Features

Feature Story Kalamazoo Pride

Coming out to come together: One writer's evolving appreciation of Kalamazoo Pride

Writer Casey Grooten attended this year's Kalamazoo Pride as the new Executive Director of the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival. While volunteering at the KPF booth, they learned a few things about themselves — and about what Pride has come to mean to them. 

Feature Story Father's Day

The Ultimate Guide to Being a Dad: Kalamazoo Edition

To honor Father's Day, Al Jones (a father of five himself!) speaks to a cross-section of Kalamazoo men about the rigors and joys of being a dad.

Longform small-vac

Addressing cultural, language barriers that hinder health equity

Many people from refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities experience significant logistical barriers to COVID-19 vaccination. That’s where Disability Rights Michigan has stepped in to increase access

Longform Derek Miller, program supervisor for Kalamazoo County’s Healty Babies Healthy Start & 4Dad Fatherhood Program, with Sidni Miller, community health worker, inside Kalamazoo County’s Health and Community Services building.

$5 million in federal funding will help 5 Michigan organizations reduce infant and maternal deaths

Five Michigan organizations will receive federal support of about $1 million each to improve maternal and infant health in the state.

Feature Story LifeWaysList

LifeWays takes a whole person-centered care approach to health care

LifeWays, a Community Mental Health Services Program and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) utilizes whole person-centered care for their patients in Jackson and Hillsdale counties. Person-centered care is integrated care served in a collaborative manner between patient and provider. Care is guided by the patients’ goals, preferences and values.

Longform small-sensory

Sensory-friendly spaces play key role in improving health equity

The Autism Alliance of Michigan has been a leader in encouraging clinics to create safe spaces by including sensory rooms.  

Feature Story Pine Creek Reservation Housing

Road home for members of Tribe with roots in Calhoun County paved with HUD dollars

“Your great ancestors had to fight for everything just like you continue to fight. It is important that we don’t just talk about it, but actually do something," said HUD representative Richard Monnocchio in an announcement of a $1M grant for Pine Creek Indian Reservation housing.

Longform Kalamazoo Choral Arts

Reflecting new name and mission, Kalamazoo Choral Arts blends genres in Vigil Against Violence

“As it turns out, programming a 120-year-old a cappella choral masterwork alongside soul, rap, folk, and spoken word doesn’t just work, it brings together the community in a way that programming doesn’t always when we focus on one genre."

Feature Story Love Muffins

Love Muffins keeps sweet aroma going at former beloved Kalamazoo bakery

'Better When Shared' is a tagline of Kalamazoo's Love Muffins which features scrumptious carrot cake based on a family heirloom recipe. Love Muffins will soon add a storefront and also be sharing a kitchen at the former Boonzaaijer Bakery, which continues to sell baked goods at the Kalamazoo Farmers' Market. 

Longform BC 8th Grade

GVSU offering free tuition, academic support to Battle Creek Innovation Center 8th graders

Some Battle Creek eighth-grade students will receive free tuition to Grand Valley State University along with tutoring and other academic support to make college accessible as part of the Eighth Grade Pathways to GVSU program. 

Feature Story Small-ASL

Kalamazoo theaters work together to make performances accessible for all

The consortium Theatre Kalamazoo is working to make theater more accessible to people with disabilities.

Feature Story KCAD grads Justin Beitzel and Fernando Ramirez head up Common Object, which helps organizations take steps toward sustainability.

Take a journey into regenerative design with Common Object

KCAD grads Justin Beitzel and Fernando Ramirez share their philosophy of regenerative design in their firm Common Object, which helps organizations take steps toward sustainability.

Feature Story small-greenhouse

How KCAD student collaborations are building community

Since 2016, a group of graduate students in KCAD's Master of Architecture program have had an opportunity to offer a solution to an architecture issue in Grand Rapids. The projects have included designing a greenhouse, wayfinding project, and visioning new uses for a historic building. 

Feature Story Students from the Wege High School Collaborative Studio tour Padnos Recycling.

Designing a better world: Wege High School Collaborative Studio builds skills and networks

The Wege High School Collaborative Studio is a summer program that gives West Michigan high school students hands-on experience in sustainable design and problem-solving. Applications for 2024 are open.

Longform Lunchtime at Oehrli Elementary School in Montague, Mich.

Michigan's free school meals yield high returns for student health and academic success

Michigan has become one of eight states to make free school meals available to all, creating notable benefits for students' health.

Longform BC Buddhism

Battle Creek SokokuJi Buddhist Temple expands outreach through planned Community Mindfulness Center

Buddhism in Battle Creek has been growing, thanks to the influence of BC native Kyoun Sokuzan, abbot of SokukuJi Buddhist Temple. SokukuJi is building a Community Mindfulness Center to serve residents interested in mindfulness and meditation.

Feature Story Soldiers Songs and Voices

How songwriting helps Kalamazoo-area veterans connect and healSoldiers Songs and Voices

"I was walking down a dusty, stony road. Had my head up in the clouds, and my feet were in gravel (gravel)."

Feature Story Sacred Earth

Root Solutions: Climate optimism over climate doomerism can inspire the changes we need to make

"And if we can incentivize enough choices towards sustainability, then we can cut back on air pollution and all these extra costs that everyone's paying. We can make our world more sustainable and livable and healthier and fun."

Feature Story BCPS Mentorship

Mentoring programs boost teacher retention rates at Battle Creek Public Schools

A Battle Creek Public Schools and GVSU new teacher mentorship program is proving successful in retaining teachers. Some mentees have even gone on to assume leadership roles in the district.

Feature Story Dr. Alford Young

Kalamazoo-sized cities provide big insights into how African American see opportunities

What can be done to help change the often cultural and dated mindsets that stop African Americans from exploring better opportunities? “You have to take them out, quite literally,” of their familiar environments, says Dr. Alford Young. “You have to bring them to other spaces and show them what’s going on.”

Battle Creek

Former local shelter transforms into lifeline for Southwest Michigan Veterans

“We are the only Veterans organization in Southwest Michigan doing what we’re doing. I like to call us a neutral spot. We don’t care what branch of the service you were in or what your discharge status is. People I’ve talked to have said it’s about time." For more On the Ground Battle Creek stories, please visit here.
 

Kalamazoo

Helping Vets in Kalamazoo who were 'smoked by life'


In 2024, 32,882 veterans experienced homelessness in the United States, and 68 of those were in Kalamazoo County, though local officials say they are sure that number has since increased. Many unhoused veterans don’t know there are benefits and programs that can help. Here’s how to get connected.Read the full story here. Read more stories here.