Poverty Issues / Public News Service

In Arkansas, more than 400,000 people face hunger, and 138,410 are children, according to Feeding America. (Oksana Kuzmina/AdobeStock)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

March is 'School Breakfast Month' in Arkansas

Better health and educational outcomes are being touted as Arkansans recognize March as School Breakfast Month. Research has proven providing …

More than one in ten transgender people in the U.S. have been evicted from their homes because of their gender identity contributing to higher rates of food insufficiency among this population. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Study Finds High Food Insufficiency Rates Among LGBTQ+ New Englanders

A new study from the University of New Hampshire found New England's LGBTQ+ residents experience higher rates of food insufficiency, the measure of …

A new report shows how at least 75 cities and towns have successfully blocked new dollar store projects, claiming the stores engage in predatory practices. (Pixabay)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Report: Chain 'Dollar Stores' Harmful Communities

Dollar-store chains are rapidly growing across the country, with more locations than McDonald's, Starbucks, Target and Walmart combined, according to …

Kiplinger rates Missouri, and nine other U.S. states, as

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

MO Lawmaker Proposes Raising "Circuit Breaker" Tax Credits

Every Missourian knows property values and property taxes have risen dramatically in the past 15 years, as well as the cost of rent. State lawmakers …

At a rally in Harlem, members of Citizen Action of New York call for a bevy of changes to public money in Albany. They want taxes raised on the wealthiest New Yorkers, to increase the state's minimum wage, and to end 'pay-for-play' by reducing state subsidies for corporations. (Citizen Action New York)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

NYC Group Calls for Significant Community Investments

Community leaders in Harlem are calling on local and state elected officials to make significant community investments. As part of their 2023 …

Housing availability has been squeezed by a near-record increase in the number of American homeowners in 2020, according to the Pew Research Center.(Adobe Stock)

Report: Ohio’s Affordable Housing Shortage is Worsening

Ohio's affordable housing shortage has worsened over the past year, according to new data from the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio and …

Leaders of the Maliseet, Mi'kmaq, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Nations tell state lawmakers tribal sovereignty would bring federal funding, and jobs. Research shows per-capita income for non-Maine tribes grew by 61% between 1989 and 2020, yet only 9% for Wabanaki Nations. (Wabanaki Alliance)

Monday, March 20, 2023

Wabanaki Nations Seek Tribal Sovereignty from Maine

Leaders of the Wabanaki Nations are asking Maine lawmakers to recognize tribal sovereignty and help ensure a better economic future for their youth…

Washington state lawmakers will begin crafting their budgets as the session begins to wind down in April. (Zack Frank/Adobe Stock)

Housing Assistance on Docket for Lawmakers in Olympia

Affordable housing is a major concern in Washington state and lawmakers in Olympia are considering a slate of measures to address it. One option is …

In the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 federal legislation provided states with significant funding to ensure continuous Medicaid coverage of individuals enrolled in the program. But that is ending. (Pixabay)

FL Group Works to Keep Eligible People on Medicaid

As Florida "unwinds" from the COVID-19 public health emergency and returns its Medicaid program to pre-pandemic rules, there's a possibility that …

It costs taxpayers $13,400 to provide supportive housing per person each year, compared with between $21,000 and $40,000 for medical care, incarceration, detox treatment and shelter services. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Denver Mayoral Candidates Off the Mark on Homeless Crisis

Advocates for people experiencing homelessness are pushing back against proposals by several Denver mayoral candidates who are including forced mental…

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports the national uninsured rate reached an all-time low of 8% in early 2022, with 5.2 million people having gained coverage since 2020. (Adobe Stock)

End of Public Health Emergency Brings Changes to Mainers' Medicaid Coverage

Public health advocates are working to ensure Medicaid recipients in Maine continue to have health-care coverage once pandemic-era policies end this s…

More than 84 million Americans were enrolled in Medicaid in 2021, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Adobe Stock)

KY Communities Brace for Medicaid Renewals

Around 250,000 Kentuckians will soon need to submit new documentation to stay on Medicaid, and health advocates say they're working to prevent …

Trinidad Luna, a double amputee from Los Angeles, is expecting his CalFresh benefits to drop to $25 a month. (Trinidad Luna)

Recipients Prepare for Big Drop in CalFresh Benefits

CalFresh benefits are set to plummet for almost five million people in the state starting in a few weeks - as the emergency COVID increase expires…

Colorado's SNAP Outreach program helped bring $47 million in federal funding to Colorado's grocery stores, generating more than $71 million in overall economic activity.<br />(InputUX Adobe Stock)

