Poverty Issues / Public News Service

Grocery stores participating in the Double Up Food Bucks program in Oregon stretch from Astoria to Ontario. (olinchuk/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, October 6, 2022

Some OR Farmers Markets Pack Up, But Fresh Food Program Still Available

As the weather gets cooler, some farmers markets in Oregon are winding down. But a program which incentivizes buying fresh fruits and vegetables is …

Americans have had to pay two to three times more for their medications than people in other countries pay for the same drugs. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Lower Drug Prices Expected After Biden Medicare Move

Some 930,000 Colorado Medicare recipients will save money on medications starting next year, thanks to provisions in President Joe Biden's Inflation …

In recent years, a range of studies and reports show Minnesota has some of the worst racial disparities in the nation, including in the areas of homeownership and education. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

MN Groups Brainstorm Ways to Address Poverty Disparities

On the heels of a regional conference, multiple groups are working on new solutions for reducing the poverty gap in Minnesota. Nonprofits, …

If voters approve Initiative Measure 433, once the wage reaches $15 an hour it will be adjusted every year to account for any increases in the cost of living. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Voters to Decide Wage Floor for Workers

Ballots for the November election are headed to mailboxes across the state, and Nebraska voters will get to decide if the state's minimum wage should …

Food insecurity among adults ages 65 and older living alone reached the highest rates in 20 years between 2020 and 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Millions of Older Adults Experience Food Insecurity

Some 35 million people in Wyoming and across the U.S. struggle to put food on the table, and older adults experiencing food insecurity face numerous …

According to the Richmond Eviction Lab, several parts of the city's Southside neighborhood saw 67 percent of eviction filings during the first quarter of 2022. (Jon Anders Wilken/Adobe Stock)

Evictions in VA Continue to Grow

Evictions are on the rise in Virginia after numerous protections provided by federal and state rental assistance programs ended. According to the …

Child poverty ebbed and flowed after hitting 17% in 2009. Since 2017, it has been on the decline, falling to 5.2% in 2021, the lowest rate in history. (Adobe Stock)

CT Child Poverty Unchanged, Census Report Says

Connecticut's child poverty statistics have remained the same throughout 2021, according to the latest Census Bureau report. Nationally, child …

Grant Program to Fund Innovative Solutions to Rural Child Hunger

Child hunger is a persistent problem in California and across the U.S., especially in rural areas, and now, a new grant program will promote and fund …

More than 726,000 people, including almost 224,000 children, are facing hunger in Indiana, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Investment to Boost Emergency Food Aid in Indiana

Amid struggles with higher food and transportation costs, fewer donations and increased demand, food banks in Indiana will soon have additional …

Arkansas ranks fifth for the per capita number of households with children that reported not having enough food in their homes this past year, according to a U.S. Census Bureau survey. (Oksana Kuzmina/AdobeStock)

Group Develops Ways to Combat Rural Child Hunger

Save the Children's Rural Child Hunger Research and Innovation Lab aims to help communities design and test new, creative ways to reduce rural child …

Kids have been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Advocates are in Washington, D.C., to bring attention to the issues. (Sergey Novikov/Adobe Stock)

Child Advocates Meet with Leaders in DC, Call for Investments in Kids

Advocates for child well-being are in the nation's capital today, calling on lawmakers to invest in children. The Save the Children advocacy summit …

In Tennessee, more than 800,000 people are facing hunger, and more than 230,000 of them are children. (Africa Studio/AdobeStock)

Advocates Calling on Congress for Better Investment in Kids

Advocates for children's well-being are in Washington, D.C. today, calling on lawmakers to invest in kids. The Save the Children advocacy summit is …

Persons with health insurance in Gwinnett County including children make up 82.3% of the population, meaning 17.7% are uninsured. (Gwinnett Coalition)

Gwinnett Coalition Improves Health-Care Access For Residents

Gwinnett County's uninsured population of 15.6% is slightly higher than the state rate of 15.3%, according to 2020 U.S. census data. Renee Byrd-…

According to Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap report, nine out of 10 counties with the highest food insecurity rates are rural. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Innovation Lab Aims to Spur Creative Solutions to End Child Hunger

A new initiative is providing funding to individuals and grassroots groups across the Commonwealth with creative solutions to reduce hunger among rura…

Advocates for the poor say the Covid pandemic revealed effective tools to reduce poverty in America. (Adobe Stock)

We Know What Works: How Covid Showed Ways to End Poverty

Childhood poverty was cut nearly in half during the Covid pandemic due to expanded federal programs like the child tax credit, and stimulus payments…

