Poverty Issues / Public News Service

As of October 2024, approximately 37 million children in the United States were enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This represents about 49% of all U.S. children.<br />(Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, April 17, 2025

Michigan policy expert unpacks impact of proposed Medicaid cuts

According to state data, as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, face cuts, Michigan's most vulnerable stand to lose …

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed nine executive orders Tuesday which he said aim to improve the health in the state. (Indiana Governor's office)

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Candy, soda out as Indiana reworks SNAP benefits

Gov. Mike Braun rolled out a sweeping health and government assistance initiative Tuesday, backed by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert …

The current Housing First program was instituted by President George W. Bush in 2004. (Aevan/Adobe Stock AI generated)

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

AR advocates concerned by cuts to programs for unhoused

It is estimated more than 2,600 people live on the streets across Arkansas. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has proposed a "treatment …

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

State-funded program needs boost to help more Oregonians save money

A state-funded matched savings program has helped low-income Oregonians for more than 25 years and backers said it needs more funding to continue…

This month, labor organizations and Hennepin County authorities announced a historic wage theft prosecution for Minnesota. (Photo courtesy of Fair Contracting Foundation of Minnesota)

Wage theft enforcement could take a big leap in some MN counties

On the heels of courtroom victories, some Minnesota prosecutors say they'll try to replicate the success in going after more businesses suspected of …

Rates of hunger are rising in Oregon and across the country, with Black and Latino families experiencing food insecurity at nearly double the rate of white households. (Natalie Kiyah, Oregon Food Bank)

Food advocates: extend benefits to all OR children

Each legislative session, Oregon's Joint Ways & Means Committee holds a statewide roadshow to hear from residents about their priorities. At the …

The average cost of a 2-bedroom apartment in Indianapolis is almost $1,200 per month, according to Apartments.com Rental Market Trend data. (Adobe Stock)

IN tenants have options when facing eviction

Housing that's both affordable and ready to rent is out of reach for many Hoosiers. The 2025 Indiana Housing Profile says for every 100 low-income …

About 259,300 Iowans, or 8% of the state's population, rely on SNAP benefits. A large portion are children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

SNAP benefit cuts would fall squarely on Iowa kids

Groups working to fight hunger in Iowa say proposed cuts to SNAP benefits would fall squarely on the state's kids, who rely on them for food and …

More than 40% of the 157,000 Nebraskans who receive SNAP benefits are children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska social justice group pushes back on SNAP changes

The State of Nebraska is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to change which items people are allowed to purchase using Supplemental Nutrition …

When a tariff is imposed, the importing business pays the tax to the U.S. Treasury Department. Importers then pass much of the added cost to consumers. (freshidea/Adobe Stock)

Texans brace for financial impact of trade wars

Texas is the number one exporting state in the nation - and although tariffs with Mexico and Canada have been delayed, Texans are still uneasy about …

Elon Musk claims Social Security can be cut by $500 billion without reducing people's benefits. (Adobe Stock)

Social Security cuts could impact one in six Coloradans

The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, plans to cut 7,000 jobs from the U.S. Social Security Administration as it works to reduce the size …

Nearly 75% of all jobs in Colorado, and 95% of top-earning jobs, require a credential or degree beyond high school. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado colleges tap NYC program to get homegrown talent into good jobs

Colorado educators are hoping that a successful accelerated degree program known as ASAP, grown at City University of New York, will take root in two …

Critics of cuts to the Social Security Administration predict they will further strain an already struggling system, possibly depriving some people of being able to access benefits. (Adobe Stock)

You won't be able to apply by phone for SSA starting next week

In less than a week, many Wisconsinites will be unable to apply for Social Security benefits over the phone, which could lead to potential …

State lawmakers and advocates estimated up to 600,000 Ohio drivers had suspensions related to unpaid fines and fees. (Graphic by Celina Fang/The Marshall Project)

New law clears path for Ohio drivers with unpaid fines

By Rachel Dissell and The Marshall Project for Signal Cleveland.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Signal O…

Uptown Community Health Center aims to continue the ministry of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, which opened its first clinic to take care of the poor and vulnerable regardless of their ability to pay in the 19th century. (Photo by: Eric Galatas)

