Free food boxes will be available to community members in need on the third Friday of each month

Kzoo Parks, the South Michigan Food Bank, and Catholic Charities: Diocese of Kalamazoo will distribute free boxes of food at Mayors’ Riverfront Park (251 Mills St) on the third Friday of each month starting on March 19.

“We are grateful to our partners at South Michigan Food Bank and Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo for making this possible, and for the amazing generosity in our community,” stated Pete Aerts, Recreation Coordinator for Kzoo Parks. “If anyone needs help finding a nutritious meal, please come see us at Mayors’ Riverfront Park.”

Volunteers will distribute boxes in the Growlers parking lot at Mayors’ Riverfront Park from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Any community member in need of food can drive or walk-up and receive a box. For drive-ups, volunteers will load boxes into the trunk or hatch of vehicles. The contents of each box will vary depending on availability but will typically contain 25 to 35 pounds of fresh produce, dairy, bread, canned and boxed goods, packaged rice and beans, juice, and a dry protein. In addition, milk, meat, and bakery items will be added when available. Each box will contain approximately enough food for 5 to 7 days and box amounts can be adjusted based on family size and availability.

Program details and flyer are available at www.kzooparks.org/foodbox

Pre-ordered Egg Hunt Baskets will include everything needed for a safe and fun event at home

This spring, Kzoo Parks is excited to offer Egg Hunt Baskets to safely bring the fun of the Annual Egg Hunt to Kalamazoo families at home. Baskets will include spring-themed activities and all the materials needed to create an “Egg Hunt at Home”. Each basket is designed for one child and will include 24 prefilled eggs, 1 golden egg for a prize to be redeemed later, an egg decorating kit, a stuffed animal, and craft materials. The activities can be for any age but are specifically geared towards kids ages 10 and under with adult supervision. Egg Hunt at Home participants will also be entered into a prize drawing.

Baskets must be pre-ordered online for either delivery or pick-up. Online ordering is open now through March 22 at www.kzooparks.org/egghunt.

Egg Hunt Basket Home Delivery – Egg Hunt Baskets pre-ordered for delivery will be delivered on Monday, March 29, Tuesday, March 30, and Wednesday, March 31 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Specific delivery details will be determined when ordering. Delivered Egg Hunt Baskets are $10 each ($2.50 each with Recreation Program Assistance for City of Kalamazoo residents from Kalamazoo Friends of Recreation). Deliveries are limited to 100 baskets.

Egg Hunt Basket Drive-Thru Pick Up - Egg Hunt Baskets pre-ordered for pick up will be available for drive-thru pick up on Thursday, April 1 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Mayors’ Riverfront Park (251 Mills St). When arriving at the drive-thru, community members will be asked to show their photo ID or registration receipt through their car window to confirm registration and staff will place Egg Hunt Baskets in the trunk or hatch. Egg Hunt Baskets for drive-thru pick up are $5 each ($1.25 each with Recreation Program Assistance for City of Kalamazoo residents from Kalamazoo Friends of Recreation). Orders are limited to 150 baskets for pick up.

The bunny will join parks staff to deliver baskets or as they are picked up and will be happy to take photos or interact safely, either through a vehicle or home window, or for socially distanced photographs. For everyone’s safety, participants are asked to wear a mask and social distance. Participants that are feeling sick or have been around anyone exposed to or suspected to have COVID-19 should stay home and let staff know so that special arrangements can be made.

Recreation Program Assistance is available through Kalamazoo Friends of Recreation (KFOR) for City of Kalamazoo residents to help cover a portion of the Egg Hunt Basket costs. Residents can visit friendsofrec.org/apply to learn more and apply for Recreation Program Assistance.

At its meeting on February 15, the City Commission approved the release of the draft Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing report and scheduled a 30-day public comment period to begin on Tuesday, March 9. The public comment period will close on April 9.

View the Draft Analysis of Impediments to Housing report.

During this period, community members are invited to share any comments about this report. Written comments will be received by the City of Kalamazoo via mail at 241 W South Street, Kalamazoo, MI. 49007 ATTN: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director. Residents may also email comments to Dorla Bonner, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director at bonnerd@kalamazoocity.org. 

About the report

Every 3-5 years, HUD requires communities who receive direct funding to prepare a number of plans for continued funding. The Analysis to Impediments (AI) is one of those documents. HUD requires that each jurisdiction receiving federal funds certifies that it is affirmatively furthering fair housing. The certification required jurisdictions to do the following:

• Conduct an analysis to impediments to fair housing choice within the state or jurisdiction.
• Take appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any impediments identified through that analysis.
• Maintain records reflecting the analysis and actions to this regard. This report details actions that being taken to help ensure fair housing in the City of Kalamazoo.

The report contains:

• The list of impediments based on data from such as the U.S. Census, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act as well as engagement via surveys and listening sessions.
• A list of recommendations and efforts planned to impact impediments.
• An analysis of the data used for the report.
• Housing Equity Report which examines housing experiences, opportunities, obstacles, and discrimination within the City of Kalamazoo through a lens of racial equity. 
• Housing Equity Report Survey Findings
• Fair Housing Center of Southwest Michigan Report (2017-2018) – Systemic housing investigation on real estate agents, race discrimination, lending institutions and home mortgage lending discrimination.

Agencies supporting the creation of this document include the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, Kalamazoo Community Foundation/Truth Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT), Fair Housing of Southwest Michigan and Interfaith Strategy for Advocacy & Action in the Community (ISAAC). We also received an Innovation Grant from the Government Alliance for Race and Equity (GARE), through the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. This funding supported the intensive engagement done for this report.