Be Well
Strives to promote healthy bodies and change lives for Van Buren and Cass County residents by expanding nutrition and physical activity education, access to healthy foods, and empowering residents by making the healthy choice the easy choice.
CHANGE LIVES
Impact Area: Healthy Community
Emergency Food Assistance
Feeding America West Michigan – Mobile Food Pantry Program
Provides neighbors facing hunger with access to fresh, nutritious food that promotes long-term, positive health outcomes. A semi-truck filled with thousands of pounds of food is sent to an accessible location where community members can receive the items at no cost.
Senior Nutrition Services, Region IV – Meals on Wheels
Delivers hot, cold, and frozen meals to home-bound seniors 60+ and their spouses or unpaid caregivers.
Senior Services of Van Buren County – Care Coordination for Seniors
Work with seniors to help in a wide variety of areas, including but not limited to housing and emergency shelter assistance, home delivery of commodities, mobile food pantries, utility assistance, insurance paperwork and DHHS paperwork assistance, Medicare and Medicaid assistance, ramps and home repairs, free medical equipment, smoke detectors, emergency food assistance, and support for ongoing health decline.
Mental Health Support
Berrien County Cancer Service, Inc. – In-home Skilled Nursing and Supportive Resources
Provide skilled in-home nursing services and supportive resources at no cost to patients and their families. Registered nurses visit those with cancer or related illnesses (generally blood disorders) in their home or work setting to provide patient services.
Benton Harbor Community Development Corporation – 400 B.L.A.C.K. Mentoring Program
Serves males ages 10-17, with an intentional focus on ending service disparities resulting in consequences for Black males, as they are at the greatest risk of homelessness, chronic mental health instability, and higher rates of undiagnosed and/or untreated cases of HIV. Provides educational workshops, life-skills training, career development, along with academic and behavioral health support.
Samaritan Counseling Center (Centered on Wellness) – Mental Health Services
Outpatient mental health counseling, outpatient addiction recovery counseling, and group work on a variety of topics for individuals, couples, families, or organizations located in Berrien, Cass or Van Buren counties.
Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Michigan – Prevention Education and Outreach
Coordinates and facilitates education for adults (to recognize, respond, and report abuse) and children (to reduce risk of victimization).
Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Michigan – Children’s Advocacy Center
Supports children through a coordinated response to child abuse that includes prevention, assessment, and intervention. Highly trained staff conduct developmentally appropriate, legally sound forensic interview of victims of child sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, or witness to violence. Family Advocates are a point of contact for families for information regarding case status, questions pertaining to the process, and providing community referrals. Spectrum Health Lakeland’s Forensic Nurse Examiners are onsite to provide medical exams. Therapists provide crisis counseling and ongoing therapy to child victims and their non-offending family members. Support groups are available to assist in dealing with the trauma. All services are provided at no cost to the child victim and family.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) – Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southwest Michigan
A trained volunteer, appointed by a judge, advocates on behalf of an abused or neglected child (or sibling group) so that they do not become lost in an overburdened, confusing foster care system while finding a safe, permanent home as quickly as possible.
Domestic and Sexual Abuse Services – Hillmann House Shelter
Communal living environment for victims of domestic violence. Residents work with an advocate to achieve individualized goals that help move them out of crisis situations. Serves Cass County residents.
Domestic Violence Coalition, Inc. – Victim Advocacy Program
Seeks to serve victims/survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Van Buren County. Services include prevention, assistance seeking protection orders, court accompaniment, safety planning, support groups, therapy, emergency response, and other services as requested.
Lake Michigan College – Counseling Services
Provides free, unlimited counseling to all enrolled students who are over the age of 18. Provides individual counseling, workshop/educational events, group therapy, and staff and faculty training around mental health awareness and emergencies.
Michiana Family Center – Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Groups
Works to grow community within the foster parent community. Meetings begin with topics, such as resources that are available to foster parents and children in their care, and education on the broad efforts of trauma and how to navigate that in the home.
Region IV Area Agency on Aging – Enhanced Care
An integrated, home-based delivery model of primary care, behavioral health counseling, and care management services that will bridge gaps, increase access, and build capacity for the community to meet the health, social-emotional, and general well-being needs of older adults, younger people with disabilities, and their caregivers.
Region IV Area Agency on Aging – Senior Companion Program
Provides respite for caregivers, in-home companionship and transportation services to the frail elderly and adults with disabilities, enabling clients served to remain independently and providing much-needed respite to caregivers.
Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center – Children’s Advocacy Center for Van Buren County
A satellite program that will begin providing essential services to child victims of abuse in Van Buren County. Highly trained staff conduct developmentally appropriate, legally sound forensic interview of victims of child sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, or witness to violence. All services are provided at no cost to the child victim and family.
Southwestern Michigan College – Mental Health Counseling for Success
Provides mental health care to community college students to promote student retention and success. Provides timely access to behavioral healthcare for all students which will include assessment, therapy, and referral. The goal is to give mental health support for students who otherwise may consider dropping out of higher education due to the stress and life conflicts that many community college students face.
Caring Connection – Adult Day Services
Offers a safe and inviting daytime environment for individuals 18 years and older who are presented with various challenges such as memory loss, physical difficulties, behavioral health concerns, and general special needs limiting their ability to function independently. The participants can engage in meaningful and therapeutic activities in a structured model offered in a supervised group setting. This is offered through Harbor House and Autumn House Adult Day Services.
Caring Connection – Empowerment Center
Provides a safe shelter for women and children who have experienced intimate partner abuse, whether physical or sexual. The sexual assault crisis intervention team meets with sexual assault victims at area hospitals to support them through a forensic physical exam and offer legal advocacy. Provides community outreach/prevention and community counseling, legal advocacy, and case management to help women and their children who have experienced trauma. Also provides services for men who are victims of intimate partner violence and sexual assault on an outpatient basis.
Woodlands Behavioral Health Network – Addiction Recovery Project
Serves persons who struggle with diagnosed substance use disorders. Services are provided in an outpatient setting and designed to assist clients in accessing skills and support toward their personal goals of sobriety and recovery.
YMCA of Greater Michiana – Healthy U
Year-round, interactive health and wellness education program with an emphasis on health benefits/impact of eating healthy and participating in daily physical activity. Focuses on school-aged youth (PreK-8th grade), implementing evidence-based coordinated approach to child health curriculum, and is incorporated into several youth programs.
Impact Area: FINANCIAL SECURITY
Workforce Development
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan – Level Up Framework
This framework ensures that all Club youth have the skills, knowledge, and self-awareness they need to plan and build a viable career. The program is built on three pillars known to be most effective in post-secondary readiness, workforce training, and career-education programs: career exploration, and matching, skills development, and work-based learning experiences.
Kinexus Group – The LINK
This Employer membership program is designed to retain and promote employees through barrier removal. Assistance will focus on addressing participant barriers through community resources and short-term financial assistance for items such as vehicle repair, transportation to/from employment, rent, license, fees/fines, utilities, childcare, and medical.
Legal Aid of Western Michigan – Legal Aid for Expungement
Michigan’s Clean Slate expungement policy is an economic advancement tool for people held back by lingering criminal records from long-past mistakes. By wiping out old criminal records, Michiganders will have better access to employment opportunities and career growth. Two expungement advocates who are volunteer attorneys serve clients via pro bono case referrals.
Mosaic CCDA – Jobs for Life
Workforce development program that provides holistic job training, life skills coaching, mentorship, and work experience to prepare unemployed and underemployed individuals to find long-term, meaningful employment. Classroom sessions emphasize the development of soft skills, such as understanding the value of teamwork, communication skills, interview/presentation skills, self-confidence, trust-building, attendance reliability, and conflict resolution. In addition, participants continue their training at one of Mosaic’s social enterprises.
New Heights Christian Community Development Association, Inc. – New Heights Auto Services
This program helps people gain, maintain, or increase their employment through access to reliable transportation. This is accomplished through the provision of low-cost vehicular repairs or the provision of low-cost, quality vehicles.
The Center for Growth and Independence – Supported Employment Program
Provides services to people with a disability or barrier(s) interested or seeking employment, assists with job placement and coaching, learning how to do the job, and providing long-term support to maintain employment. Offers job development (job placement service for people who have barriers to obtain employment), situational assessments or on-the-job evaluations (temporary work at a community job site to determine the type of work a person wants or can do), employability skills (provides classroom training focused on preparing people to enter the workforce), and vocational evaluations (assist individuals in identifying education, training, supports, jobs, and career paths).