Denver's Uptown Community Health Center to continue historic service

Colorado now has 21 health providers treating patients regardless of their ability to pay, after Denver's Uptown Community Health Center won …

The loss of consistency in federal shipments has created major challenges for food banks' planning and distribution efforts across Indiana. (Adobe stock)

Indiana food banks struggle as USDA pulls back funding

Indiana food banks are bracing for a major disruption as the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspends $500 million in food deliveries nationwide…

The proliferation of Airbnbs, luxury condos and barriers to homeownership contribute to the homeless crisis in the Black community, said Chama St. Louis of the National Black Worker Center. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Black residents in IL 8 times more likely to be homeless

Black residents in Illinois are almost eight times more likely to be homeless than white people, with lack of livable wages and affordable housing …

Participants in Multnomah County's Nurse-Family Partnership program experience a 56% reduction in ER visits for accidents and poisonings. (KAMPUS/Adobe Stock)

Nurses Union: Stop Multnomah County public health cuts

Multnomah County plans major public health cuts to address a $21 million budget gap and the Oregon Nurses Association said the cuts put programs for f…

In 2023, the USDA gave Oregon just over $2 million for the federal Farm to School reimbursement grant. Those funds have now been cancelled. (Robert Kneschke/Adobe Stock)

OR hunger-fighting advocates: USDA cuts 'cruel'

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is cutting two federal programs that provide over $1 billion annually to support schools and food banks in …

The current minimum hourly wage in Nebraska is $13.50. The Legislature is considering a bill to upend a voter approved measure in 2022 that would raise the wage $1.50 an hour until it reaches $15 in 2026. (Adobe Stock)

Minimum wage repeal advances in Nebraska Legislature

The Nebraska Legislature is considering a bill to roll back a 2022 voter approved initiative that would raise the minimum wage in the state. …

The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas says it hopes to work with local farmers again in some capacity in the future. (Daniel Vincek/Adobe Stock)

Food-insecure AR families could suffer because of federal cuts

Arkansas families who are food insecure could be hurt by federal cuts to programs and services. Those fighting the war on hunger across the Natural …

School vouchers, a program that would allow students to use public money to pay for private school tuition, has become a hot-button issue in Texas, pitting Republicans against one another. (KatMoy/Adobe Stock)

Debate over school vouchers in TX now moves to House floor

After several weeks of public comment, bills addressing school finance in Texas will be presented to the House of Representatives. House Bill 2 is …

A worker who relocates to a rural area is 13% less likely to have a workplace retirement plan. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Virginians less likely to have work-based retirement plans

Virginians who work at low-wage jobs often don't have a workplace retirement plan so they can save money through payroll deductions. A new study …

More than 42 million people relied on SNAP benefits to purchase food, as of March 15 2025, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Proposed changes to SNAP funding structure could hurt Kentuckians

As federal funding cuts for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program loom, Kentucky experts said proposed changes to shift funding onto states …

More than 95% of all voters in the United States use paper ballots in elections. (Adobe Stock)

CO lawmakers work to protect voter rights after Trump elections order

Some Colorado lawmakers are scrambling to protect voter rights after President Donald Trump issued an executive order to require proof of citizenship …

The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization has become as much as a landmark to the community as the Little Village Arch and was awarded the national Food Sovereignty Prize in 2024. (City of Chicago 2021)

Chicago nonprofit transforms former toxic site to feed community

By Angela Burke for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pub…

Experts say student loan debt has created a ticking time bomb in the United States, in part because of legal challenges to the Biden administration's efforts to cancel student debt for some borrowers. Now, many are in limbo as services are cut by the Trump administration. (Adobe Stock)

Giving Minnesotans tools to sound off, navigate student loan fallout

Minnesota officials have launched a new portal, asking parents, students and others to share how they are affected by the Trump administration's …

Rising foreign costs and the chance of supply-chain disruptions have some manufacturing companies considering reshoring operations back to the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Report: AR labor costs attract companies hoping to reshore operations

More jobs could be coming to Arkansas as companies interested in bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. consider the Natural State, according …

Medicaid is jointly funded by the federal government and individual states, with each state managing its own program within federal guidelines. (Oleksandre/Adobe Stock)

Nonprofits warn proposed Medicaid cuts could devastate millions of Missourians

About 1.3 million Missourians are currently enrolled in Medicaid and nonprofits around the state have warned proposed federal cuts would be devastatin…

Thousands of datasets from federal agency websites have been scrubbed since the new administration took office. (Adobe Stock)

Nonprofit races to save science, environmental-justice website data

As U.S. government website purges continue, one nonprofit is racing to track and save as much data as possible. The Open Environmental Data Project …

More than 57% of Black women of reproductive age live in states with abortion bans or impending bans, according to polling by In Our Own Voice. (Adobe Stock)

Reproductive justice takes more than passing laws in Ohio, U.S.

