About Jessie Whitish

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So far Jessie Whitish has created 63 blog entries.

Save the Dates: Children’s Advocacy Week at the Capitol February 1st-5th

For 16 years advocates for kids have gathered in Frankfort for Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol. On Children’s Advocacy Day, advocates fill the halls of the Capitol and ask their elected officials to step up for Kentucky kids—leading to many policy wins and building awareness of issues facing kids and their families. Children’s Advocacy Day is critical to building a brighter future for Kentucky kids. Amidst COVID-19, the strains on families, communities, and the [...]

Federal Leaders: Kentucky Kids Need YOU

Navigating COVID-19 has been an unparalleled challenge for our families, our commonwealth, and our country. As Kentucky looks ahead to its future, there are many solutions and recovery efforts we can undertake within the commonwealth. But many other efforts require federal policy changes and federal budget investments. As federal leaders debate the next pandemic recovery package, Kentucky kids and families are looking to Washington, D.C. for the following solutions: Healthcare priorities for Kentucky kids and [...]

For Kids, For Families, For You: Kentucky Youth Advocates Navigates COVID-19

“It’s been a tough few days” feels like an understatement when describing the COVID-19 crisis. My family is struggling to come to terms with this “new normal” of social distancing—be it for three weeks, or many weeks beyond that. And I know that every other family across Kentucky is grappling with their own challenges. With that in mind, I wanted to give you a couple of updates about how Kentucky Youth Advocates is responding to [...]

Forging Ahead: 2020 General Assembly Carries On

Today’s Kentucky is very different from last week’s Kentucky. Social distancing and the measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are affecting the daily life of every Kentuckian—and the 2020 General Assembly. As of now, the legislature is moving forward on the passage of bills and the state’s biennial budget. Kentucky Youth Advocates, along with many other partners across the state, are continuing to track the progress of bills and work with [...]

Fast Facts to Fight the General Assembly Fatigue

Advocates, are you feeling tired as we enter the second half of this year’s General Assembly? Do you wonder if your voice really makes a difference? Are you lacking inspiration to continue calling your representative for another 20+ days? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, this is the blog for you! We are just over a month past Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol, and while we knew that day had some [...]

5 Best Moments from the 2020 Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol

Last week’s Children’s Advocacy Day has already made an impact in Frankfort. State leaders, from legislators to the Governor, are abuzz with what they heard from advocates.  If you joined us on January 23rd, be sure to fill out this short survey so we can make next year's Children's Advocacy Day at the Capitol even better!  The day was too big to summarize in this blog post, so here are the 5 moments we thought were [...]

3 Opportunities to Get Ready for the Kentucky General Assembly

Calling all advocates for kids! Is your mind already drifting to holiday feasts and party? Did you just realize how close we are to the Kentucky General Assembly starting? Are you feeling unprepared but interested in taking action on behalf of Kentucky kids? Fear not! Kentucky Youth Advocates, along with other Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children partner organizations, have developed a policy agenda listing the 2020 priorities for kids. That agenda will be officially launched on [...]

By |2019-12-03T14:36:09-05:00November 25th, 2019|Blog|

A Celebration for Kids and Lighting the Way to 2020

Last week we, along with advocates from across Kentucky, celebrated both progress for kids during the 2019 legislative session and the courageous action of local heroes who are transforming how their communities care for kids. And what a celebration it was! The Cheers for Children 2019 Celebration lifted up four key Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children priority bills that were passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor: Senate Bill 1 [...]

By |2019-04-18T16:49:57-04:00April 17th, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Health, Kids Count|

30 Days, Infinite Ripples

Sometimes 30 days can feel like way more than 30 days. And the 2019 Kentucky General Assembly felt like WAY more than 30 days! (OK, technically the session started in January and went through the end of March, and legislators were just in chambers for 30 days, but you get the idea. A lot happened during this legislative session, and Kentucky leaders didn’t even have a state budget to work on.) Better behavioral health services [...]

By |2019-04-03T14:42:27-04:00April 3rd, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health|

Gavel Comes Down, Party Decorations Go Up: Cheers for Children Celebration on April 11th

As the gavel falls on the 2019 Kentucky General Assembly, party decorations are going up! Kentucky kids—and the committed advocates, caregivers, and volunteers who support those kids every day—have a lot to celebrate. On April 11th you can join the celebration at Cheers for Children, Kentucky Youth Advocates’ annual fundraiser where we ask for your support as the independent voice for Kentucky kids in Frankfort. (Check out a recap of last year’s event, including photos, [...]

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