Community Issues and Volunteering / Public News Service

Puerto Rico was still recovering from Hurricane Maria when Hurricane Fiona struck the island last week, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without shelter, water service or electricity. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

MA Steps Up for Puerto Rico, Again

Massachusetts residents are being asked to step up, just as they did five years ago, to help their fellow Americans in Puerto Rico. The …

Nonprofit organizations employed nearly 30,000 Montanans in 2019. (Artur/Adobe Stock)

Workers at MT Nonprofits Feel Burden of Ramped-Up Demand

The work of some nonprofit organizations has only increased with the pandemic and the needs that have come from it. An author and expert in the field …

Since 2019, volunteers have helped complete a watershed restoration project in Midnight Meadows, located in New Mexico's Carson National Forest. (amigosbravos.org)

Volunteers Continue Restoration Work in NM's Midnight Meadows

Midnight Meadows in northern New Mexico's Carson National Forest is one of 22 sites identified as "wetland jewels," and volunteers will continue their…

In the U.S., some 67% of firefighters are volunteers, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council. In New Hampshire, the percentage is even higher. (National Volunteer Fire Council)

Shortage of Volunteers Forces NH Fire Depts. to Step Up Recruitment

If you dial 911, it is more than likely a volunteer firefighter will respond to your emergency, but in the Granite State, there are not enough …

About 67% of firefighters in the United States are volunteers, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council. (automatic6517/Pixabay)

Volunteer Firefighter Shortage Spurs MA Departments into Action

If you dial 911, it is more than likely a volunteer firefighter will respond to your emergency, but in Massachusetts, there are not enough volunteers…

Nearly every vehicle in the town of Wallowa, Ore., was affected by a hailstorm in August.(Marika Straw)

After Devastating Eastern OR Hailstorm, Neighbors Lend Support

After a devastating hailstorm in eastern Oregon, community members are lending each other a helping hand. In mid-August, a severe storm dropped …

AARP Maryland volunteers celebrated after the initial construction of a park and garden space at Baltimore's James McHenry Elementary School was completed in 2018. (Todd Nash)

Volunteers Bring Baltimore Park Back to Life

A Baltimore elementary school is getting a helping hand this week from folks who haven't been elementary students in quite a while. The community …

People facing hunger in Arkansas would need additional income of more than $200 million in order to actually meet their food needs, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. (Syda Productions/Adobe Stock)

AR Group Reduces Food Waste to Provide Hunger Relief

September is National Hunger Action Month, and groups across Arkansas are part of a nationwide push to get more people involved with reducing food …

Suicide prevention professionals say if you are concerned that someone you know is considering suicide, talk with them about finding help. (fizkes/Adobe Stock)

Suicide Prevention Month Aims to Remove Stigma of Asking for Help

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, highlighting a pressing issue in Arizona and across the country. Arizona has one of the highest …

Dr. Jamestta Ferguson, founder of Molo Community Development Corp., says grassroots organizations are working to address decades of disinvestment in Louisville's historically Black neighborhoods. (AARP KY)

Neighborhood Org Pushes for Economic Development in West Louisville

A pastor and community leader in Louisville is working to boost economic development and raise the quality of life on Louisville's West end. …

New Mexico ranks second in the nation for childhood hunger, according to Feeding America, with one in five children, or about 20.5% of children in the state, at risk of hunger. (nokidhungry.org)

Your Chance to Help Alleviate Hunger in New Mexico

A silver lining of the pandemic was more money available to address hunger, but those funds are drying up, and many in New Mexico will struggle this …

During the COVID-19 pandemic, food pantries provided more than 60 million Americans with nutritious food. (aerogondo/Adobe Stock)

Inflation Brings Higher Demand, Fewer Supplies for Utah Food Pantries

During the pandemic, food pantries were a lifeline for thousands of Utah families experiencing hard times. Rising inflation, however, is making it …

A 2021 Gallup poll shows most of the folks who have their end-of-life plans in order are age 50 or older. Only one in five Americans younger than age 30 has a will. (Adobe Stock)

Numerous Reasons Why People Delay End-of-Life Planning

August is National Make-A-Will Month, which experts say is an opportune time for New Yorkers to begin end-of-life planning. According to a 2021 …

Rural towns and communities make up 72% of the nation's land area, house 46 million people and are relied upon for agriculture, natural resources, outdoor recreation and environmental sustainability, according to the USDA. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Help Local WV Entrepreneurs Redevelop Historic Buildings

Small-business owners and entrepreneurs in a handful of towns across the state have resources at their fingertips to help renovate and reuse historic …

Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available through the Small Business Administration for Eastern Kentucky businesses that experienced flood damage. (Adobe Stock)

Nonprofits Band Together to Help Small Business Flood Recovery

Small businesses that suffered damage or destruction from the recent historic flooding in Eastern Kentucky can get one-on-one assistance as they try t…

Each year, AARP Wyoming honors volunteers age 50 or older for their community service, including helping repair and rebuild homes damaged in Hurricane Katrina. (Adobe Stock)

