When you sign up for Water Street’s Loyalty Rewards, you earn three reward points for every dollar you spend at any of our café locations. These points can be redeemed for discounts OR you choose to donate a portion directly to our Featured Non-Profit. From April through June 2026, our Featured Non-Profit is the Disability Network of Southwest Michigan.

In 1981, a small but determined group of individuals with disabilities came together in Kalamazoo with a shared vision: a world rooted in equality, free from disability-based discrimination, and defined by higher expectations for people of all abilities. From that vision, Disability Network Southwest Michigan was born.

Over the past 45 years, Disability Network of SW MI has grown from a grassroots effort into a leading regional organization serving eight counties across Southwest Michigan: Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren, offering a wide range of programs designed to educate, empower, and build community:

• Peer Support Groups: Weekly groups include an Autistic Adult Peer Support Group, Brain Injury Survivors Support Group, Chronic Pain Support Group, and Disability Connect Support Group for all adults with disabilities. These spaces foster connection, understanding, and shared experience.

• Advocacy Academy: This summer internship program equips young adults with disabilities with leadership skills, knowledge of the Disability Rights Movement, and practical advocacy experience. Participants complete community advocacy projects, helping shape a more inclusive future.

• Educational Webinars: Free, virtual sessions are offered monthly, covering diverse disability-related topics and ways to be effective allies.

One of the organization’s most impactful events is its annual ADA Celebration, held each July in honor of Disability Pride Month and the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. This free, public event features accessible activities, community recognition awards, and a shared meal.

Last year’s celebration marked the 35th anniversary of the ADA and drew a record-breaking crowd of over 250 attendees. This year, the event will introduce a Disability Art Market, providing a platform for disabled artists to showcase and sell their work—further amplifying disabled voices and creativity.

At the heart of the Disability Network of SW MI’s work is a powerful belief: disability is a natural part of the human experience. It is not something to be fixed or cured—it is simply a characteristic, like any other aspect of identity. The organization actively challenges stigma and harmful perceptions through public awareness campaigns, including messages like “Disability is not a bad word” and “Disability is not always visible.”

Equally important is their commitment to representation. Today, 85% of the Disability Network staff are people with disabilities. Their bylaws require that at least 51% of both staff and board members identify as disabled, reflecting the long-standing principle of the disability rights movement: “Nothing about us, without us.”

Water Street is proud to support the Disability Network of SW MI, and we hope that you can help us in this effort.

Supporting non-profits throughout Kalamazoo county

Water Street’s Loyalty Rewards Program began in 2018 and features a new non-profit each quarter. With the help of our customers, we've been able to give a total of $20,351 to non-profit organizations to help support the important work they do in our community.

Check out our Giving page to learn how your organization can apply to be considered as our next Loyalty Rewards Featured Non-Profit.