Poverty Issues / Public News Service

Many Fargo residents want to stay in their communities but are struggling to maintain their properties as they age. (FiledIMAGE/Adobe Stock)

Friday, July 26, 2024

ND seeks better housing for older population

A new design competition is looking to find better housing for Fargo's aging population. Like many other states, North Dakota has a growing number …

Most of the buses in Minnesota's rural transportation system are ADA-compliant and equipped with wheelchair lifts for passengers with disabilities. (Arrowhead Transit)

Friday, July 26, 2024

Rural MN communities gain expanded public transportation options

Traveling around rural Minnesota can be difficult but in more than half the state, nonprofit transit systems are helping people get where they need …

Created by a bipartisan act of Congress in 2022, what is now called the Sun Bucks program provides $120 in nutrition benefits nationally during summer months to households whose children who qualify for free and reduced-price school meals. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Iowa advocates rally for kids' summertime food

Iowa is one of 13 states not participating in a federal summer food program for children. The Iowa Hunger Coalition has launched a petition drive to …

Brian Burton with the Arkansas Food Bank said children experiencing malnourishment have a tougher time learning in the classroom. (fotokitas/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Hunger is another struggle for Arkansas 'ALICE' residents

By Mary Hennigan for The Arkansas Advocate.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for The Arkansas Advocate-Winthrop Rock…

In New Mexico, 12 small family-operated farms have provided food for over 1,000 children at more than 30 preschools. (American Friends Service Committee)

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

NM preschoolers discover purple carrots, plant organic veggies

Like kids everywhere, New Mexico preschoolers balk at eating fresh vegetables. But an educational project has found that with a creative nudge…

According to the Minnesota Housing Partnership, more than 640,000 households across the state are cost-burdened, meaning they pay more than they can afford for their housing. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Many Minnesotans squeezed by housing costs

Newly released data in Minnesota underscores what housing assistance groups have been preaching - it's become increasingly difficult for many people t…

The Farm Bill, which is updated every five years, covers programs ranging from crop insurance for farmers to healthy food access for low-income families, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. (Adobe Stock)

Plan to keep SNAP benefits in check doesn't sit well with WI advocates

Congress is back in session two more weeks before the August recess. Wisconsin voices worried about the future of a key hunger relief program hope …

At its June 1 commencement, 83 students received diplomas as part of the second graduating class of the Erie County Community College class of 2024. Commencement speaker First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor underscored the importance of continued community support for the school. (Peopleimages/Adobe Stock)

Erie's local college foundation helps students with unexpected expenses

As some colleges in Pennsylvania and nationwide close their doors, one school in Erie has taken a big step toward making higher education more …

Researchers said children who live in poverty lose an additional two months of reading skills over the summer, with a lack of proper nutrition serving as a key factor. (Adobe Stock)

ND encourages more signups for kids' summer meal program

Some North Dakota leaders believe healthy food is part of what is needed to help all kids achieve better outcomes and they hope low-income families si…

About 25% of people covered by Medicare in 2023 used a telehealth service that year, according to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Jeff Bergen/Adobe Stock)

Clock ticking on Medicare telehealth provisions

Telehealth has been key to health care in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic but some of the flexibilities for this type of care for Medicare patients …

Mental health professionals said therapy can play a crucial role in helping ALICE populations cope with mental health issues. (ibreakstock/Adobe Stock)

Financial strains create mental-health issues for AR ALICE population

By LaGanzie Kale for KLEK-FM.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for the KLEK-FM-Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation-Publi…

Nearly 60% of Kentucky Medicaid beneficiaries reported a lack of reliable and affordable transportation as a barrier to receiving health care services, according to data from the University of Kentucky. (Adobe Stock)

New KY Medicaid changes expand medical transportation access

Kentucky has made some changes to expand access to free transportation for people who need help getting to medical, dental and mental health …

Colorado gets $156M from Inflation Reduction Act for 'Solar for All'

Colorado is calling on solar energy entrepreneurs to put $156 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding to work accelerating rooftop and community-ba…

In a 2024 report from the National Education Association, South Dakota ranked 49th in the U.S. for average teacher salary, at about $53,000 a year. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Opponents: Ballot measure would have 'drastic' impacts on SD schools

A coalition of South Dakota groups is voicing its opposition to a ballot measure intended to end a state sales tax on consumables. If passed this …

Diminishing snowpack in northern New Mexico due to climate change will shorten the season for skiing and other forms of winter tourism and recreation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (RaisaNastukova/AdobeStock)

Boosting ‘Hope’ about climate-change among NM's next generation

New Mexico teachers educating young people about climate change don't want them to feel hopeless - and they've developed an educational curriculum to …