SNAP Benefits Drop as Food Prices Soar

As the cost of groceries continues to soar, SNAP benefits boosted to help families during the pandemic are back to pre-COVID levels. Even with …

Since 2017, Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership in Minnesota has helped low-income clients train to become certified nursing assistants. (Adobe Stock)

Nursing Career Path Widens for Low-Income Minnesotans

Amid workforce issues within health care, the state of Minnesota is poised to soon roll out a nursing recruiting initiative. In the meantime…

According to data from the Economic Policy Institute, alongside people age 25 or older, a quarter of people who would see benefits from increasing the minimum wage over $20 are parents. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed Bill Would Raise NY Minimum Wage Over $20

A bill in the New York State Legislature would increase the minimum wage to over $20 by 2026. The Raise the Wage Act would increase New York's $15 …

Median operating margins among rural hospitals were higher in expansion than non-expansion states in 2019, according to KFF. (Adobe Stock)

NC Medicaid Expansion Agreement Could Bolster Rural Hospitals

North Carolina lawmakers recently reached a bipartisan agreement that paves the way for an additional 600,000 residents to gain access to health cover…

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, roughly 700,000 Wisconsinites rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table. (Adobe Stock)

Guidance for SNAP Recipients as Pandemic Boost Ends

Wisconsin residents receiving federal food assistance have now seen their final round of emergency aid prompted by the pandemic. Hunger-fighting …

In 2021, North Dakota's community health centers recorded more than 127,000 visits. Leaders say these facilities save the state money by providing certain care that keeps patients out of emergency rooms. (Adobe Stock)

Workforce Issues Prompt Plea from ND's Community Health Centers

Nearly 30 states provide direct funding to community health centers, and there's a push to add North Dakota to the list. Supporters say the extra …

The latest data from the nonprofit Feeding America finds one in seven Indiana children experiences food insecurity, and one in nine people overall in the state. (Adobe Stock)

Inflation, Benefit Cuts Spur Demand at IN Food Banks

The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will reduce benefits by almost $90 per person at the end of March, but the change does not …

In 2021, Colorado Community Health Centers directly employed 6,081 full-time employees, and supported an additional 5,094 jobs in other businesses in their communities through the purchasing of goods and services. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Community Health Centers Add $1.7 Billion in Economic Activity

Colorado's federally qualified community health centers play a major role in the state's economy, according to new analysis. Health centers serving …

The boosted benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will be dropped for the first time in three years. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

OR Families to See Federal Food Assistance Drop This Month

Emergency allotments to supplement food assistance during the pandemic are ending this month, and Oregon families are likely to take a big hit…

The Utah Food Bank's Southern Distribution Center works closely with 25 local grocery stores to help provide fresh food to Utahns in need. (Adobe Stock)

Utah Food Bank Southern Distribution Center Expands as Need Increases

The need for emergency food in Utah's six southernmost counties is on the rise, so Utah Food Bank is expanding its Southern Distribution Center in St…

The Volunteer State has a larger gap between affordable rental supply and demand than most states, ranking 34th. The state needs an additional 133,581 affordable units to prevent low-income families from having to spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. (Lawcain/AdobeSTock)

TN Renters Organize for Better Living Conditions

After several years of work around housing rights an advocacy group for affordable and safe housing in Shelbyville, Tennessee, is celebrating a …

The American Rescue Plan directed more than $8 billion to Minnesota as it tried to navigate the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Poverty-Fighting Groups: Pandemic Aid Helped, But Need Persists

Data continues to surface about the impact of federal pandemic relief distributed to states as the COVID crisis took shape. A Minnesota organization …

Research shows that kids who get health coverage and stay covered have better health and economic outcomes. (AnnaStills/Adobestock)

Report: California Children at Risk of Losing Health Coverage

Two million children and adults in California could lose health-insurance coverage over the next year - as the state winds down the continuous-coverag…

According to the Food Research and Action Center, with SNAP emergency allotments ending, some people will see their SNAP benefits drop from $281 a month to $23. (Adobe Stock)

Ending Emergency SNAP Benefits Impacts VA Families

Starting this week, emergency allotments for SNAP benefits will end as pandemic programs conclude. All SNAP households received an extra $95 a …

Xcel Energy's gross profits in 2022 were $8.351 billion, an increase of more than 10% from the previous year. (Adobe Stock)

Help Available for Higher-than-Usual Utility Bills

As Coloradans continue to experience sticker shock each time they open their utility bill, the volume of calls to Energy Outreach Colorado's helpline …

In the midst of a housing crisis, a program in the state Legislature would create a fund for low-income Washingtonians to buy a home. (Kirk Fisher/Adobe Stock)