Adult Education and Job Training
Region IV Area Agency on Aging – Senior Community Service Employment Program
Provides on-the-job training for low income, unemployed older adults with valuable job skills training, additional income, and a support system. Also offers senior-focused computer training providing participants with computer skills, basic budgeting, and money management skills.
Financial Education and Coaching
Disability Network of Southwest Michigan – Independent Living Services
Provides education and up-to-date information, as well as 1:1 counseling, to young adults (age 14-26) who are transitioning to post-secondary and adults with disabilities who are receiving SSI or SSDI and who are or may be considering employment to become more financially stable.
We Care Community Resource Center – Advocacy/Case Work for Safe Environments
Works to meet the needs of the community by addressing three branches – those in need (clients), volunteerism, and donors/donations. Mobilizes faith-based and community partners through coordination of community assets and by meeting the emergency and immediate needs of community members. Volunteer advocates will work alongside the individuals to better their situation through education, learning, training, life-skills, and employment through casework and advocacy. Serves Van Buren County.
Region IV Area Agency on Aging – Medicare/Medicaid Options Counseling Service
Health benefit information and financial counseling service. Highly trained staff and volunteers educate, counsel, and empower Southwest Michigan’s older adults and individuals with disabilities, and those who serve them, so that they can make informed health benefit decisions to maximize their health and financial resources.
Homeless Prevention and Affordable Housing
Emergency Shelter Services, Inc. – Emergency Shelter Program
Provides shelter to women and families, as well as single men with children, for those who have no other housing options. During the residents’ stay, case management is offered to all clients to address any housing barriers or housing identification needs.
Legal Aid of Western Michigan – Legal Aid for a Safe Environment
Through this program, attorneys meet with income-eligible domestic violence survivors to evaluate their legal situation and explain the law and their options. Some survivors only need advice to assist them in making decisions. Some survivors need an attorney to represent them in court, whether that be for divorce, custody, or personal protection order proceedings.
The Salvation Army, Benton Harbor Corps – Men’s Homeless Shelter
Provides emergency residential shelter and case management services to homeless men.
Emergency Financial Assistance
United Christian Services – Direct Client Emergency Assistance
Provides case management and emergency assistance for food, utilities, housing, and other needs for households having difficulty meeting their expenses. Serves Eastern Van Buren County (Bloomingdale, Covert, Decatur, Gobles, Grand Junction, Hartford, Lawrence, Lawton, Mattawan and Paw Paw).
The Salvation Army, Benton Harbor Corps – Emergency Social Services
Provides case management and emergency assistance for food, utilities, housing, and other needs for households having difficulty meeting their expenses. Serves northern Berrien County and all Van Buren County.
The Salvation Army, Niles – Emergency Social Services
Provides case management and emergency assistance for food, utilities, housing, and other needs for households having difficulty meeting their expenses. Serves southern Berrien County and all of Cass County.
Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency – Emergency Utility Assistance Program
Assists eligible low-income households with their heating and cooling energy costs, utility bill payment assistance, and energy crisis assistance.
Neighbor by Neighbor – Stop the Slide
Provides low-income residents with funding support for rent, mortgage, utilities, water and sewer bills. Also provides emergency temporary housing for the homeless in local hotels and links them with homeless service providers for long-term solutions. Process applications for other organizations for home repairs and energy efficient enhancements. Help clients with vehicle repairs so they maintain employment. Case management is sued to assess circumstances and help clients plan head, make changes, and improve their lives. Serves the Harbor Country area (Baroda, Bridgman, Galien, Harbert, Lakeside, New Buffalo, New Troy, Sawyer, Three Oaks, and Union Pier).
American Red Cross of Southwest Michigan – Disaster Service
Covers the three components of the disaster cycle: response, recovery, and preparedness. Through these services, ARC aspires to turn compassion into action to ensure that all people affected by disasters receive care, shelter, and hope. Works proactively to empower people to prevent and mitigate the severity of residential fires through education and material resources. Works to ensure that families that are already struggling to make ends meet do not fall further behind due to such devastating and unpredictable events.
CARES of Southwest Michigan – Prevention and Care Program
Works to promote access to healthcare for people living with HIV and those at risk for HIV. The program includes case management for those living with HIV and testing and education for those at risk for HIV, which includes testing for HIV and access to medication to prevent HIV infection. Connects clients to healthcare systems, health literacy, support and transportation to services, and individual education of health issues.