By Jade Prévost-Manuel for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Yes! Media-Public News …

Cuts to Medicaid are one way Congress could pay for extending tax cuts passed in 2017. It is estimated two-thirds of the benefits of the extension would go to the wealthiest 20% of Americans. (Adobe Stock)

Cuts to Medicaid would affect one in five Coloradans

To pay for the priorities of President Donald Trump's administration, like mass deportations and tax cuts, Republicans in Congress are considering …

With more people in need, charities must stretch limited resources, increasing financial strain, especially in rural communities. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)

Rural MO charity braces for 'ripple effects' of federal cuts

Rural communities in Missouri are bracing for a tough reality as they plan ahead for the possibility of federal cuts to programs such as Medicaid…

Meals on Wheels of Northern Illinois has community caf�s in Cook, Grundy, Kendall and Will counties, providing home-delivered meals to older residents of these areas. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Facing funding hurdles, IL 'March for Meals' event moves forward

A local "Meals on Wheels" organization is forging ahead with an event to provide meals and personal care items to seniors in four Illinois counties…

In a new AARP survey, 37% of older adults with credit card debt report their debt level is higher now than it was a year ago. (Adobe Stock)

Older Ohioans struggle with rising credit card debt

Nearly half of Americans age 50 and older are using credit cards to pay for basic living expenses, according to a new AARP survey but experts said …

People from across Oregon rally together before speaking with legislators. Research shows that during a slowing economy, 1-billion dollars in new SNAP benefits would lead to an increase of 1.54- billion dollars in GDP. (Oregon Food Bank)

Supporters rally for Food for All Oregonians bill

Hundreds of people from across Oregon gathered in Salem for an advocacy day last week, urging lawmakers to pass what's known as the Food for All …

Homelessness among families with children in Colorado grew by 134% in 2024. (Adobe Stock)

Low-income Coloradans face severe affordable housing shortage

There are only 26 affordable housing units in Colorado for every 100 low-income households, according to a new report listing Colorado as the sixth …

Roughly 150 cities in 32 states have passed homelessness ordinances, according to the National Criminal Justice Association. (Adobe Stock)

Morgantown residents will soon decide whether to veto camping ban

Next month, the city of Morgantown, West Virginia, will ask residents to vote on whether to keep or eliminate a city ordinance banning camping on …

Sean Brown, recovering from methamphetamine addiction, lost his housing in the Eaton Fire in January.

L.A. County has cut homelessness, but wildfires impede progress

By Angela Hart for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Servi…

Reducing new clean energy projects would increase air pollution in Texas by over 17 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2030 and 83 million metric tons in 2035, equivalent to the annual air pollution from four and 21 coal-fired power plants, respectively. (Andrii/Adobe Stock)

Report: Cuts to Inflation Reduction Act would impact TX economy

Texas would be one of five states to suffer the most if the Trump administration repeals the Inflation Reduction Act, according to a report from the …

One in five Americans, or more than 70 million people, rely on Medicaid for health coverage, according to the American Hospital Association. (Adobe Stock)

KY Medicaid work requirement changes could further depress communities

Some Kentucky lawmakers want to make it mandatory for some Medicaid participants in Kentucky to work, but experts say that would disproportionately …

A new poll found large majorities of Americans, across party lines, see Medicaid as

WA caregivers rally against Medicaid cuts

This week, workers who provide in-home and nursing home care rallied against cuts to Medicaid. Washington's Medicaid, known as Apple Health…

A proposed $12 billion in cuts to federal school meal funding could impact 75 Montana schools serving more than 10,000 students. (Adobe Stock)

School meal programs on GOP's chopping block

Children's advocates are crying foul after House Republicans called for $12 billion in cuts to school meal programs, including the Community …

