Since kicking off on June 18th, the Benton Harbor Farmers Market has once again proven to be a beloved summer tradition and a vital resource for the community. Running through September 24th, the market quickly built momentum, drawing nearly 600 visitors on its second day alone, a true testament to its role as a gathering place for fresh food, creative crafts, and meaningful connections.

The highly anticipated annual cardboard boat race on the St. Joseph River channel saw nearly a thousand spectators with 19 boats participating for a great cause.

United Way of Southwest Michigan’s ROCK THE BOAT Cardboard Boat Races, Presented by Honor Credit Union, are back at the Inn at Harbor Shores on the St. Joseph River Channel this Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 5pm. The event is free to attend and open to the public with parking available down the street from the Inn at Harbor Shores on the opposite side of the Gast Parkway overpass.

The Benton Harbor Community Development Corporation in partnership with Be Healthy Berrien launched the Savor Collective, an incubator program developed to support local food entrepreneurs and farmers. Supported by a grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and the New Ventures Fund, sustainable cities initiative project. The program focused on helping socially disadvantaged businesses by offering technical support and resources.

In a bit of a ‘perfect storm’ scenario, United Way of Southwest Michigan President & CEO Anna Murphy said changes in the economy & workforce locally coinciding with the changes to federal, and eventually, state budgets, are making things exceptionally challenging. “Everything around us is quickly adapting and changing, so our organization’s sustainability mission for the future is to be agile and nimble with our processes. Whether that’s raising funds or making funding decisions, it’s all about closely following the need where it exists. As these potential changes become reality, we reassessed how we could best invest what funding we still have available to make the most impact in our communities.

United Way of Southwest Michigan’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, commonly known as VITA (pronounced VYE-tuh), is excited to announce the program’s volunteers assisted over 1,100 clients across Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties with tax preparation & filing. The result is over $1.3 Million in tax refunds returned to Southwest Michigan residents through this vital program.

Nearly 300 donors, volunteers, and community partners filled Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center Grand Upton Hall on Thursday, April 24, for United Way of Southwest Michigan’s Annual Celebration, an evening that looked back on 2024 and honored the people who made  last year’s impact possible. President & CEO Anna Murphy opened the program by reminding guests that the night was really about them and their willingness to “live united” for neighbors across Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties. ​

United Way of Southwest Michigan’s annual Rock The Boat cardboard boat races held in the St. Joseph River Channel is coming back Thursday, July 17, 2025 presented by Honor Credit Union. The event serves as one of the signature fundraising events for the organization, hosted by the Inn at Harbor Shores in St. Joseph.

March is National Reading Month, and United Way of Southwest Michigan and our community partners at Honor Credit Union are launching a fundraising campaign to assist in sustaining Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties. United Way is looking to meet a goal of $50,000 in new donations during the month to help meet the sustainability goal for the program.