Our Work   

The Kalamazoo County Poverty Reduction Initiative (PRI) collaborates with area employment, educational, human services, economic development, philanthropic, legal, and faith-based  organizations, along with individual community members, to find solutions to poverty. The PRI is involved in many local and state initiatives.

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Convene & Network

PRI works in the community to educate, network and convene organizations around poverty issues. Some major initiatives include:

Kalamazoo County's semi-annual PROJECT CONNECT event brings 60 service providers together in one place to help 600-1,000 residents meet their needs.

BankOn Kalamazoo County connects unbanked residents to mainstream financial services improve their financial stability and began to build savings.

Michigan's Voices for Action network is a state initiative to reduce poverty by 50% in ten years.

Educate & Inform

PRI also provides education and information to the community on local, regional, and state poverty.

PRI is working with Western Michigan University's Lewis Walker Institute on developing a set of community indicators around poverty.

PRI trains and facilitates Poverty Simulation Workshops for communities, organizations, and schools.

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