Family Health Center, Kalamazoo Promise, Local Educators Team Up to Prepare Students for College Succes
Back To School Bash to Mark First Collaboration This Summer
KALAMAZOO, Mich. [June 18, 2026]—Family Health Center, Inc. (FHC) and The Kalamazoo Promise (“The Promise”) announced today that their organizations, along with Kalamazoo Public Schools, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and Western Michigan University, will collaborate to make sure every child in the Kalamazoo Public Schools is medically prepared to attend school each year—a critical step in helping prepare them to attend college.
This partnership grew from data showing that early preparation for post-secondary students increases attendance and graduation rates, especially among historically at-risk and under-resourced families.
Denise Crawford, President & CEO of Family Health Center, said, “While all Kalamazoo Public Schools students are eligible for The Kalamazoo Promise scholarship, many families aren’t equipped to navigate an often-complex journey that begins as early as elementary school.”
Von Washington, Jr., CEO of The Kalamazoo Promise, added, “Since the inception of The Promise in 2005, a disproportionate number of students aren’t taking advantage of this opportunity. As Denise and I have looked deeper into this, we’ve found that students who succeed come from families where college is expected and encouraged from an early age, with tools to ensure attendance and learning.”
For starters, the collaborators will join forces for the annual Back To School Bash (B2SB) in August. B2SB was created by FHC in 2009 to help medically prepare children to attend school without delay at the beginning of each school year. The event has served over 20,000 children in the past 17 years, greatly increasing the number of students starting school on time. Details of this year’s B2SB will be announced soon.
This collaboration also celebrates The Promise’s 20 years of providing scholarships to resident graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools. To date, The Promise has invested over $250 million in the youth of the Kalamazoo community.
Washington and Crawford said this same principle of college readiness can encompass more than good health. It can include providing families with information and resources on all aspects of college preparation, as well as encouraging kids to dream of a greater future.
Family Health Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Federally Qualified Health Center serving the citizens of Kalamazoo County. FHC provides quality health care to some 50,000 historically underserved patients, ensuring that all people who enter our facilities are treated with dignity, respect, and a welcoming spirit. FHC’s goal is to create a “medical home” for families, children & adults who seek answers to their health care needs. For more information, please visit www.fhckzoo.com.
The Kalamazoo Promise was created by a group of anonymous donors to cover up to 100% of tuition and mandatory fees at in-state public community colleges and universities, as well as several private and trade schools in Michigan. To qualify for The Promise, students must live within the Kalamazoo Public School District boundaries, attend high school at KPS for all four years, and graduate. The Promise has provided over 9,300 scholarships to date. Their mission is to transform the community and stimulate the economy through a new generation of learners. For more information, please visit www.kalamazoopromise.com.
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Media Contacts:
Contact Person: Ca'Jon Martin Rick Chambers, APR, Fellow PRSA
Company Name: The Kalamazoo Promise Family Health Center
Email: cmartin@kalamazoopromise.comrick.chambers@rickchambersassociates.com
Phone: 269-488-5899 269-873-5820