Page 45 - Poverty Issues News Today

A federal grant is helping Montana tackle homelessness among the states young people. The Treasure State was chosen as a rural recipient of a $3.4 million grant from the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project, created by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. ...

Advocates warn that low-income families may have to cut back on fruits and vegetables starting in April - if Congress allows part of their food benefits to expire. President Joe Bidens American Rescue Plan bumped up the amount families get to buy fruits and vegetables as part of the Women Infants and Children program, called WIC. Shannon Whaley - director or research and evaluation for Public Health Foundation Enterprises WIC program, a part of Heluna Health in LA - said unless Congress exte...

In the past two years, Iowa has adopted or proposed policies that stoke debate on whether the state is moving away from prioritizing the rights and civil liberties of certain populations. Such things as enacting voting restrictions, limiting race curriculum, and proposed book bans in schools are among platforms championed by Republican leaders in Des Moines. This is in contrast key milestones in Iowas history, according to Lea VanderVelde, a professor at the University of Iowa College of Law...

Childrens advocates are sounding the alarm about the expiration of a program they say has been key to keeping low-income children fed during the pandemic. Child nutrition waivers were created by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of March 2020, which gave the U.S. Department of Agriculture the power to approve more than two dozen provisions allowing state and local organizations flexibility to run free meal programs during COVID-19. ...

The goal of a program through the Community Loan Fund is to connect with and support more minority-owned businesses in New Hampshire. The Community-Driven Economic Empowerment Initiative is a pilot program, launched to increase access to technical assistance, training and loans for Black and Brown business owners. Zachery Palmer - community business lender with the Community Loan Fund - said many businesses may not be in need of a loan or access to capital, but might be looking for advice, o...

One hundred years before Rosa Parks ignited a 13-month bus boycott, Elizabeth Jennings led the way for New York. A presentation this evening at a Hudson Valley museum aims to share Jennings legacy in the Empire State. In July 1854, Jennings - a Black school teacher - refused to leave a streetcar designated for white passengers only in New York City and was assaulted by the conductor. ...

A year after their passage, police accountability bills in Washington state are showing signs of success. An ACLU Washington analysis found a 62% drop in police killings through November 2021, compared with the previous two years. Rep. ...

Statistics showed during the pandemic, the number of Utah families experiencing food insecurity grew, and advocates argued the state needs to take a leading role in finding solutions to the problem. A bill working its way through the Utah Legislature would formalize a working group of stakeholders who meet periodically to exchange ideas and propose policies. The legislation, which would consolidate an ad hoc coalition into a state entity with staff and funding, is pending before the Senate Nat...

In the latest COVID variant surge, Ohios hunger-relief network is facing unique challenges. With missed wages due to illness, quarantining and remote learning for kids, struggling families rely on food banks across the state -- and food banks rely on the support of volunteers. In the early days of the pandemic, said Kurt Keiber, president and chief executive of the Freestore Foodbank in southwest Ohio, the Ohio National Guard helped fill in the gaps when volunteers had to stay home. ...

To mark the losses of the past two years from the COVID-19 pandemic, people are posting Valentines Day cards in Portland. A wall in the city has been dedicated to valentines to loved ones people have lost and thanks to folks on the front lines, such as first responders and teachers. Betsy Zucker is a retired nurse practitioner and chair of the health-care committee for Portland Jobs with Justice. ...