Hunger/Food/Nutrition / Public News Service

More than 40% of the 3.4 million Illinoisians enrolled in Medicaid are children. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Potential Medicaid, SNAP cuts could derail IL education system

As Congress considers federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP food assistance, groups advocating for Illinois schools are speaking out on how it would …

In Fiscal Year 2024, Ohio's state-funded food programs created or sustained 292 jobs, supported $11.3 million in income and generated $38.4 million in economic output. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Ohio foodbanks: Funding needed for fresh food with local roots

Ohio food banks are urging state lawmakers to approve what they said is a modest budget increase needed to get more fresh, local produce into the …

Jewish communities have fasted for centuries in times of collective mourning and catastrophe. (Adobe Stock)

Chicago Jewish group leads hunger strike for Gaza

Local Jewish advocates for Palestinians are joining forces to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They are calling on the U.S…

Student workers help distribute food as part of the 'Oh SNAP!' program at Cal Poly Humboldt. (Kellie Brown)

CA colleges and universities take food pantries to the next level

Hunger among college students in California has jumped dramatically since the pandemic, yet Cal-Fresh -- a statewide low-income food assistance …

More than two-thirds of SNAP recipients are in households with at least one child. (Adobe Stock)

Federal SNAP cuts threaten higher taxes or slashed benefits in VA, advocates say

Last week, Senate Republicans unveiled reduced cuts to food assistance programs in their version of the budget bill. The proposal from Senate …

California law bans unnecessary animal suffering but enforcement is rare in large-scale factory farms.(Adobe Stock)

Cal student faces prison for rescuing chickens

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, thousands of Arkansans could lose Medicaid coverage because of work requirements. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

AR residents could lose Medicaid under budget reconciliation bill

As Congress considers cuts to safety-net programs for what Republicans are calling the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," new analysis from the nonpartisan…

A single Abercrombie dairy facility will house 12,500 cows. Combined with the planned 25,000-cow Herberg site, these two operations will generate manure equivalent to that of a city of 1.5 million. (Adobe Stock)

ND mega-dairies draw criticism at Winnipeg news conference

North Dakota is facing growing opposition to two massive dairy operations planned near the Red River. Environmental advocates say the projects could …

More than 328,700 students are enrolled in 244 K-12 Nebraska school districts, according to Ballotpedia. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Two-thirds of Nebraska 4th graders not reading proficiently

Nearly two-thirds of Nebraska fourth graders are not reading at grade level and math scores are also lagging. The findings come from the 2025 Kids …

The 2025 Kids Count Data Book found in Minnesota in 2023, 28% of Black children, 16% of Hispanic children, 10% of Asian children and 6% of white children under age 18 lived in families with incomes below the federal poverty level. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

New reports says MN children face troubling health and education disparities

The 2025 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its findings for Minnesota. The report examines results for children in …

Each year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book aggregates national and state data from 16 indicators in four domains including economic well-being, education, health, and family and community factors, and ranks states according to how children are faring overall. (Adobe Stock)

Report: IL shows mixed results in child well-being despite high ranking

A national report finds mixed results in child well-being in Illinois with improvements in health care coverage for children and poverty rates and dec…

While Oregon ranked poorly for education overall, the 2025 Kids Count Data Book showed high school graduation rates are up in the state, as well as nationwide. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

Kids Count report shows Oregon kids falling behind in education

Oregon maintained a troubling ranking, holding at 43rd in the nation for children's education, according to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book, a national …

In 2022, New Mexico voters approved a constitutional amendment to dedicate funds to early childhood education and care. (Bonsales/AdobeStock)

Report: NM's child well-being shows mixed momentum

A traditional marker used to measure child well-being in the U.S. shows New Mexico notched both improvements and declines in several areas. The …

A new annual report finds, despite high housing costs, Rhode Island has fewer children living in high-poverty areas and also fewer living in poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Report: RI child well-being falls despite efforts to improve it

A new annual report found children's well-being has slipped in Rhode Island despite previous gains. The state ranks 19th in this year's Annie E…

While Wisconsin ranked high overall in the areas of economic well-being and education, it ranked 17th and 25th in the categories of health, and family and community. (Adobe Stock)

WI leads nation in racial disparities, but ranks high in child well-being report

A national report found Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in racial disparities affecting children's well-being across the state. Wisconsin …

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2025 Kids Count Data Book shows education is lacking nationwide. Nearly three quarters of fourth graders are not proficient in reading, and 73% of eighth graders are not proficient in math.

