160 years ago, Civil War soldiers were awarded the first Medals of Honor. Now, a Medal of Honor Monument will soon be built on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Last year, Woody Williams, born and raised in West Virginia, the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, passed away. Williams was the only surviving Marine in his 6 man demolition team at the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Chad Graham, President and CEO of the Woody Williams Foundation, said monuments offer a place of permanence for Gold Star families.

"Telling those stories, having that place of permanence to tie those stories to is very, very important, both with the museum and with this monument, so that for generations, those stories will be told," he said.

Chris Cassidy, President and CEO of the Medal of Honor Museum and Foundation, said the National Medal of Honor Monument Act passed unanimously in both the U.S. House and Senate in 2021.

"There's lots of stuff right now that divide people. There's very few things that bring people together. And this project is something that unites people. And that's why we're so proud to be part of it," he said.

The medal is a reminder of those that lost their lives for their county, Graham added.

"Those that live to tell the story, and to be the bearer, the recipient of that medal, and to be the bearer of that honor, they carry that for those that didn't get to come home," Graham continued.

As of March 2022, there are 66 living Medal of Honor recipients, the youngest being 33-year-old William Carpenter of Mississippi who received the award for his service in Afghanistan in 2014.


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A shortage of volunteers is taking its toll on food banks in Washington state.

Joe Gruber, executive director of the University District Food Bank in Seattle, said they have about 300 weekly volunteers who make their operations possible. But with COVID-19 worries subsiding this summer, their usual volunteer base has been getting out and traveling more than past years.

Gruber pointed out the shortage comes at an unfortunate time because they are busier than at any point during the pandemic, seeing 50% more people in 2023 than 2022. He acknowledged the increased need stems from a confluence of issues.

"The inflation that folks have experienced over the last few years, and then we've also seen an erosion of some of the enhanced benefits like SNAP had received some extra dollars," Gruber outlined.

An increase in funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during the pandemic ended in March. A recent study found SNAP recipients experienced a 21% increase in food insufficiency after the increase ended.

Gruber emphasized the lack of volunteers is hurting not just inside the food bank but in other operations, such as their home delivery program. He added they have also seen a 10% to 15% decline in food donations, which means they have to buy more food.

"We're needing to fundraise more money to make sure that we've got those resources available, and that's another way that volunteers have helped us in the past," Gruber stressed. "We have an annual fundraising auction where we'll hope to raise $250,000 or $300,000, and it happens because volunteers commit."

Gruber noted fortunately for his food bank, students at the nearby University of Washington campus lend their assistance.

"They've engaged deeply in our work and supported it," Gruber observed. "Hopefully for us, we'll have a resource that not every food bank will have available to them; an abundant pool of interested and engaged students starting back in the fall."


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The burden of medical debt is not so heavy anymore for some lucky North Carolina residents.

The Coastal Credit Union Foundation partnered with the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt to wipe away some medical bills for about 1,200 people in central North Carolina. A grant of $17,000 was used to settle nearly $2.2 million in debt.

Joe Mecca, vice president of communications for the Coastal Credit Union Foundation, said the ripple effect of medical bills can take a toll on individuals' financial and emotional well-being, so the credit union was happy to help provide a pathway to a fresh start.

"Once they're able to get back on their feet from an occupational standpoint, they still have that medical debt looming over them," Mecca observed. "Clearing that out might be enough to get them back on the path to stability."

The problem of unpaid medical debt is a pressing issue in North Carolina, which ranks among the states with the highest percentages of medical debt in the country, according to a 2022 study by The Urban Institute.

The impact of medical debt is not limited to financial strain. The stress and anxiety associated as the bills mount can affect mental health as well. Adults facing medical debt are three times more likely to experience mental health concerns, according to a University of South Florida study.

Mecca emphasized helping to clear these balances is a small investment that can make a big difference.

"For us, it's just an extension of our mission and helping people achieve overall financial wellness," Mecca added. "This is the first time we've worked with this organization, and we're just really pleased with the overall impact that they were able to achieve with a relatively small grant from Coastal."

A study by the American Economic Association, found medical debt relief not only improves a person's overall well-being, but also improves their access to health care.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox wants people to learn to disagree.

As the elected chair of the National Governors Association, he is leading a campaign called "Disagree Better" - an initiative "designed to help Americans bridge the partisan divide," and adopt more positive approaches to politics and social discourse.

Last week, a day after the first Republican presidential debate, Cox took to X - the platform formerly known as Twitter - and shared a video where he said he has found "listening to understand as opposed to listening to debate is a powerful tool."

"Healthy disagreement is about staying true to who we are, to the principles that we believe in," said Cox, "but also not attacking the person who disagrees with us."

Cox acknowledges that the United States is deeply divided and a majority of Americans are tired of the division and hyper-partisanship.

According to the Pew Research Center, partisanship continues to be the dividing line in the American public's political attitudes - far surpassing other markers such as age, race and ethnicity.

Cox said the nation was created with 50 states, of which he calls "laboratories of democracy." He said each state is uniquely positioned to work together and learn from one another.

The Disagree Better initiative has a list of recommended strategies and tools for state and local leaders to implement in an effort to ease tensions.

"Because what happens is when we're curious, when we're really trying to understand where the other person is coming from," said Cox, "they're much more likely to give us that same opportunity and to listen to us."

Cox said it's an important message with the 2024 presidential primaries in full effect.

A recent poll found that more Americans viewed neither President Joe Biden, the likely Democratic nominee, nor former President Donald Trump, the clear front-runner for the Republican Party, in a favorable light than those who saw either of them favorably.




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