In no state, county or metropolitan area in the United States can a worker earning the federal or prevailing state or local minimum wage afford a modest rental home at fair market rent by working a standard 40-hour work week, statistics show. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado housing costs 8th least affordable in nation

Colorado remains the eighth-least affordable state in the nation for housing, according to a new report from the National Low Income Housing …

Nearly 60% of people who borrowed medical equipment from Owen's Outfitters in June were enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare, according to data from the organization. Roughly 9% of clients were uninsured. (Eleanor Turner, The Legacy Foundation)

SD medical supply library prepares to go mobile

A lending library for medical and mobility supplies opened in Sioux Falls just last fall and now its parent nonprofit is making moves to go mobile…

Colorado hospitals and clinics have reported sharply increased numbers of uninsured people seeking care. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado posted 2nd-highest loss of Medicaid coverage in nation in May

In May, Colorado ranked second in the nation for the percentage of residents dropped from Medicaid health insurance rolls - including 500,000 who …

The Federal Transit Administration's Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Pilot Program has supported access to health with $24 million over five years, according to the agency. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Federal grant will upgrade SD rural transit system

The Biden administration announced nearly $8 million in grants to improve public transportation, including a large and rural system in South Dakota…

Mississippi allocates about $40 million annually to college student financial assistance. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

Expert offers tips for smart student-loan repayment

Mississippians who have just graduated from college this summer may be celebrating now but they also just joined the millions of Americans facing stud…

The Poor People's Campaign said if poor and low-income people voted at the same rate as those in higher income brackets, they would have the power to sway elections in every state. (AI/Adobe Stock)

Poor People's Campaign rallies in D.C. ahead of election

With chants of "We are the swing vote," poor and low-wage workers gathered in Washington, D.C., recently to rally and strategize ahead of the …

Organizers says Providence Park, featuring

'Tiny Home' community in AR aims to combat homelessness

By Nathan Treece for Little Rock Public Radio.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for the Little Rock Public Radio-Win…

Around 600 million people are released from state and federal prisons annually, with another 9 million people cycled through local jails. Many do not have access to health care, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Kentucky to provide health coverage for people leaving incarceration

Kentucky is one of a handful of states recently approved to provide health insurance coverage to soon-to-be released incarcerated individuals…

Using the data and maps, Bastrop County Cares has been convening different stakeholders to identify areas of need to help develop solutions to address the broadband shortage in rural Texas areas. (tippapatt/Adobe Stock)

Retired TX geoscientist uses talent to connect rural community to the web

By Kristi Eaton for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service Service for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabora…

According to America's Health Rankings, Illinois ranks 42nd among states for fruit and vegetable consumption among people over age 60, but the same group lags in terms of getting healthy sleep and sufficient physical activity. (Adobe Stock)

IL organization seeks extra hands to serve older adults

Isolation and a lack of regular nutritious meals are circumstances many older adults find themselves in. One organization is working to remedy this - …

Food Bank of Northwest Indiana reminds the community food support is crucial year-round, not just during the holidays. (Adobe Stock)

Increasing demand devours IN food bank resources

Food Bank of Northwest Indiana is facing a surge in demand for food assistance, despite the end of the pandemic. The facility serves about 60,000 …

Memphis Light, Gas and Water is the largest three-service public power utility in the nation, serving more than 440,000 customers in Memphis and Shelby County. (Vika art/AdobeStock)

'Share the Pennies' weatherization program tackles climate solutions, reduces cost

By Ashli Blow for Tennessee Lookout.Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Tennessee News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publ…

Hunger Free America's 2023 Annual Hunger Survey found almost 774,000 people in Virginia are food insecure. (Adobe Stock)

VA health center selected for food scarcity innovation program

A Virginia community health center is part of a program addressing food scarcity. The National Association of Community Health Centers' 2024 …

In 2022, fatal drug overdoses in Philadelphia hit a peak of 1,413, with people of color hit hardest. More than 80% of the overdose fatalities in 2022 involved opioids, almost always fentanyl. (Adobe Stock)

New Medicaid policy boosts 'street medicine' in PA

Philadelphia is addressing its opioid crisis by deploying mobile medical units to provide Medicaid-funded "street medicine" to the unhoused population…

The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families provides subsidies to eligible families to help them pay for child care. (bernardbodo/Adobe Stock)

WA call center provides child care support for families experiencing homelessness

The high cost of child care in Washington can strain family budgets. It can be even harder when families are experiencing homelessness. A statewide …

The approach aims to make nutritious foods more accessible and affordable, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for mothers and their babies. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

AR health center aims to get more healthy foods to expecting mothers

A southeast Arkansas healthcare system is using grant money to help increase its patients' access to healthy foods. Mainline Health Systems will …

New Mexico's Save the Children organization has previously engaged kids on summer break from school to help create a 9-foot paint-by-numbers mural. (Photo courtesy of Save the Children)