Andrus Award Seeks Nominations to Celebrate Community Volunteers

AARP Wyoming is accepting nominations for its 2022 Andrus Award for Community Service, which honors older Wyomingites who are sharing their …

“Unshakeable” Nevada Nonprofit Wins AARP Purpose Prize

A Las Vegas nonprofit helping women recover from substance addiction, domestic violence, human trafficking and homelessness has received AARP's …

The Four Leaf Clover Program is a small group making a big difference in Benson, N.C., where its volunteers organize summer day trips and provide lunches for local children. (Cleo McKinnon)<br />

Grassroots Group Offers Rural NC Kids Access to Summer Activities, Meals

Many rural North Carolina kids lack access to summer camps and consistent meals when school is out, but an organization in Benson is working to …

Save the Children staff at an elementary school in Perry County, preparing to distribute bottled water and supplies to residents. (Save the Children)

As Flood Recovery Continues, KY Kids Face Uncertain Start of School Year

Despite numerous challenges, eastern Kentucky schools and advocacy groups are working to make the upcoming school year as normal as possible and get …

Nationally, the residential long-term care industry has lost 235,000 workers since the onset of the global pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Nursing Home Staffing Shortage Creating Backlogs for Hospitals

A new Economic Policy Institute report links staffing shortages in residential long-term care facilities in Nebraska and across the nation to low pay …

Different municipalities may have different rules about accessory dwelling units, sometimes known as

Maine Communities Work to Become More Age-Friendly

Eleven projects in Maine have been awarded grants from AARP to make communities more livable, especially for older residents. Types of projects …

State officials say more than 1,000 eastern Kentucky residents were rescued from their homes after catastrophic flooding last Wednesday. (Office of Gov. Andy Beshear)<br /><br />

Emergency Loans Available to Eastern KY Small Businesses

Quick-turnaround loans of up to $5,000 are available to small businesses in eastern Kentucky affected by the devastating flooding that has left at lea…

The national Girls on the Run Program has been available in South Dakota since 2006. (Adobe Stock)

'Girls on the Run' Looks to Build Life Skills for SD Youths

In early August, fall registration opens at several South Dakota locations offering a national program geared for grade-school-age girls. It combines …

The Girls on the Run Program is celebrating its tenth anniversary in Minnesota this year. (Adobe Stock)

Social, Emotional Building Program for Young Girls Expands in MN

Registration time is arriving at several Minnesota locations offering a national program geared for grade-school-age girls. It combines social and …

A grant from AARP Oregon is funding a 40-by-36-foot outdoor venue near Ashland Senior Center. (Isleen Glatt)

Grant Program Helps Create 'Age-Friendly Communities' in OR

Projects making communities more age-friendly in Oregon are getting support from the AARP. After six projects were chosen by AARP in June to receive …

Those involved with AARP's Community Challenge grant program say smaller efforts, such as installing park benches in an undeserved area, can go a long way in helping to make a place livable for everyone. (Adobe Stock)

ND Reaches New Heights in Community Livability Projects

Towns and cities across America are rolling out recruiting efforts to keep their populations stable. A grant program for community-led projects puts …

Community Peace Builders and their mentor are beginning to carry out de-escalation and relationship building efforts in North Minneapolis. (Photo courtesy of EMERGE)

Community Peace Builders Instill Hope in Minneapolis

The summer season and violent crime can fuel narratives by the public and the media about safety in urban settings. But in Minnesota's largest city…

Farmworker families in Apopka benefit from a food distribution hosted by the Farmworker Association of Florida. (Yesica Ramirez)

Grants Fund Emergency Supports for Florida Farmworker Families

Florida farmworkers are getting some much-needed support thanks to a grant from the Health, Environment, Agriculture, Labor Food Alliance (HEAL)…

HOPE Collaborative in Oakland partners with Cocina del Corazon to produce healthy meals that are distributed free at community fridges and corner stores to feed the needy. (HOPE Collaborative)

Oakland Nonprofit Fills Community Fridges to Combat Hunger

Local nonprofits in the Bay Area are tackling hunger in low-income neighborhoods by stocking corner stores and "community fridges" around town with fr…

Buffalo's East Side is still reeling after the racially-motivated shooting in a local grocery store in May. The store's Friday reopening has only drummed up controversy about whether it should be back in business. (Adobe Stock)

East Buffalo Tops Store Reopens Amid Neighborhood Ambivalence

The Tops supermarket in Buffalo, where a racially-motivated gunman killed 10 people and injured three, has reopened today, almost two months since …

About 800,000 veterans call Pennsylvania home, the fourth-largest veterans' population in the country. Nationwide, at least one in 10 people who are unhoused is a military veteran. (MISHELLA/Adobe Stock)

State Reaches Out to Veterans Experiencing Homelessness

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is reaching out to veterans who are experiencing homelessness, a number that's close to 1…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 13% of Americans live with mobility issues and may rely regularly on a wheelchair. (Adobe Stock)