Analysts say had the federal government not temporarily expanded the Child Tax Credit, child poverty would have fallen to 8.1% last year, rather than 5.2%. (Adobe Stock)

Policy Expert: Good News on Poverty Should Be the Norm

On the heels of a promising poverty report, there are renewed calls to make permanent certain pandemic policies that helped struggling families in …

About one in four Ohioans filters in and out of poverty, and can't seem to stay above the Federal Poverty Line, according to the latest research. (Adobe Stock)

'More People Are Poor Than the Poverty Rate Says'

More than 1.4 million people in the Buckeye State live in poverty, according to the 2022 State of Poverty in Ohio report. The Ohio Association of …

In 2021, there were fewer than 12,000 coal miners employed in West Virginia, according to state data. (Adobe Stock)

West Virginians Draw from Within to Rebuild Communities

By Quincy Gray McMichael for Yes! Media. Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service, Reporting for the YES! Media-Public News …

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 …

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 …

There are more than 600 food-assistance sites in Oregon and southwest Washington, according to the Oregon Food Finder website. (alhim/Adobe Stock)

Hunger Action Month Sheds Light on OR Families Still Struggling

September is National Hunger Action Month, highlighting the ways people can get involved to fight food insecurity. Susannah Morgan, CEO of Oregon …

More than 60,000 kids in Colorado can't afford school meals, but don't qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, and two out of every five Colorado families struggle to put food on the table for their children. (Adobe Stock)

Ending School Lunchline Shaming on Colorado’s November Ballot

In November, Colorado voters will have an opportunity to end a practice known as "lunch-line shaming," which drew national attention after a Colorado …

Forty percent of older Americans rely solely on Social Security for retirement income, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security. (Adobe Stock)

Inflation Squeezes Fixed-Income Kentuckians; Benefits Assistance Can Help

As inflation drives up the cost of living, Kentuckians on fixed incomes are especially vulnerable. More than 2,000 federal, state and local benefits …

The Inflation Reduction Act would fine pharmaceutical companies that raise prices on medications faster than the rate of inflation. (Kenwnj/Adobe Stock)

Progressive Groups Tout Benefits of Inflation Reduction Act for NV

Progressive groups are praising the newly passed Inflation Reduction Act, saying it will save many families thousands of dollars a year and make …

Some 18,000 children on average experience homelessness each year in Colorado, according to most recent Colorado Department of Education data. (Adobe Stock)

Solving Homelessness Key to Success in Multiple National Priorities

"Opportunity Starts at Home," a short documentary film released this week by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, exposes how housing …

A new report shows the meal gap in New Mexico is 43.6 million meals, according Feeding America's

Federal Pandemic Funds Reduced NM Hunger; Longterm Worries Remain

Food insecurity in New Mexico dropped during COVID, but groups working to fight hunger worry the temporary reprieve will reverse itself now that …

The lack of affordable housing has become an issue in states across the country, and it's even more dire if someone has to mention in their rental application that they have a criminal record. (BillionPhotos.com/Adobe Stock)

In Housing Crisis, Montanans with Criminal Records Face Higher Hurdles

It's hard for almost anyone to find housing in Montana right now, but the barriers are even higher for people with criminal records. Low …

A child's chances of thriving depend not only on individual, family and community characteristics but also on the state in which she or he is born and raised, according to research from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (praba_tuty/Public Domain Mark 1.0)

Report: WV Sees Uptick in Kids Diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression

More West Virginia kids are struggling with their mental health, according to the latest Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

Community Health Centers in Missouri serve a disproportionate level of uninsured and Medicaid patients. (Adobe Stock)

Celebrating the Medical Home of 600,000 Missourians

During National Health Center Week, health-care advocates are highlighting the work Community Health Centers are doing to improve access to care …

In a recent survey on children's well-being, Utah ranked highest among the states in the Four Corners region. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)

Utah Ranks 4th Among States in Survey on Children's Well-Being

An annual report on children's well-being rates Utah among the best in the country, but advocates warn it also pointed to a growing mental-health …

People can wait up to three years to get into affordable housing in Spokane, Wash. (Zach/Adobe Stock)

Innovative 'Land Bank' Could Bring More Affordable Housing to WA

Washingtonians are feeling the squeeze from high housing prices, but a novel concept launching in Spokane could speed up the creation of affordable …

A shortage of affordable housing is seen as one reason for a spike in eviction cases in Virginia. According to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, the state needs 153,415 affordable rentals for people who are extremely low-income. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Evictions on the Rise After Rent Relief Ends

