Kids at Hope Receives Second Year of Albion-Homer United Way Grant

The second year of  implementation of Albion-Homer United Way funding will continue to help support the Albion Promise & Kids at Hope Mission. The $10,000 grant has been implemented over two years to help Albion, Homer and Calhoun County school-age youth experience success.

Programing to implement this year’s portion of the grant focuses on supporting activities for youth during after-school hours. These 2021-22 school year programs will include mentoring, physical fitness and making healthy choices while providing leadership development.  In addition the grant will help with substance abuse and violence prevention efforts.

Harry Bonner is the executive director of Substance Abuse Prevention Services which oversees the Albion Promise & Kids at Hope Mission. He explained in his grant request that the focus of these programs is to afford children and youth “the belief, guidance and encouragement that creates a sense of hope and optimism, supported by a course of action needed to experience success at life’s four major destinations: home and family, education and career, community and service and hobbies and recreation.”

Albion-Homer United Way goals closely align with the mission of the Albion Promise & Kids at Hope, according to Marcia Starkey AHUW executive director. Supporting this service to children is in keeping with the AHUW mission to provide “long-lasting changes that prevent problems from happening” so community members can “live more whole lives-a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health.” 

Recently donors received mailed information on how to donate to help fund new grants, Starkey stated. 

To allow AHUW to continue to support local organizations there are several good reasons to donate to the local United Way, Starkey said. These reasons include that donations fund Albion and Homer specific programs and that funding decisions are made by a local board. Donor lists are never shared with other agencies and payroll deductions make donating easier.

Donations can always be mailed to AHUW P.O. Box 55, Albion, MI 49224, made  on-line at www.albionhomeruw.org or by contacting Starkey at 517-499-2563. 

Board members are Carolyn Amos, Donisha Brewer, Chris Burdette, Robert Hawkins, Ryan Hopkins, Art Kale, Isabell Nazar, Marc Newman, Gary Tompkins, Eddie Williams and Shane Williamson.