PoliChic Engagement Fund says it's critical Texans make sure lawmakers are voting in their public interest. (JHVEPhoto/Adobe Stock)

Texans encouraged to use their voices during current legislative session

Many Texans feel strongly, one way or another, about the proposed school voucher bill before state lawmakers. Gov. Greg Abbott has proposed a plan to …

Research shows there is a direct correlation between unstable housing and food insecurity. (FamilyWorks Food Bank)

Advocates say WA rent stabilization bill important for ending hunger

While affordable housing advocates across the state have been cheering on Washington's rent stabilization bill in Olympia, so have organizations …

There were more than 5,700 cases of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls reported in 2016 in the U.S. Fewer than 200 were logged in the Department of Justice database. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Alarming violence rates continue against Indigenous women

Indigenous people have made great contributions to the state of Wisconsin yet the alarming rates of violence against them remains a public health cris…

Some 557 Colorado schools serving more than 206,293 students are projected to be affected by a proposed $12 billion in cuts to federal school meal funding. (Adobe Stock)

Blowback on GOP's proposed cuts to school meal programs

Children's advocates are crying foul after House Republicans called for $12 billion in cuts to school meal programs, including the Community …

Expanded oil and gas subsidies, included in current versions of upcoming federal tax legislation, would support a massive expansion of LNG projects to more than double national export capacity by 2030. (Jeeraphun/Adobe Stock)

Religious leaders gather in TX to fight oil and gas subsidies

Forty religious leaders from different denominations gathered in Texas this week to call for an end to fossil-fuel subsidies and expansion of related …

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Poverty Issues

Michigan policy expert unpacks impact of proposed Medicaid cuts

Candy, soda out as Indiana reworks SNAP benefits

AR advocates concerned by cuts to programs for unhoused

State-funded program needs boost to help more Oregonians save money

Wage theft enforcement could take a big leap in some MN counties

Food advocates: extend benefits to all OR children

IN tenants have options when facing eviction

SNAP benefit cuts would fall squarely on Iowa kids

Nebraska social justice group pushes back on SNAP changes

Texans brace for financial impact of trade wars

Social Security cuts could impact one in six Coloradans

Colorado colleges tap NYC program to get homegrown talent into good jobs

You won't be able to apply by phone for SSA starting next week

New law clears path for Ohio drivers with unpaid fines

Denver's Uptown Community Health Center to continue historic service

Indiana food banks struggle as USDA pulls back funding

Black residents in IL 8 times more likely to be homeless

Nurses Union: Stop Multnomah County public health cuts

OR hunger-fighting advocates: USDA cuts 'cruel'

Minimum wage repeal advances in Nebraska Legislature

Food-insecure AR families could suffer because of federal cuts

Debate over school vouchers in TX now moves to House floor

Rural Virginians less likely to have work-based retirement plans

Proposed changes to SNAP funding structure could hurt Kentuckians

CO lawmakers work to protect voter rights after Trump elections order

Chicago nonprofit transforms former toxic site to feed community

Giving Minnesotans tools to sound off, navigate student loan fallout

Report: AR labor costs attract companies hoping to reshore operations

Nonprofits warn proposed Medicaid cuts could devastate millions of Missourians

Nonprofit races to save science, environmental-justice website data

Reproductive justice takes more than passing laws in Ohio, U.S.

Cuts to Medicaid would affect one in five Coloradans

Rural MO charity braces for 'ripple effects' of federal cuts

Facing funding hurdles, IL 'March for Meals' event moves forward

Older Ohioans struggle with rising credit card debt

Supporters rally for Food for All Oregonians bill

Low-income Coloradans face severe affordable housing shortage

Morgantown residents will soon decide whether to veto camping ban

L.A. County has cut homelessness, but wildfires impede progress

Report: Cuts to Inflation Reduction Act would impact TX economy

KY Medicaid work requirement changes could further depress communities

WA caregivers rally against Medicaid cuts

School meal programs on GOP's chopping block

Texans encouraged to use their voices during current legislative session

Advocates say WA rent stabilization bill important for ending hunger

Alarming violence rates continue against Indigenous women

Blowback on GOP's proposed cuts to school meal programs

Religious leaders gather in TX to fight oil and gas subsidies