Public News Service

Operation Food Search distributes $30 million worth of food and necessities each year to 330 community partners in 40 Missouri and Illinois counties. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

MO summit tackles rising child food insecurity as benefits expire

As COVID-era benefits near expiration, a recent Child Wellness Summit brought together nonprofits to tackle urgent child well-being and food-…

Missouri's Senate Bill 1314, similar to House Bill 2365, prohibits funds from being expended by any state department for interdepartmental programs, staffing or other initiatives associated with

New report reveals high economic risk of anti-DEI laws in Missouri

A new report finds some Missouri laws and prospective laws are perceived as discriminatory regardless of their actual intent - and it outlines some bi…

When schools have automated external defibrillators, 70% of children survive cardiac arrest, according to American Heart Association data. (hooyah808/Adobe Stock)

MO schools and health advocates promote cardiac emergency response plans

Missouri Senate Bills 1032 and 1081 would require public schools to develop and implement cardiac emergency response plans and advocates are stressing…

After the George Floyd murder, Black Excellence built

'Black Excellence' sees World Cup 2026 as major MO opportunity

Major Kansas City developments -- such as the upcoming 2026 World Cup and building the first women's professional sports stadium -- are driving gentri…

A 2017 report in the New England Journal of Medicine found, among participants with coronary artery disease, fluctuation in body weight was associated with higher mortality and a higher rate of cardiovascular events, independent of traditional risk factors. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Post-holiday 'yo-yo' diets: risk factors for heart health

The holiday season is filled with recipes passed down from years before, and feasting with family and friends. But think again before you have …

the National Young Farmers Coalition delivered a letter to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership signed by 175 national, regional and local organizations in support of the Increasing Land Access, Security and Opportunities Act. (Nikish Hiraman/peopleimages.com)

Land-access keeping young farmers from leading climate action

Young farmers in Missouri hope the new farm bill will include key benefits regarding land access so they can continue to pursue farming passionately…

At the federal level, hate crime laws include crimes committed on the basis of the victim's perceived or actual race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability. (Argus/Adobe Stock)

Kansas City reassures residents after MO spike in religion-based hate crimes

Some Missourians fear an increase in hate crimes in the wake of a six-year-old's murder in Illinois this week - an incident authorities say was motiva…

National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating democracy. It has gained momentum since it was first observed in 2012. (DEEP/Adobe Stock)

About 1 in 3 Missourians Isn't Registered to Vote

Today is National Voter Registration Day, and Missourians have many locations where they can register to vote - from community colleges and …

Fifteen unarmed civilian protection teams exist in the United States and five more internationally, according to the Shanti Sena Network. (KozyrevaElena/Adobe Stock)

Unarmed, Skilled De-Escalation Teams Prepared for Worst of Times

When Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., needed assistance after threats during her 2020 election campaign, she turned to unarmed civilian protection in Saint …

One in nine Missourians was helped by SNAP benefits in 2022. For older Missourians, the average monthly benefit was $119. (Kzenon/Adobe Stock)

MO Ranks Low for Senior Food Security, Health; Steps Being Taken

The latest report ranking the status of seniors by state identifies room for improvement in Missouri, placing the state 40th overall. Although in …

According to the American Heart Association, people feel more confident performing Hands-Only CPR and are more likely to remember the correct rate when trained to the beat of a familiar song. (9dreamstudio/Adobe Stock)

Beyoncé's 'Crazy in Love' Not Just Catchy – It's a Life Saver

With popular artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift touring Missouri this summer, the American Heart Association is reminding people some of …

This weekend's Caring Communities Day is about more than just connecting people with resources. There will be hamburgers, hot dogs, food trucks and ice cream. (KC LINC)

Kansas City Groups Hold First "Caring Communities Day"

This Saturday, the Kansas City Local Investment Commission (LINC) holds its first "Caring Communities Day." The goal is to provide resources to …

A new book highlights local Black historical figures 200 years after Missouri became a state in 1821. (Kansas City Black History Partnership)

Kansas City Partnership Highlights Local Black History

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A decade-long partnership in Kansas City is lifting up local stories of Black community-building and struggles for justice and …

Volunteers on MLK Day focus on serving one another to help bridge divides and confront social problems, making the holiday

Missourians Serve to Create Dr. King's Beloved Community

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- From young students to business professionals, today, Missourians from all walks of life will honor the legacy of Martin …

Some 1.8 million wreaths were placed at the tombstones of fallen veterans during Wreaths Across America ceremonies in 2018. (U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command)

Wreaths Across America: Missourians Step Up to Honor Fallen Vets

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – During the busy holiday season, hundreds of Missourians will pause to remember fallen veterans as part of a national …