Helping prevent the summer slide among NM's school-aged kids

Some New Mexico kids hope summer never ends, while others cannot wait to get back in the classroom and both groups are at risk of falling behind in …

Save the Children works in more than 300 of rural America's most impoverished communities, helping kids prepare for kindergarten and reach grade-level goals. (peopleimages.com./Adobe Stock)

Save the Children works to end 'summer slide' for Arkansas students

During the summer months, children can lose up to 40% of the information they learned in school, in a phenomenon called the "summer slide." The …

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits brought more than $700 million to local Colorado economies in 2017, creating more than $1.25 billion in economic activity. (Adobe Stock)

Farm Bill proposal would cut SNAP food assistance by $30 billion

One proposed version of the next Farm Bill, introduced by the Republican chair of the House Agriculture Committee, would cut the Supplemental …

There are more than 154,000 children under age six living in Utah with parents in the workforce but there are only 54,804 licensed child care spots in 1,367 programs statewide, according to Voices for Utah Children. (Adobe Stock)

Summit County initiative looks to ease childcare cost burden

Utah parents can expect to pay between $800 and $1,200 dollars a month for child care but a new program is expanding its reach into Summit County to h…

At the state level, Renew Missouri represents renewable and energy efficiency interests before the Public Service Commission. (Adobe Stock)

MO nonprofits join forces to help with power bills for those in need

Some Missouri nonprofit groups have teamed up to help those in need in the rural southeastern part of the state. Many households in these …

A tax-cut package, passed in an Arkansas special legislative session, also increased the homestead property tax credit in Arkansas from $425 to $500. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

Opponents of latest state tax cuts say they benefit wealthy Arkansans

Leaders of some nonprofit organizations in Arkansas are not happy with a recent tax cut package passed by the Legislature. The law reduces the tax …

Maryland schools served more than 34 million breakfasts during the 2022-2023 school year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: MD schools serving thousands fewer meals post-COVID

The latest Maryland School Breakfast Report finds tens of thousands fewer kids are being served post COVID. The end of pandemic era waivers two …

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. (Adobe Stock)

Montgomery mayor seeks public safety solutions at U.S. Conference of Mayors

More than 200 mayors, from cities in Alabama and across the country, gathered this weekend to tackle the nation's most prominent issues at the 92nd U.…

Housing among top priorities for Savannah at Mayors' Conference

More than 200 mayors, from cities in Georgia and across the country, gathered through this weekend to tackle the nation's most prominent issues at …

Among 3- and 4-year-olds in Texas, 58% are not in school. (Seventyfour/Adobe Stock)

Texas remains near bottom in kids well-being

Texas is near the bottom in this year's annual Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book, which studies trends in child well-being. The report …

The population in the Tucson metro area increased by 0.7% in 2023, bringing the total population to just over 1 million, according to the University of Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

AZ mayor sees federal investments pay off for Tucson

Regina Romero, mayor of Tucson, was one of many local leaders at the 92nd annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting, which wrapped up this weekend…

A New Mexico wildfire has killed two people, burned at least 200 homes and forced the evacuation of 5,000 residents in the mountain town of Ruidoso. (wiki)

FBI to take closer look at NM's uncontained South Fork, Salt wildfires

The FBI has joined New Mexico's local, state, federal and tribal partners to investigate the cause of two drought-fueled wildfires that have yet to …

The living wage for a person in Maine who lives alone with no dependents is $22.04, or $4.65 more than the median wage for a home health aide, according the MIT Living Wage Calculator. (Adobe Stock)

Low wages, burnout cited for ME direct-care worker shortage

A critical shortage of direct care workers in Maine is leaving residents without needed health services, according to a new report. It showed more …

Nevada Health Link's texting initiative is estimated to reach more than 80,000 Nevadans. (Adobe Stock)

NV Health Link extends special enrollment period, launches SMS outreach

Nevada's marketplace insurance program wants people who no longer qualify for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program to know it has exten…

Rhode Island has one of the nation's highest percentages of students enrolled in early childhood education programs. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

Building a brighter future for Rhode Island children

Rhode Island has ranked 12th in the nation for child well-being according to the 2024 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The …

To participate in Mississippi's work-release program, individuals must be within two years of their release date and have not had disciplinary action within the last 12 months. (Tjshot/Adobe Stock)

MS expands work-release program, job training to reduce recidivism

Mississippi's pilot work-release program for incarcerated individuals has been extended to three years. The program allows qualified participants to …

A majority of board members of the newly merged Clinica Family Health and Wellness will continue to be patients who receive services, working alongside community volunteers. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado health merger aims to unify behavioral and medical care

Clinica Family Health and Mental Health Partners have announced plans to merge operations by September of this year. Mental Health Partners co-CEO …

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