Karena Cash, Author at Kentucky Youth Advocates

SNAP Changes and the Impact on Kentucky Kids

SNAP Changes and the Impact on Kentucky Kids

Across Kentucky, rising food prices, the loss of expanded free school meals, and back-to-school expenses are placing increasing pressure on family budgets. For households already living paycheck to paycheck, even modest increases in costs can force difficult choices between groceries and necessities like rent, utilities, transportation, and medicine. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, is more than a food assistance program. It helps children grow and learn, improves [...]

By Karena Cash|2026-07-22T15:50:18-04:00July 22nd, 2026|Blog, Economic Security|

Kids Count on Good Data

Kids Count on Good Data

Last week, the Annie E. Casey Foundation released its 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book, offering a snapshot of how children and families across the country are doing. For Kentucky, the message of this year's data is familiar but urgent: progress is happening, but it’s not happening fast enough. Kentucky ranks 36th in the nation for overall child well-being in the 2026 report. The ranking reflects a mix of improvements and setbacks across the [...]

By Karena Cash|2026-06-17T13:22:38-04:00June 17th, 2026|Blog, Economic Security, Education, Health, Kids Count|

Want to Influence Child Well-being and Community Funding until 2040? Start now!

Want to Influence Child Well-being and Community Funding until 2040? Start now!

In 2027, local governments will have the opportunity to influence how much federal funding they get through 2040 for crucial programs that support child well-being, economic development, and infrastructure. This opportunity? The Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA). The Local Update of Census Addresses, also known as LUCA, is the main tool the U.S. Census Bureau uses to create the address list for the decennial Census. Although the 2030 Census may seem far [...]

By Karena Cash|2026-07-31T10:35:06-04:00June 16th, 2026|Blog, Economic Security|

Assessing Community Resilience with the Census Bureau

Assessing Community Resilience with the Census Bureau

When we talk about “resilience,” we often talk about how individuals respond after a crisis. Someone standing strong despite the challenges faced. But resilience often starts long before a crisis, and our ability to adapt, recover, and thrive is heavily shaped by the communities we live in. If we want Kentuckians to be resilient, we need to ensure the communities they live in are also resilient. To help communities assess their levels of [...]

By Karena Cash|2026-04-16T15:56:25-04:00April 16th, 2026|Blog, Economic Security|

KIDS COUNT Data Center – How Kids are Faring in My County

KIDS COUNT Data Center – How Kids are Faring in My County

Every year, Kentucky Youth Advocates releases county-level data on child well-being as part of the Kentucky KIDS COUNT project. This data helps communities understand who they are, where bright spots and opportunities are, and how to best direct resources. While many people are familiar with the 16 indicators included on the KIDS COUNT County Data Dashboard, KYA also analyzes and publishes approximately 75 county-level data points related to child well-being on the Annie E. Casey [...]

By Karena Cash|2025-09-11T14:59:19-04:00September 11th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

The State of Child Labor in Kentucky

The State of Child Labor in Kentucky

Entering the labor force young has its benefits. Having a job as a teen (ages 16-18) can predict higher quality jobs and higher wages in adulthood. Quality work experience at a young age can improve physical and mental health in the long term, as well as reduce the likelihood that a youth will interact with the criminal justice system. However, youth only benefit from employment when they are working in safe, age-appropriate environments. In Kentucky [...]

By Karena Cash|2024-07-11T13:42:11-04:00July 11th, 2024|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Race Equity|

KYGA24: Addressing the Impact of Evictions on Kids

KYGA24: Addressing the Impact of Evictions on Kids

Evictions have a major impact on the safety and stability of Kentucky kids, often forcing families to move away from systems of support and into housing insecurity. However, a new report from Louisville’s Center for Health Equity shows that the impact of evictions goes much deeper than stability, also impacting the health of children and families. Evictions are both common and impact families of color more than other groups. Over 16,000 evictions were filed just [...]

By Karena Cash|2024-06-12T10:14:20-04:00June 12th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Economic Security, Health, Race Equity|

Slam Dunks for Child Nutrition

Slam Dunks for Child Nutrition

If you asked most Kentuckians what March is about, you would probably hear something along the lines of basketball or winning their March Madness bracket. However, there is a lesser-known reason to celebrate in March: National Nutrition Month. Access to healthy foods is essential for a child to learn, grow, and thrive, yet almost one in six Kentucky kids are experiencing hunger. Many of these children rely on meals served through government programs, such as [...]

By Karena Cash|2024-03-11T11:33:29-04:00March 11th, 2024|Blog, Economic Security, Education, Health|

A Look at SB 34 and Potential Impact on Kentucky Families

A Look at SB 34 and Potential Impact on Kentucky Families

Pregnancy and early childhood is considered a special time in life. However, any new parent will tell you it is also an expensive time. The cost of giving birth, caring for a new child, and child care can often be more than new parents make. To address the financial challenges that new parents face, Senator Whitney Westerfield introduced Senate Bill 34. This legislation contains a multitude of provisions that provide for the basic health and [...]

By Karena Cash|2024-01-18T12:30:32-05:00January 18th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health, Race Equity|

WIC Participants: We Want to Hear from You!

WIC Participants: We Want to Hear from You!

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women’s, Infant, and Children (WIC) provides vital support for the food and nutrition security of pregnant women, new moms, babies, and young children by providing food assistance via an EBT card, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support. However, we know the program only reaches every three out of five families that are eligible. To better understand how this program operates in the Commonwealth, Kentucky Youth Advocates and our WIC CIAO [...]

By Karena Cash|2024-07-17T11:44:24-04:00November 16th, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health|

About Karena Cash