Veterans in North Carolina are in desperate need of reliable transportation and the Veterans Affairs Volunteer Transportation Network is reaching out to residents for assistance.

Lack of reliable transportation is one of the most common obstacles preventing veterans from accessing essential medical care and treatment.

Sabrina Clark, director of the Virginia Center for Development and Civic Engagement, said with more than 750,000 veterans residing in the state, filling transportation gaps is crucial.

"This transportation network provides transport to many veterans who otherwise would have no access to their care at VA facilities," Clark pointed out. "It allows them to get the health care that they have earned and deserve."

Accessing health care can be even more challenging for veterans in rural areas. A 2017 study found rural veterans on average have to travel more than 30 minutes for primary care and 90 minutes for specialized care. North Carolina has the country's 5th highest veteran population.

Clark emphasized the need for volunteer drivers who meet specific requirements such as a valid driver's license, insurance, passing a physical and completing additional training. She also highlighted the importance of addressing diverse needs among veterans in various communities and added there are more ways to contribute beyond providing transportation.

"This is not a one-size-fits-all proposition," Clark noted. "It's to come in and what's required for specific programs and it might be different. It might look different across different ways that individuals are serving."

Clark added there are a wide range of volunteer opportunities at Veterans Affairs and urged people to discover how they can serve veterans in their community. She encouraged anyone interested in volunteering to visit volunteer.va.gov.


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Community action agencies in Utah and across the nation are celebrating 60 years of battling poverty and empowering communities, which started with the signing of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.

Jennifer Godfrey, CEO of Utah Community Action, said there are a total of nine community action agencies in the Beehive State, with each one aiming to help Utahns in their own unique way. She added all nine organizations have the ability to provide services that can change people's lives.

"Not only is it incredibly humbling to be a part of that work, but it is also such an honor to be working with these individuals who are experiencing poverty," Godfrey noted. "Because everybody deserves a second chance from time to time."

Godfrey pointed out people who experience poverty are not a monolith, because poverty is a complex issue and there is not a single reason behind it for many people. In Utah, Native Americans experience the highest rate of poverty at just above 27%.

Utah has been a leader when it relates to volunteerism, and Godfrey encourages Utahns to continue strengthening its standing year-round by contacting their local action agency to help.

Utah's poverty rate is just below 9%, which sits below the national average of around 12%.

Godfrey stressed new challenges like increasing food, medical and housing costs are taking a toll on Utah residents. She added most people don't realize how many Utahns are actually living on the edge.

"In some instances, many instances in fact, the vast majority of individuals are one paycheck away from having a crisis," Godfrey asserted.

Regardless of the situation, Godfrey emphasized her organization is there to help, as action agencies are designed to be nimble to the needs of their respective communities.

A new survey of nonprofit leaders finds staff burnout is a major concern.

The 2024 "State of Nonprofits" report from the Center for Effective Philanthropy finds 95% of nonprofit leaders say staff burnout over the last year is worrying - and 57% name staff issues as one of their biggest challenges.

The Center's Vice President for Research Elisha Smith Arrillaga said the problem is getting worse.

"Burnout remains a top concern for most nonprofit leaders, which was also true last year," said Arrillaga. "But this year, we also find that half of nonprofit leaders are feeling more concerned about their own burnout than this time last year. And so that's really disconcerting to hear."

239 nonprofits took part in the survey. Researchers also found most nonprofits had a balanced budget or a surplus, this fiscal year and last.

Rusty Stahl - founder, president and CEO of the nonprofit Fund the People - said many nonprofit leaders hesitate to hire more staff because of unstable funding or restrictions on how money can be used.

But, he noted some progress. Recently, some of the country's biggest foundations moved to loosen limits on what can be spent on so-called indirect costs - such as staff and benefits.

"Nonprofit staff are not overhead," said Stahl. "They're the bedrock of organizational effectiveness. You would want to invest significantly in making sure that that bedrock is in place because everything else rides on it."

Stahl said nonprofit leaders can reduce turnover by focusing on staff wellness and improving organizational culture, employee engagement, pay, benefits, and workflow.




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The National Weather Service continues to survey damage across northern Arkansas after tornadoes ripped through the state over the weekend.

Crews have confirmed at least six twisters touched down causing widespread destruction. Schools and businesses remain closed, and thousands of residents are still without electricity as power lines across the state were destroyed.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed two executive orders, one declaring a state of emergency and a second authorizing paid leave for state employees affected by the storms.

"We are in, still, an assessment phase; we're going to have to continue," Sanders said. "The rebuilding efforts will come-this is not going to be a short process, but a long road ahead. But I can assure you that not only will our city, county, state and federal partners, we will work together. "

Seven people were killed in the tornadoes. The storms hit just a little over a year after five people were killed by tornadoes in 2023.

Families who have lost everything are receiving help from their neighbors as well as local, state and federal agencies. The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management is accepting monetary donations through the Arkansas Disaster Relief Program, and the Texas based nonprofit Texans on Mission is working with partner agencies in Arkansas to help residents pick up the pieces.

John Hall, chief mission officer and director of communications for Texans on Mission, said it is an emotional task.

"The very first thing we typically go in with is that we call box teams," Hall explained. "These are small groups of volunteers who bring in trailers full of empty boxes. They'll drive into these neighborhoods and start handing out these pre-boxes, that people then use to go through the debris and find the heirlooms and find the jewelry."

The organization also provides shower and laundry teams, mass feeding trucks and chain saw teams to clear away downed trees and debris. Crews from the National Weather Service are still checking damage patterns and the number of confirmed tornadoes could increase.


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