Campaign Fundraising Season is officially underway across Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties to benefit United Way of Southwest Michigan, and five local Pacesetter organizations are setting the pace.

A new community project is taking shape in Niles. Graduates of the Community Leadership Academy unveiled Four Flags Fit, an outdoor fitness club designed to bring residents together through shared physical activity, during a celebration Wednesday, July 29, at Apothica Teas in downtown Niles.

A group of Niles area residents will unveil a community improvement project developed over the past few months during a celebration Wednesday, July 29, at Apothica Teas in downtown Niles.

Not even a slight haze from the Canadian wildfires could keep the campers away. United Way of Southwest Michigan's Rock the Boat Cardboard Boat Races, presented by Honor Credit Union, returned to the Inn at Harbor Shores on Thursday, July 16, as twenty-three cardboard boats went to Summer Camp on the St. Joseph River channel and netted nearly $37,500 for programs serving Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties.

More than two dozen cardboard boats hit the water this Thursday, July 16, when United Way of Southwest Michigan's Rock the Boat, presented by Honor Credit Union, returns to the Inn at Harbor Shores in St. Joseph. Racing begins at 5 p.m. along the St. Joseph River channel, and spectators are invited to come watch for free.

United Way of Southwest Michigan is applauding the passage of Michigan's FY27 state budget, which preserves $2.95 million in continued state funding for Michigan 211. The budget process was a difficult one this year, and United Way of Southwest Michigan is glad to see the state continue to recognize 211 as an essential service for families in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties and across Michigan.

The annual event will take place in August for families attending school in Cass County in need of a new backpack and school supplies, thanks to United Way of Southwest Michigan & local partners.

Cost of essentials has outpaced overall inflation for years, leaving working families priced out of survival across Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties.

For generations, Southwest Michigan farmers have shaped the region's economy and identity, with the Benton Harbor Fruit Market (BHFM) serving as a key connection point between growers and buyers. Today, that system faces growing challenges. Farmers struggle with uncertainty in selling their products, and many residents lack consistent access to fresh, locally grown food.