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Showing posts from October, 2010

Extending Broadband to Underserved Communities

This article from the Techsoup.org group focuses on providing computer and Internet access capacity in public libraries and community centers.While part of the article focuses on serving the seasonal migration of Arizonans, it does highlight factors in a successful program to extend Internet-connected computers to low-income communities, namely, the importance of providing computer training and support. I don’t know how we’re going to support the patrons using them. We have asked for volunteers. We need computer-savvy volunteers that are not afraid to go in and help somebody set up an email and stuff like that. The article also references the results of another project to provide free broadband wireless access to elderly people in the San Francisco area. This lifeline connects people to community activities and family members. Moreover, "the One Economy program, which began in California through a partnership with Mercy Housing, will bring free Internet access to low-income h

Harvesters KC Food Bank Opens Warehouse in Kansas Breadbasket

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Time and time again supporters of food assistance programs emphasize the contradiction between growing hunger in the US and vast financial wealth and food resources. Civic, government, and business leaders made comments about this disparity at the official opening of a large Harvesters food bank warehouse today in Topeka serving sixteen counties in eastern Kansas. “Here, in the breadbasket of the most affluent country in the world, we have a substantial number of people who are food insecure,” Kansas First Lady Stacy Parkinson said . “That is just unacceptable.” Civic leaders cut ribbon recognizing the official opening of Harvesters' second food warehouse in Topeka. Douglas Kinsinger with the Topeka Chamber of Commerce asked "What else can we do" to solve this problem but to support food banks and feeding programs. There's no shortage of ideas and action at a local level. One common approach to hunger relief is providing resources for neighbors in nee

Panelists focus on "leveling the playing field" through broadband and public computers

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Local, state, and federal agency representatives spoke about efforts to extend broadband connectivity to small businesses and individuals as a crucial stepping stone towards economic development and civic involvement. The speakers were part of a presentation during the "Broadband Technology Summit" held as part of the United Minority Media Association's Midwest/Southeast conference on October 15. Calvin Osborne, an attorney with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), underscored the urgency in improving broadband -- essentially fast Internet access -- to keep the US from lagging behind other nations. While the US is 24th worldwide in broadband adoption, the real gap is found in low-income urban households and rural areas in the US. He spoke about FCC's expansive efforts to increase "digital literacy" for both individuals and small businesses. (Photo caption -- from left: Bill Grace, WEB Dubois Center; LT Toombs, WEB Dubois Center; Kevin Williams, Will

Case Study: Podcast Series "Eco Radio KC"

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Start-up information for the entire podcast series: A Paypal account – this is required for billing in support of your Liberated Syndication account. An Apple.com account, which is required to submit a podcast to the Apple iTunes Store, a popular podcast directory. Series title name: “Eco Radio KC” Series description – “A weekly public affairs program on KKFI-FM 90.1, Kansas City community radio” Image or logo of your program in JPEG 300x300 pixel size. Filename = Eco-Radio-FrogKKFI.jpg Tags or keywords to describe your show – community radio, public affairs, KKFI, environment, ecology, climate, health Podcast feed address - http://ecoradiokc.libsyn.com/rss Email address: ... Single podcast episode: Program title: “Urban Farmers Re-design Kansas City – KCCUA’s Annual Meeting – Death by Zoning” Program description – “Steve Mann welcomes Beth Low, the New Director of the Kansas City Food Policy Coalition, to talk about what happened at the Annual Urban Farmers meeting held

Politics of Food: Lance Morgan, Winnebago Tribe Member, Focuses on a "Third Way" Economic Model

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Lance Morgan , the keynote speaker on October 7, 2010 during Feeding America's Central Region food bank conference in Omaha, outlined the economic development success on the Winnebago reservation. He stressed how Ho-Chunk Inc. and other businesses on the reservation transformed a community with 65% unemployment and widespread alcoholism into a "rural economic miracle." Morgan described how Ho-Chunk and other enterprises have not only contributed significantly to tribal programs, but offer a different approach to economic development, such as through it's low loan rates for rez cars and houses. The low rates have driven out predatory lenders for cars, a loan policy which has devastated many low income workers. This approach provided borrowers with the means to maintain jobs and "changed the landscape and what's possible in our world," Morgan stated. "It changed the whole dynamic within our community. Lance Morgan, speaking at Feedin

Politics of Food: ConAgra asks Feeding America to help dispel myths of packaged food

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Gary Rodkin, President and CEO of ConAgra, a leading US food manufacturer, gave a presentation labeled the "Politics of Food" at the Central Region Feeding America Conference on October 6 in Omaha, Nebraska. During the keynote address to attendees he acknowledged understanding "it's tough out there" for people seeking services and jobs, but also pointed out it's tough from a retail business standpoint. His talk focused on ConAgra's signficant contributions to food assistance organizations like Feeding America, but included some surprising comments that seemed at odds with the direction of US food banks. For background he explained ConAgra's roots going back to 1867, operating the largest flour milling operation. It's now a Fortune 200 company with 20,000 workers. It's products are found in 97% of US households.One-third of ConAgra's business is with commercial businesses, like milling for Pizza Hut. It's the largest potato produ

KKFI Program Host Rhonda LeValdo Takes Helm of Native American Journalists Association

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Radio host "keeping the fires lit" at media organization Rhonda LeValdo, host of “Native Spirit Radio” on KKFI 90.1 FM, was elected to serve as president of the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) recently. Ms. LeValdo considered how “as a NAJA member who started off as a student, I know the importance of our organization in keeping the fires lit within our young people. Native journalists in NAJA lit this fire within myself.  It is this fire that I will continue to pass on to the next generation of storytellers and ask that all Native journalists commit themselves to keep NAJA strong.” Originally from New Mexico, she earned an associate's degree in media arts at Haskell and a bachelor's degree in journalism at KU in fall 2007. "I am Acoma Pueblo from Acoma, New Mexico. It is billed as the 'Oldest Continuously Inhabited City' in the United States. It is a beautiful place that still has no running water or electricity on our village. I recen