Missouri business leaders are helping to raise awareness about youth homelessness by sleeping outside. (Covenant House Missouri)

Missouri Executives Brave Elements to Help Homeless Youth

ST. LOUIS – Instead of heading to the comfort of home after a day at the office, dozens of Missouri business leaders are gearing up for a cold …

Infrastructure such as the water ducts serving River des Peres, in southwest St. Louis, is one example of things that could be addressed with increased funding. (Paul Sableman/flickr)

Aging Infrastructure Challenges Missouri Cities

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Roads, bridges and water systems are part of the backbone of Missouri cities, and the challenge of governments across the …

According to the Council of State Governments Justice Center, Missouri's incarceration rate has increased in recent years and is well over the national average. Between 2010 and 2015, Missouri's incarceration rate increased by 4 percent and was eighth highest in the nation in 2015. (Pixabay)

Missouri's Incarceration Rate Highest for Women

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri is confronting a number of troubling trends in its criminal justice system, including an uptick in violent crime …

Pollinators such as Monarch butterflies, certain birds and bats are an integral part of the health of natural ecosystems and agriculture. (Bill Barlow/Pixabay)

National Wildlife Federation Makes Appeal as Monarchs Disappear

ST. LOUIS – If you've ever watched the process of a caterpillar becoming a vividly colorful Monarch butterfly, you probably have an …

For thousands of Texas residents, an emergency shelter will be their home for weeks. (Red Cross)

Receding Waters in Houston Signal True Beginning of Work for Volunteers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – More volunteers from the Midwest are heading south to assist beleaguered Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey…

Cosmopolitan Park in Columbia was the location of choice for 10,000 people viewing Monday's solar eclipse. (Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau)

Columbia Tallies Total Eclipse Economic Impact

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The city of Columbia is busy with post-eclipse calculations - not the astronomy, but the economic impact of this week's festivities …

Monique Willis with son Alonzo Thomas IV, who was killed on Apr. 5, 2014. (Monique Willis)

Vigil Draws Attention to Skyrocketing KC Murder Rate

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City has recorded nearly 90 murders in 2017 - an increase of more than 50 percent over this time a year ago. With the …

In Missouri, most heat-related deaths occur in the urban areas of St. Louis and Kansas City, according to the state's Dept. of Health and Senior Services. (John Bergman/Pixabay)

Hundreds of MO Cooling Sites Open in First Summer Heat Wave

PLEASANT HILL, Mo. – It isn't uncommon for Missouri to be oppressively hot this time of year – and it also isn't uncommon for Missourians …

J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain was dedicated in 1960 and underwent a major renovation in 2014 with monies from the Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation. (Kansas City Parks & Recreation Dept.)

Racially-Charged Debate Surrounds KC's Iconic Nichols Fountain

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Should Kansas City's iconic J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain be renamed? That's the central question being debated by residents and …

Cosmopolitan Park in Columbia, Mo., is the site of the city's eclipse celebration Mon., Aug. 21. (Columbia Parks and Recreation)

Solar Eclipse Spectators Could Double Population of MO Town

COLUMBIA, Mo. – It takes a sizable attraction to double the population of a city in a single day - something big enough to, say, blot out the …

After her son's death in 2013, Michelle Metje co-founded Corey's Network to provide supports for families of murder victims in the Kansas City metro area. (Corey's Network)

As MO Homicide Rate Rises, Victim's Mom Helps Grieving Families

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Michelle Metje had been a social worker for 25 years, but it wasn't until her son was murdered in 2013 that she discovered …

New Annie E. Casey Foundation statistics rank Missouri 28th among states for providing resources to benefit children and families. (Annie E. Casey Foundation)

Missouri Gets Mixed Grades for Child Well-Being

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An annual report on child well-being ranks Missouri 25th in the nation for providing children vital supports. The Annie E…

Missouri ranks among the top ten states with the highest percentage of food insecure households. (Jacqueline Sosa/Pixabay)

Fewer Missouri Children Expected to Go Hungry This Summer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Breaking the cycle of poverty is more difficult when kids go hungry, and that's especially true after school lets out for the …

Downed trees in a forest provide soil nutrients as well as homes for a variety of species. (Virginia Carter)

Group Seeks to Find, Protect Oldest Forests in Missouri, U.S.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An effort is underway to designate an old-growth forest in every county in the United States that has forestland…

Water is a precious commodity in many parts of the world. (bloodwater.org)

World Water Day Focuses on Conservation

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Wednesday is World Water Day, and Missourians are being asked to step up conservation to help people in this country and all …

Missouri is in the top 20 when it comes to pedestrian deaths. (fhwa.gov)