WA Baby Bond Bill Could Help Address Racial Wealth Gap

In Olympia, lawmakers want to address the wealth gap early with a fund set aside for children of low-income households. The Washington future fund …

A new study from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families notes continuous coverage protection nearly eliminated churn, protecting children from gaps in health coverage. <br />(Robert Kneschke/AdobeStock)

Arkansas Children's Uninsured Rate Could Rise if Health Emergency Ends

A pandemic-era law to help keep children and families continuously covered is set to expire this spring, and advocates are worried the state's …

MA 'Baby Bonds' Bill Aims to Close Racial Wealth Gap

Legislation introduced in the Commonwealth aims to reduce the racial wealth gap by creating a statewide "Baby Bonds" program. The investments are …

More than 40 million Americans receive aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. (jetcityimage/Adobe Stock)

WA Bill Provides Food Assistance in Face of Federal 'Cliff' to Aid

The pandemic-era boost to federal food aid is scheduled to end soon, but legislation in Olympia aims to help fill the gap in hunger relief. The …

Homeowners and renters are eligible for state energy-assistance programs. (Victor Koldunov/Adobe Stock)

MO Low-Income Utility Assistance Now Available Year Round

With winter still bringing occasional cold snaps, low-income Missourians who face sudden heating problems have help. Missouri's Low Income Home …

Montana Legal Services Association provides advice in civil cases across the state's 56 counties. (Bacho Foto/Adobe Stock)

Retired MT Attorneys Provide Pro Bono Legal Advice

For their next act in life, retired attorneys in Montana are providing free legal advice on civil matters over the phone. The Second Act Justice …

In the past two decades, the number of students taking out loans to attend a four-year public university in Massachusetts jumped by 105%, while those borrowing to attend a community college increased by 45%, according to the Hildreth Institute. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Affordability Limits MA’s Higher-Ed Attainment Goals

Massachusetts is not only the most educated state, it also had some of the highest increases in educational attainment between 2019 and 2021…

A new report states home repairs and electrification offer enormous local job growth opportunities. (Charles Taylor/Adobe Stock)

Study: MD Needs to Repair Thousands of Homes to Meet Climate Goals

A new report found Maryland will need to repair hundreds of thousands of homes occupied by low and middle-income people in order to meet its climate g…

Social Security was implemented in 1935, and the Medicare program was created 30 years later, in 1965. (Adobe Stock)

AARP to Congress: 'Hands Off Social Security, Medicare'

As a showdown looms in Congress over whether to raise the federal debt ceiling, AARP Arizona is among the groups voicing concerns about the future of …

Roughly 30,000 individuals across the Commonwealth access the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites, resulting in $60 million in tax credits for taxpayers each year. (Adobe Stock)

Bill to Expand Tax Credits Draws on Children's Health Data

A bill to increase tax credits in the Commonwealth is backed up by research showing the credits lead to better nutrition for working families and bett…

For every $1 invested in ARRIBA - El Paso's workforce development program - the local economy receives $28 back, according to a 2021 study by the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness. (Rob/Adobe Stock)

TX Model Transforms Low-Income Students Into Skilled Professionals

For more than two decades, a workforce development program in El Paso has invested in the economically disadvantaged to help them attain the …

Hunger-fighting groups say one in six Minnesota school children lives in a household experiencing food insecurity. (Adobe Stock)

MN Looks to Erase Hunger in Schools

Better health and educational outcomes are being touted as the potential benefits as Minnesota lawmakers discuss whether to provide free school meals …

A survey found 62% of Nevadans surveyed had to skip a meal or cut portions during the past year. (Adobe Stock)

Survey Results Show State of Hunger in Northern NV

A recent survey offers insight into the challenges with hunger many Nevada families are facing on a daily basis. The "Feeding Our Community" survey …

Nearly half of all Hispanic-Americans live in counties that frequently violate ground-level ozone standards. (Adobe Stock)

Public Health Benefits of Limiting Oil, Gas Methane Pollution

The public has until February 13th to weigh in on new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce methane pollution at oil and gas…

The most recent Arkansas Food Desert Working Group report found the state has

Grocery Chain Mega-Merger Could Affect Rural Arkansas

The proposed merger between the grocery chains Albertsons and Kroger has antitrust laws in the spotlight, as the supermarket companies are already …

A three-pound sockeye salmon filet is now one of the options in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations for the Lummi Nation. (O'Kelly Photography/Adobe Stock)

Locally Caught Salmon Provide Step Toward Food Independence for WA Tribe

Under a new project, locally sourced food is part of a food assistance program for members of the Lummi Tribe in northwest Washington. The Food …