With Virginia's Rent Relief Program ending, a flood of eviction cases has emerged. Established during the pandemic, the program was designed to help …

This year's Pennsylvania education budget includes $850 million in recurring funding to allow school districts to invest in student learning while simultaneously allowing local communities to cut property taxes. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

New PA School Year: Underfunded Districts, Unresolved Lawsuit

CORRECTION: The $3.7 billion figure represents an increase in education investments during the eight-year Wolf Administration, not the Pennsylvania …

Texas kids are some of the least likely in the nation to receive adequate health care, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (everytexan.org)

2022 Report: Texas Ranks 45th for Child Well-Being

When it comes to child well-being, Texas is slipping further behind, according to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book, compiled by the Annie E. Casey …

Education data showed 63% of Wyoming eighth graders scored below proficient in math, and 59% of fourth graders were below proficient in reading. Both figures are better than the national averages of 67% and 66%, respectively. (Adobe Stock)

New Annie E. Casey Publication Ranks Wyoming 14th for Child Well-Being

Wyoming ranks 14th in the nation for promoting children's overall well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest report on child …

An annual study on the health and well-being of American children found that the incidence of mental-health issues increased significantly during the pandemic. (Prostock studio/Adobestock)

Annual Report Finds Arizona Children Increasingly Face Anxiety, Depression

Advocacy groups are sounding the alarm about the well-being of Arizona's children. The 2022 Kids Count Data Book released today ranks Arizona 44th …

Report: MT 20th in Child Well-Being; Mental Health Remains an Issue

Montana ranks in the upper half of states for child wellbeing, according to an annual report. But mental health among young people remains a concern…

An annual report shows Connecticut ranks highly compared to other states for children's health and education, but finds a lack of investment by the state has slowed this growth and even led to some decline. (Adobe Stock)

Investment Needed for CT Children to Thrive, Report Says

More investment is needed across Connecticut to support the economic well-being and education of children, according to a new annual report. The …

In the decade preceding the pandemic, Colorado's child poverty rate fell by nearly 30%, one of the largest declines in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Ranks High in Child Well-Being as Kids Face Mental-Health Crisis

Colorado ranks 16th in the nation for promoting children's overall well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest report on child …

Nebraska lawmakers improved conditions for low-income families during the pandemic by expanding eligibility for SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps, and providing support for child care. Both initiatives are set to sunset next year. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Ranks First Nationally in Child Economic Well-Being

Nebraska ranks first in the nation when it comes to promoting children's economic well-being, a significant indicator under the spotlight in the …

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 …

The COVID pandemic caused major challenges for families and blunted progress in New Mexico to improve child well-being, according to New Mexico Voices for Children. (DeanMoriarty/Pixaby)

NM Struggles in Child Well-Being Report but Celebrates Positive Trends

Since 2020, New Mexico has been working to create a more cohesive, equitable and effective early-childhood system. But it could be a while before it …

22% of Arkansans live in poverty, compared with the national average of 17%. (Presha Photography/Adobe Stock)

Report: AR Child Poverty Rate Improves, But Remains High

Arkansas ranks in the bottom ten of states in a new report on child well-being across the nation. The annual KIDS COUNT report from the Annie E…

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 …

The Episcopal Health Foundation recently announced grants totally $21 million to help community-based organizations and clinics address non-medical, social factors that impact health. (episcopalhealth.org)

Going Beyond the Doctor's Office to Treat Community Health Needs

The new leader of Houston's Episcopal Health Foundation says the COVID pandemic, and now monkeypox, shine a light on Texas populations that are …

It's estimated that more than 4 million children younger than age 19 lacked health insurance coverage in 2020, according to U.S. Census data. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Marking 25th Anniversary, CHIP Advocates Call for Permanent Funding

The federal health-insurance program for children helps keep more than 200,000 West Virginia children insured. Advocates said the Children's Health …

According to research from Consumers for Quality Care, 60% of Americans say they've skipped or delayed care at some point in their lives out of concerns over out-of-pocket costs. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Lawmakers Mull Drug-Pricing Reforms as Costs Become Top Issue for Voters

Democrats say they have reached an agreement on the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes measures aimed at lowering prescription-drug prices…

Florida Healthy Kids administers the Florida Healthy Kids program for children ages 5 through 18. (Pixabay)

FL Families Urged to Sign Up for KidCare as CHIP Marks Silver Anniversary

As a program to improve health-insurance access for children celebrates its silver anniversary, there are calls to ensure it remains strong for the …

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