Used Wheelchairs, Assistive Equipment Find New Life in Eastern KY Shop

In Hazard, Kentucky, volunteers are refurbishing used wheelchairs and other assistive equipment, and giving them to community members for free…

The HEAL Food Alliance is making small grants to organizations across the country that are helping workers who find themselves underwater in the 'informal economy.' (Adobe Stock)

HEAL Grant Bolsters Workers' Center Programs in Central NY

An organization in Central New York is getting a funding boost to help workers who are still struggling with the financial effects of the pandemic…

Mosier is a small Oregon town in the Columbia River Gorge with a population of about 700, according to the 2020 Census. (Ian Poellet)

Small OR Town Among Recipients of AARP Project Grant

AARP has selected six projects in Oregon to receive funds for its Community Challenge grant program. The largest grant, $20,000, is going to a …

Lemley Mill is part of the 30-square-miles South Pass Historic Mining Area, part of the traditional homelands of the Crow, Cheyenne, and Eastern Shoshone Nations. (Historicorps/BJ Klophaus)

Volunteers at Work on Lemley Mill, Miner’s Delight Saloon

Volunteers have set up camp and are hard at work on the historic Lemley Mill in Wyoming's South Pass Historic Mining District, where the Red Desert …

According to The Corporation for National & Community Service, Nebraska consistently is among the top 10 states in the nation for the highest rate of volunteerism among adults. (Adobe Stock)">

Award Opportunity to Celebrate Community Volunteers

AARP is now accepting nominations for its 2022 Nebraska Andrus Award for Community Service, which honors Nebraskans age 50 and older who are sharing …

Loss of rural populations to urban centers has caused many hospitals in Nebraska to reconfigure their budgets. (Adobe Stock)

Keys to Keeping Nebraska's Rural Hospital Doors Open

Without federal intervention, a new report warns, rural hospitals across the United States, including many in Nebraska, could be forced to reduce …

Nearly 40% of Michigan households include at least one member over age 60. (eggeggjiew/Adobe Stock)

Online Platform Helps Older Michiganders Get Connected, Socialize

More than 40% of older Michiganders live alone, and studies show the pandemic has exacerbated loneliness for many. The State of Michigan has renewed …

Local municipalities and counties can apply to Wyoming's state historic preservation office for funding to conduct their own historical surveys. (Adobe Stock)

Towns Tap Surveys to Uncover Wyoming’s Hidden History

Summer brings plenty of opportunities to get out and discover hidden historic treasures in your community, and preservation advocates are encouraging …

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 …

In Arkansas, nearly 500,000 people face food insecurity, with almost 150,000 of them children, according to Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)

Ark. Grants to Help Address Food Insecurity in Pulaski County

A new initiative in Arkansas' most populous county focuses on increasing healthy options at food pantries to help families experiencing challenges as …

A recipient for the Andrus Award recognizing a volunteer in Idaho will be announced in the fall. (Zoran Zeremski/Adobe Stock)

Nominees for Volunteer Award Apply Skills, Talents to Help Others

AARP has opened nominations for one of its most prestigious awards honoring volunteer work in Idaho. The Andrus Award for Community Service is named …

A 2020 survey found that nearly nine in ten Coloradans are concerned about more frequent and severe wildfires, drought and reduced snowpack. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Land Trusts Looking for Climate-Change Agents

As summer rolls in across Colorado, the threats of wildfire, diminishing snowpack and prolonged drought weigh heavy on the minds of many residents …

Researchers say four out of 10 Americans who contract the COVID-19 virus will later develop symptoms of

AZ Volunteers Needed for Study to Determine Causes of 'Long COVID'

The National Institutes of Health has begun a nationwide research project to better understand how to prevent and treat what's become known as "long" …

RAFI-USA launched the Fresh Bucks consumer incentive program in 2015, in partnership with the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. The Double Bucks incentive program began in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

NC Farmers’ Markets Double Buying Power for Food-Insecure Households

People in North Carolina who need to stretch every dollar spent on food can get double the value of fresh produce and other goods through government a…

Mutual Aid groups, which have been around for generations, say they do not view themselves as providing charity, but rather injecting a wave of neighborly help that cannot easily be applied by larger institutions. (Adobe Stock)

Mutual Aid Groups Stand Ready as Excessive Heat, Blackouts Lurk

Regulators have put the Midwest on high alert for energy shortfalls this summer, while forecasters say most areas will be hotter than usual. In Iowa…

The West Virginia Flood Tool is designed to provide floodplain managers, insurance agents, developers, real estate agents, local planners and citizens with an effective means by which to make informed decisions about the degree of flood risk for a specific area or property. (Adobe Stock)

WV Has 'One Chance' To Improve Flood Preparedness

The mayor of Huntington, where more than 200 homes were recently damaged by severe flooding, said now is the state's "one chance" to prevent other …

Doug Baldwin won the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014. (Jeff/Flickr)

WA BBQ Brings Together Community Kept Apart by COVID-19

The pandemic has kept Washingtonians apart for the past two years. With COVID-19 numbers down, an event in Renton is aiming to bring people together …

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PNS Daily Newscast - September 27, 2922

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