In 2021, the total cost of the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was around $113 billion. The significant increase from the previous year's total of $79 billion was in large part the result of extra pandemic-related benefits. (Adobe Stock)

IA Lawmakers Propose Severe Restrictions for Food Assistance

A Republican-backed bill in the Iowa Legislature seeks to put strict new limits on which foods people could buy at the grocery store using public-assi…

More than 1 in 7 households nationwide paid over half of their income on housing in 2020, according to a report by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. (Adobe Stock)

KY's Housing Shortage Worsened by Natural Disasters

Kentucky is facing a serious housing shortage, and the past few years of deadly floods and tornadoes have worsened the situation. Advocates want …

Over 41% of people who earn minimum wage or less are in families that earn less than $50,000 per year, and 19% are in families that make less than $30,000 per year, according to the Analysis of Pennsylvania Minimum Wage report. (Fizkes/AdobeStock)

As Other States See Pay Hikes, PA Minimum Wage Stuck at $7.25

Low-wage workers in Pennsylvania are missing out on the pay hikes in 23 other states that took effect this month, when those states raised their …

Child poverty rates worsened nationwide in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but improved slightly in New Mexico. (Rawpixel.com/AdobeStock)<br />

Report: NM Child Well-Being Fared Better Than Expected During Pandemic

New Mexico's Voices for Children has released its latest Kids Count Data Book - noting some quality-of-life improvements despite COVID, but also …

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Poverty

March is 'School Breakfast Month' in Arkansas

Study Finds High Food Insufficiency Rates Among LGBTQ+ New Englanders

Report: Chain 'Dollar Stores' Harmful Communities

MO Lawmaker Proposes Raising "Circuit Breaker" Tax Credits

NYC Group Calls for Significant Community Investments

Report: Ohio’s Affordable Housing Shortage is Worsening

Wabanaki Nations Seek Tribal Sovereignty from Maine

Housing Assistance on Docket for Lawmakers in Olympia

FL Group Works to Keep Eligible People on Medicaid

Report: Denver Mayoral Candidates Off the Mark on Homeless Crisis

End of Public Health Emergency Brings Changes to Mainers' Medicaid Coverage

KY Communities Brace for Medicaid Renewals

Recipients Prepare for Big Drop in CalFresh Benefits

SNAP Benefits Drop as Food Prices Soar

Nursing Career Path Widens for Low-Income Minnesotans

Proposed Bill Would Raise NY Minimum Wage Over $20

NC Medicaid Expansion Agreement Could Bolster Rural Hospitals

Guidance for SNAP Recipients as Pandemic Boost Ends

Workforce Issues Prompt Plea from ND's Community Health Centers

Inflation, Benefit Cuts Spur Demand at IN Food Banks

Colorado Community Health Centers Add $1.7 Billion in Economic Activity

OR Families to See Federal Food Assistance Drop This Month

Utah Food Bank Southern Distribution Center Expands as Need Increases

TN Renters Organize for Better Living Conditions

Poverty-Fighting Groups: Pandemic Aid Helped, But Need Persists

Report: California Children at Risk of Losing Health Coverage

Ending Emergency SNAP Benefits Impacts VA Families

Help Available for Higher-than-Usual Utility Bills

WA Baby Bond Bill Could Help Address Racial Wealth Gap

Arkansas Children's Uninsured Rate Could Rise if Health Emergency Ends

MA 'Baby Bonds' Bill Aims to Close Racial Wealth Gap

WA Bill Provides Food Assistance in Face of Federal 'Cliff' to Aid

MO Low-Income Utility Assistance Now Available Year Round

Retired MT Attorneys Provide Pro Bono Legal Advice

Affordability Limits MA’s Higher-Ed Attainment Goals

Study: MD Needs to Repair Thousands of Homes to Meet Climate Goals

AARP to Congress: 'Hands Off Social Security, Medicare'

Bill to Expand Tax Credits Draws on Children's Health Data

TX Model Transforms Low-Income Students Into Skilled Professionals

MN Looks to Erase Hunger in Schools

Survey Results Show State of Hunger in Northern NV

Public Health Benefits of Limiting Oil, Gas Methane Pollution

Grocery Chain Mega-Merger Could Affect Rural Arkansas

Locally Caught Salmon Provide Step Toward Food Independence for WA Tribe

IA Lawmakers Propose Severe Restrictions for Food Assistance

KY's Housing Shortage Worsened by Natural Disasters

As Other States See Pay Hikes, PA Minimum Wage Stuck at $7.25

Report: NM Child Well-Being Fared Better Than Expected During Pandemic