Impact Area: YOUTH OPPORTUNITY
Childcare and Early Childhood Development
Berrien County Health Department – Nurse Family Partnership
Evidence-based program for women who are having their first baby. Enrolled women receive visits to their home from a registered nurse throughout their pregnancy and until their child is 2 years old. Nurses visit women and their babies at least 2 times per month.
Berrien County Health Department – Triple P Positive Parenting Program
Evidence-based parenting program that gives parents simple and practical strategies to help them build strong, healthy relationships, confidently manage their children’s behavior, and prevent problems from developing.
Berrien RESA – Parents as Teachers
Home visiting program that is available to any family that has a child under the age of 3 or is expecting a child. Support families by promoting knowledge of child development, connecting to community resources, building readiness for school success, and increasing parents’ skills and confidence to support their priorities and goals for their children and family.
Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District – Parents as Teachers
Home visiting program that is available to any family that has a child under the age of 3 or is expecting a child. Support families by promoting knowledge of child development, connecting to community resources, building readiness for school success, and increasing parents’ skills and confidence to support their priorities and goals for their children and family.
YMCA of Greater Michiana – Childcare Network
Working to meet the childcare needs of ALICE families in the community. This project will work with employees and families to eliminate the barrier of childcare. This project will subsidize qualified parents, so they only pay 40% of the childcare tuition. The employer and the YMCA will match funds to provide childcare to the employees. This partnership creates a win-win model for both employers and employees. Employers maintain a dedicated workforce and employees receive quality, affordable childcare.
In-School, After-School and Summer Learning
Camp Fire River Bend, Inc. – Camp Fire After School
Serves the youth of Cass County by providing a before and after school program to students enrolled in grades K-5 at Sam Adams Elementary School (Cassopolis Public Schools). Provide daily homework help, healthy snacks, and enrichment activities.
Girls on the Run Southwest Michigan – Girls on the Run
Funding ensures that economically disadvantaged girls, who typically lack access to quality youth programming, will have the opportunity to participate in the Girls on the Run program. The GOTR curriculum is delivered over an 8–10-week period by certified coaches (volunteers). At each program’s conclusion, girls will complete a celebratory and non-competitive 5K running event, which will serve as a framework for setting and achieving life goals. The concluding 5K often serves as a conduit for inspiring family, friends, and communities to begin a journey towards health.
Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana – Financial Literacy for Financial Stability
Delivers financial literacy and career readiness programs annually to K-12 students in Berrien and Cass counties in schools that have 55% or more of the student population on the free/reduced lunch program.
LOGAN Community Resources, Inc. – Family Support for Autism Therapy
Provides therapy for children with an autism spectrum disorder. The UWSM funds help families in Berrien, Cass, or Van Buren counties needing financial help to receive the services for their child.
Region IV Area Agency on Aging – Foster Grandparents Program
Senior citizens provide in-school mentoring to increase academic performance, as well as to positively impact social and emotional issues, attendance, self-confidence and more.
The Salvation Army, Niles Corps – Feeding His Sheep
Weekend food distribution program for students in Niles, Brandywine, and Buchanan Schools, Tri-County Head Start classes in Berrien and Cass counties, and Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District schools.
YMCA of Greater Michiana – Summer My Way
Six-week, academic-based, licensed summer day camp in Niles which focuses on objectives of improving academic success, increasing minutes of physical activities, and increasing social responsibility.
College and Career Readiness
Lake Michigan College – Start to Finish
Successful, intensive skill-building intervention for Benton Harbor Promise Zone students attending Lake Michigan College. The population consists of first-generation, low-income, and academically underprepared students who express a need and desire to develop the skills necessary to complete a degree and/or certificate program that leads to employment. Each student is assigned a life coach/mentor who works with them to solve problems/barriers to college success, including transportation, home distractions, childcare, and other basic needs. Life coaches work with students to develop an academic success plan.
Youth Solutions – Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates & Youth Solutions Digital
Prepares disadvantaged tri-county youth for success in education, employment, and life. JMG specialists work directly with youth to provide career and postsecondary exploration services and help them gain work experience. The goal is for each JMG participant to hone the educational and/or skills deemed critical by employers, so they achieve success in the career pathway of their choice. In addition, youth gain knowledge of postsecondary degrees and credentials needed to succeed in their chosen career. With the launch of Youth Solutions Digital, youth will have access to career and post-secondary exploration services via AI technology that provides guidance and information to youth based on their current path and interests.