Report: Michigan kids improve in finances and family, lag in education

Michigan kids are making progress when it comes to family life and finances but they are still struggling in school. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's …

A new annual report found more New Jersey teens are working or in school and fewer kids are living in homes with a higher cost burden. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NJ’s improved economy aids child well-being

A new annual report found New Jersey's economic well-being is helping improve the well-being of its children. The state ranked 7th in the nation in …

According to the 2025 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book, 16% of children still live in poverty, and nearly one in three children live in households struggling with high housing costs. <br />(Adobe Stock)

Kids Count Data Book: Missouri thrives economically, lacking in education

Missouri ranks 27th in an annual national report on child well-being, with solid marks in kids' economic stability but setbacks in education…

Iowa's fourth grade students score at or slightly above average in national reading assessments but almost two-thirds are not reading proficiently, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Young Iowans' reading scores teeter, SNAP cuts prompt concern

Iowa kids are doing well overall in new national findings on children's well-being, although they are slipping in a few key areas. The numbers in …

About 387,000 Arizona children have parents who lack secure employment. (Adobe Stock)

Report: AZ has 2nd-highest rate of uninsured children

Arizona is one of the lowest-performing states for overall child well-being, according to a new national report. This year's Kids Count Data Book …

Pennsylvania would need to lift 198,000 children out of poverty to rank first in the nation for the lowest child poverty rate. (luckybusiness/Adobe Stock)

PA ranks 20th in children's well-being, despite health challenges

Pennsylvania ranks 20th in the nation for overall child well-being, in the new 2025 Kids Count Data Book. The Annie E. Casey Foundation report ranks …

The percentage of Virginia high school students who do not graduate on time dipped from 13% to 11% in the 2025 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Virginia ranks high for child well-being

New data show Virginia ranked 13th in the nation for overall child well-being and while the quality of Virginia children's families and communities im…

Kansas saw a slight dip in the percentage of kids not graduating from high school on time in the Annie E. Casey Foundation 2025 Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Kansas ranks high in child economic well-being but lack in other areas

Kansas ranked in the top third of states for child well-being, according to a new report. While the state earned a high rank for economic well-being…

The rate of childhood obesity for South Carolina children dropped by a little more than 3% from 2019 to 2023, although 34% of 10- to 17-year-olds in the state are considered overweight or obese. (Adobe Stock)

SC ranks near bottom on list of states for child well-being

South Carolina has made slight improvements in children's well-being, mentioned in a new national report but groups working to support kids said much …

In 2023, 6% of Ohio teens ages 16 to 19 were neither in school nor working, a rate unchanged since 2019. (Craig Adderley/Pexels)

Ohio urged to prioritize kids as education, poverty trends worsen

New national data show worsening outcomes for Ohio kids, especially in the areas of education and family economic stability, and state and national …

According to 2025 Kids Count Data Book, nationally nearly one in three children live in households burdened by high housing costs and Washington follows the trend. (Louis-Photo/Adobe Stock)

Report ranks Washington down in overall child well-being

Washington state has dropped to 16th in the nation for overall child well-being, according to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book, a national report …

Wyoming ranks eighth in the nation for children's well-being in the category of family and community, but is 37th in terms of kids' health. (Cavan/Adobe Stock)

Wyoming makes strides on children’s health but ranks low nationally

Wyoming slipped five spots this year in an annual report on children's well-being by state, ranking 23rd in the nation. The 2025 Kids Count Data …

The 2025 Kids Count report showed Indiana had a reduction in the percentage of teens not in school and not working from 7% to 5%, indicating more young people are staying engaged in education or jobs. (Adobe stock)

New report shows gains and gaps for Indiana kids

Indiana now ranks 25th in the nation for child well-being, up from 27th last year. The data comes from the 2025 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E…

The budget reconciliation bill, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, increases both the amount of money dairy producers receive through the Dairy Margin Coverage Program and the number of producers who are eligible for the program. (Adobe Stock)<br />

House GOP bill a win for big meat and dairy industries

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Colla…

Delaware's academic outcomes are still worse than before the pandemic. Fewer children are in school, fourth grade reading and eighth grade math proficiency scores have plummeted and fewer high school students are graduating on time. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Delaware ranks 30th in providing for children's well-being

Children's advocates said Delaware is improving in how it provides for children's health, economic, and family and community needs but is losing …

The Kids Count Data Book showed an improvement in low-birth-weight rates in Tennessee but worsening in health insurance coverage, with 93,000 children in the state now uninsured. (Miss Irine/Adobe Stock)<br />

Kids Count Data Book ranks TN 37th for child well-being

Tennessee ranks in the middle among states for the well-being of its children, at 37th overall in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

The percentage of Utah children whose parents lack secure employment dropped from 19% in 2019 to 18% in 2023. (Irina K. / Adobe Stock)