Missouri Roads Deadly for Pedestrians

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – On average, 13 people in the U.S. are killed every day from being hit by a vehicle, and older adults and people of color …

Hospitals desperately need blood and platelet donations, which are down due to the holidays and bad weather. (redcross.org)

Emergency Call for Blood, Platelet Donations

ST. LOUIS – The American Red Cross has issued an emergency call for help. The organization needs blood and platelet donors after 37,000 fewer …

Missouri college students deliver hats to children with cancer. (lym.org)

College Students Bring Joy to Cancer Patients

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A company that started as a class project for two college students has expanded into a community service effort for more …

There are lots of ways to give to the thousands of children who are in the hospital during the holidays. (Children's Mercy)

Making Holidays Special for Ill Children

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – It isn't something people like to think about this time of year, but thousands of children are in the hospital during the …

Country singer Jimmy Wayne was taken in as a foster child at 16 and says it changed his life. (Jimmy Wayne)

A Plea for More Foster Parents

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Country singer Jimmy Wayne has a message he's sharing across the country – thousands of children need help…

Volunteers are needed to help Missouri residents prepare tax returns. (AARP)

Volunteers Needed to Help with Tax Season

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - If you like numbers, working with people and have a little extra time on your hand, AARP Missouri could use your help. The …

Community health centers provided medical care for more than 450,000 people in Missouri in 2014.(Pixabay)

Health Center Expansion Plans Not Seen as Partisan

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Hundreds of thousands of people in Missouri receive medical care each year from community health centers, and even more …

Missouri has gotten a grant of almost $3 million to help families buy fresh fruits and vegetables. (Virginia Carter)

Missouri Receives Large Grant to Battle the Bulge

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Money has been distributed around the country by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to get low-income residents to eat healthier…

Advocates say Missouri needs to get more parents involved in the classroom. (Virginia Carter)

Getting Involved in Classroom Called Crucial

ST. LOUIS -- A group that's worked for more than two decades to get parents more involved in their children's education says a lot of work needs to …

Parents are being urged to keep kids running, jumping and playing to prevent poor posture, and muscle weakness. (Credit: Kevin Patrick Allen)

Experts: Don't Spend the Summer Sitting Still

COLUMBIA, Mo. - It may sound like a joke or an insult, but Dormant Butt Syndrome affects millions of Americans. It's a weakness of the gluteal …

Environmental groups urge Missouri leaders to move toward clean energy. (Sierra Club)

Missouri Urged to Move to Green Energy

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Missouri environmentalists call new federal rules from the Environmental Protection Agency a step in the right direction, but feel …

Screen-Free Week's goal is to get kids to use their imaginations and play without the help of electronic devices. (Veronica Carter)

Turn It Off, Tune It Out: It's Screen-Free Week!

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - With all the smartphones, tablets, computers and video games around, it's easy to forget that there is life beyond a screen…

Missouri has almost 100,000 kids growing up with a parent in prison. (jacksoncountymo.gov)

Kids of Incarcerated Parents Travel a Rough Road

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - There are 98,000 kids in Missouri who have, or have had, a parent in jail or prison. A new report by the Annie E. Casey …

The second lawsuit in six months involving a woman in labor being shackled and driven hundreds of miles has been filed in Missouri. (Jackson County)

ACLU Files Lawsuit After Woman Shackled During Labor

MISSISSIPPI COUNTY, Mo. - The ACLU of Missouri has filed suit on behalf of an inmate who lost her baby. In December 2014, Tara Rhodes told jail staff …

One volunteer who goes above and beyond will be selected to receive the 2016 Andrus Award in Missouri later this year. (Virginia Carter)

Top Volunteer Over 50 Sought in Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Volunteers are a key part of many nonprofit groups, and for AARP, they're being called the "lifeblood" of the organization…

The Hygiene Hypothesis is that we are too clean and that's leading to more allergies and asthma. The advice: Send kids outdoors and get them a pet. (Brad Robinson)

A Theory about Allergies: Are We Too Sanitized?

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - All the runny noses and itchy eyes tell us it's allergy season in Missouri. From April to June, grass pollen causes problems …

March 31 is International Transgender Day of Visibility and blogger Meggan Sommerville is involved in a social media campaign underway to encourage acceptance. (Meggan Sommerville)

Transgender Community Pressed to Become Visible This Week

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - There's a big push on social media this week for those in the transgender community to come forward. Thursday is International …

Voters in St. Louis and Kansas City are being asked if they want to keep funding maintenance of city parks. (stlouis-mo.gov)

Voters Asked to Protect the Parks

ST. LOUIS - Voters in St. Louis and Kansas City are being asked to keep a one percent city earnings tax in place to fund programs and services…

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MO: Community Issues and Volunteering