Editor’s Note: The Nonprofit Spotlight is NowKalamazoo’s collaboration with area nonprofits, providing space for them to highlight important work that might not be known to Kalamazoo County at large. Know of a group that should be in the NowKalamazoo Nonprofit Spotlight? Submit a nomination here.
Organization name
Kalamazoo Poetry Festival
Year formed
2014
Mission & population served
Kalamazoo Poetry Festival works to connect people through the power of poetry. We see poetry as vital to community building, as well as individual wellbeing and self-worth. We serve all of Kalamazoo County, primarily the city of Kalamazoo and its core neighborhoods.
We aim to achieve a Kalamazoo where every voice is listened to, and heard. Through poetry, we believe that people can truly share their thoughts and hopes for the world and for themselves. We know that poetry is healing not only to the mind, but also the body. Poetry works to dismantle systems of injustice by chipping away at the core causes of some of the world’s biggest problems, and by showing each person their individual value.
Impact story
Here’s what KPF Executive Director Casey Grooten had to say: “I am going to use a personal story, because it fits this question perfectly. My aunt recently passed away, and I was one of the decision makers in taking her off of life support. She passed away around 6:30 a.m. one day, and later that evening, I needed to host a poetry workshop KPF was offering to the community. The workshop centered around grief in its various forms, and used poetry and visual art (print-making), to express emotions related to this. Although it was extremely difficult to start processing the loss of my aunt so close to her death, it was the facilitator, the poetry writing, and the physical act of art making that jumpstarted my healing. So many beautiful moments and experiences with my aunt came to my mind while participating in this workshop, many of which I had forgotten. And at the end, I had a touching poem and piece of visual art to take home. The workshop was invaluable.”
How NowKalamazoo readers can help
Nonprofits like ours do not run on hopes and dreams so, of course, the most impactful way to help us sustain our work is by signing up for a recurring donation through our website. These donations can be as low as $5 a month, and really add up over time.
The next best way to help us in our work is by volunteering, in a variety of capacities including distributing marketing materials, greeting guests at events, setting up and tearing down at events, and serving on various committees. The volunteer sign up form is located on our website…