Foundation Journal

>A user-friendly website developed by Western Michigan University and the Federal government has surpassed 1 million users. The Food Research and Action Center reported that the "site helps low-income parents learn healthier child feeding behaviors, and has information available in English and Spanish. During the past year, more than 417,000 WIC clients used the site to access training videos, recipe lists, and lessons on topics like dealing with children who are picky eaters and how to improve meal nutrition." The site hosts a wealth of information and a variety of online tools, such as a YouTube video channel geared to WIC participants as shown here.

Here's the Local Investment Commission's year-end summary through photos. LINC is one of Kansas City's largest sources of providing services for low-income families through public schools, including food assistance, health care and child care. Their innovative work provides a solid bridge for parent's direct involvement in their children's education. LINC in Photos 2012 from LINC on Vimeo .

Participation in the Breakfast in the Classroom , a U.S. Department of Agriculture program for students from low-income families, can reduce behavioral problems in the classroom as reported in a suburban St. Louis school district . I know of a student who had behavioral problems every day in the classroom that have almost stopped since he started getting breakfast in the classroom. He could have just been hungry.

Clay Shirky, scholar on democratization effects of social media, shared his thoughts on a panel at a recent Social Good conference. The panel focused on the problems and solutions to poverty in developing nations.

Thanks to the Kansas City Star' s Mary Sanchez for her clear and persistent voice on reducing the digital divide in Kansas City. Her Sunday, December 16, 2012 column shared efforts to provide free Wi-Fi access , very low-cost computers ($50), and free digital literacy classes to Rosedale Ridge residents in Kansas City, Kansas. When children leave school, district equipment becomes useless unless they can find a Wi-Fi hotspot. Now, that place is home. The plan is to work with housing authorities and other Section 8 property owners to expand the project on both sides of the state line. Rosedale Ridge Flyer on free Wi-Fi access provided by Connecting for Good.  

The author of a Kansas City Star opinion piece misleads readers to think the problem of U.S. poverty in low-income family households is caused by lack of a male breadwinner and cured by a couple getting married to improve their income level. The best part, author Joseph McLiney writes, is that the improvement happens with "no government handouts." He points out in his "Three rules for avoiding poverty" column how a Brookings Institute report underscores this connection, however, the column overlooks the fact that most U.S. students -- of all income levels -- attend public school, largely funded by state and local governments , as well as the Federal budget. Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/12/14/3966589/midwest-voices-three-rules-for.html#storylink=cpy The Brookings Institute report "Combating Poverty: Understanding New Challenges for Families" says: ...only 34 percent of children whose parents were in the bottom income quintile enr

A major investigative series on the largest beef producers appeared over three days this week in the Kansas City Star . Star reporters should be congratulated on the amazing, in-depth work to present reports that clearly were not welcomed by the beef producers and supporters.  One co-worker who works on hunger relief said she had not seen the article yet because she does not subscribe to the paper. For anyone involved in the local farm/food movement, food safety, hunger relief, and nutrition, this article series is a MUST READ. While the articles pulled no punches on a range of topics, including the impact of the health of consumers and the impact on the environment with the mountains of cattle waste at feedlots, the series only focused a cursory glance at worker safety. The opening article in the series appearing in the Sunday, December 9, 2012 edition of the Star documented the large number of people getting sick from food. Specifically, the report mentions that "a rece

Pioneer Campus Public Computer Center located at 2700 E. 18 Street, Kansas City, MO (photo credit: Metropolitan Community College) I was curious to see what the facilities were like that housed the new Public Computer Center at the Pioneer Campus of the Metropolitan Community College on Kansas City's East Side. After all, the expansion of computer centers was publically-funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide computer access and training for anyone that wants to use the computers. This means community college students or anyone can use the computers after registering online or at the site. The registration allows administrators to track compliance with computer-use policies, but I did not interpret this as a limitation on people using the computers. Mario and Dale, lab technicians at the computer center, shared how the centers provide a full curriculum of free training classes from basic training to Microsoft Office to social media to iTun

Proposed and Existing Wind Projects in Kansas (link: PDF) An announcement by financial groups highlights a large investment in Wind Capital Group's Post Rock Wind Project in Kansas that will boost wind energy in the state. The company receiving the financing, Wind Capital Group, is the same business that built the Lost Creek Wind Farm in DeKalb County, Missouri, near my wife's family 80-acre farm. A search of news on the Post Rock project returned articles related to the financial aspects. A recent map shows a large number of large wind projects in Kansas that will not only generate safe, renewable energy, but also generate jobs.

About 100 people at the downtown Kansas City public library on Thursday, November 29 heard KCK mayor Joe Reardon and Kansas City Missouri mayor Sly James announce a new "Starter Internet" service offering by Time Warner. The low-cost service offering will provide families in nine school districts -- up to 85,000 students -- with a $10 per month 5 megabit per second Internet connection. James stated the "affordable option will allow them to compete in school" and that the joint effort could allow "every single student in this area to get a quality education." Extending Internet access to low-income families could "help bridge the digital divide," James added. The offering allows customers who relocate in the city to retain their Internet offering. Time Warner also announced that 14 locations throughout the city such as the River Market will gain "free" wifi hotspots for Time Warner customers. KCK high schools have provided each stu