UT ranks high in kids' well-being. Advocates still encourage action

Utah still ranks as one of the best states for children's overall well-being, according to a new national report but advocates are stressing the need …

The percentage of Nevada children living in high-poverty areas diminished from 9% between 2014 and 2018 to 6% between 2019 and 2023. (Adobe Stock)

National report: Nevada sits near bottom for overall child well-being

Nevada ranks as one of the lowest-performing states for overall child well-being, according to a new national report. This year's Kids Count Data …

In 2023, 25% of Louisiana's kids lived in poverty, well above the national rate of 16%. (Adobe Stock)

Louisiana kids improve reading proficiency in new national rankings

Louisiana performed better than many states in connecting young children to early care and education, and on fourth grade reading proficiency…

Data show 56% of California 3- and 4-year-olds are not in school, a statistic worsening in recent years. (Ajr_images/Adobe Stock)

Report: CA 32nd in nation for child well-being

California ranks 32nd in the nation for overall child well-being, according to the new 2025 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

A 2025 report on childhood well-being showed Montana ranks 10th in the nation on family and community indicators but much lower on health indicators, at 29th. (Kristin Eldridge/Adobe Stock)

MT ranks 39th in U.S. for child health insurance coverage

An annual report on the well-being of children in each state shows Montana slipped two spots this year, ranking 22nd in the nation. The 2025 Kids …

The number of Kentucky children living in poverty decreased by 1% between 2019 and 2023, according to data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: KY has made progress on child well-being

Kentucky kids are now faring better than they were before the pandemic but one of five live in poverty, according to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book …

West Virginia has made strides to reduce the number of kids without health insurance, according to data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

Report: WV child well-being has improved post-pandemic

A new report shows West Virginia has improved the well-being of its children but the Mountain State still ranks the in the bottom tier of states for m…

The Nebraska Rural Response Council provides mental health services for agriculture producers facing financial and other challenges. (Adobe Stock)

Mental health calls flood farmer crisis hotline

A farm crisis hotline in Nebraska has seen a sharp uptick in mental health-related calls from farmers, worried about losing access to loans and …

Volunteers growing taro in Oregon, a crop that is a fundamental part of Hawaiian traditions. (KALO HCC)

OR groups fighting hunger: People need culturally specific food

As food insecurity rises across the state, groups fighting hunger are highlighting the need for food that is not only nutritious, but culturally …

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest Kids Count Data Book showed more than 31,000 South Dakota <br />children are living below the federal poverty level. (Adobe Stock)

South Dakota slides in latest child well-being ranking

South Dakota has fallen five spots in an annual national ranking that summarizes child well-being data. At 26th in the nation, policy experts pointed …

According to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book, nearly 1.4 million Texas children live below the poverty line. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

Report: TX has room for improvement in children's well-being

Texas has fallen to 44th place nationally in this year's 2025 Kids Count Data Book released Monday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report …

Mississippi's education ranking continues to improve. It ranked 16th in the Nation in the 2025 Kids Count Data Book. However, it ranks 50th in child and teen death rates and the percentage of low-birthweight Babies. (Adobe Stock)

New report shows mixed outcomes for MS children

Mississippi's education system has made remarkable strides, climbing from 48th to 16th in national rankings over the past decade, according to the 202…

Sixty-four percent of Colorado's fourth graders are not proficient in reading, and nearly 70% of eighth graders are not proficient in math. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado jumps up five spots to 12th nationally for child wellness

Colorado has moved up five spots to 12th among the states in the 2025 Kids Count Data Book released Monday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which …

The annual Kids Count Data Book found 12% of Alaska's children live in poverty, 78% of fourth graders are not proficient in reading, 7% lack health insurance and 32% live in single-parent families. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Alaska ranks 40th among states for child well-being

Children's advocates said Alaska has failed to adequately fund essential child and family services, consistently leaving critical programs under-…

Summer food feeding sites can be found by texting

AR summer food programs prepare to feed students

With the start of summer, organizations across Arkansas are ramping up programs to ensure kids have access to healthy food. The No Kid Hungry …

More than 40% of senior citizens report feeling lonely on a regular basis. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Senior social isolation: A silent epidemic, as deadly as cigarettes

Senior advocates are sounding the alarm about the effects of social isolation on older people in Illinois, saying loneliness is comparable to smoking …

Recent Consumer Reports testing found concerning pesticide levels, some 100 times higher than deemed safe, in 20 percent of the foods tested, including common produce items such as blueberries and green beans. (AdobeStock)

Lawsuit seeks transparency on new dietary guidelines affecting Tennesseans

A nonprofit is suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for not releasing records that could show beef industry influence in the …

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