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Kentucky Youth Advocates is serious when we assert a vision to “make Kentucky the best place in America to be young.” And yet, we know that vision is elusive as long as a child’s skin color still shapes their opportunity to thrive. And we know that is still true in Kentucky. The recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery deserve condemnation by anyone with a heart and a brain. And yet as [...]
Kentucky Youth Advocates is looking for photos of Kentucky kids to include in the 2020 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book and other Kentucky Youth Advocates publications. We know you all proudly share pictures of your kids and grandkids by hanging them on your refrigerator and posting them on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s your chance to promote those cute kids through Kentucky Youth Advocates’ materials. We need your photos by August 31st so please start sending them [...]
Access to food has increasingly become a topic of concern for Kentucky families and advocates, especially for those with children who typically receive meals at school. Last week, the Commonwealth received good news on an important benefit for families during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) benefit, which was approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is available to Kentucky households with a child or children who are eligible for [...]
Last updated May 29, 2020 Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, children experienced varying rates of family poverty and food insecurity, which has been further jeopardized by the public health crisis. The latest Kentucky KIDS COUNT data show that over 1 in 10 Kentucky children lived in deep poverty and nearly 1 in 5 in a food insecure . Expanding access to food, housing, and other assistance programs and extending these after the public health emergency is [...]
By Nellie Ellis Over the past few years, youth across the commonwealth have had leadership roles in many of Kentucky Youth Advocates’ biggest initiatives. The youth have been some of the most influential voices for Kentucky’s kids and families and have been extraordinary advocates for themselves and others. I am proudly one of these voices. However, as we started to face the unprecedented circumstances of a pandemic, many of these young leaders like myself [...]
By Beatrice Roussell I was sitting in the trunk of my car – 6 feet away from two of my best friends – eating McAllister’s. They looked at me with admiration and asked, “How are you doing?” I knew what they were referring to: my eating disorder. As someone who is in recovery from a severe eating disorder (ED), the idea of quarantine sounded like a relapse danger-zone. With so much time and not a [...]
As we head into the second half of May, we hope everyone takes time to recognize and celebrate National Dental Care Month. This month-long celebration is a chance for oral health professionals, parents, teachers, advocates, and community members to build awareness about the importance of preventive dental care for individuals of all ages. Key factors of maintaining good overall health throughout our childhood and adulthood include establishing positive oral hygiene habits and receiving routine dental care. Routine care allows for early detection of issues that display in the mouth and helps [...]
During this time of change, we want to give a shoutout to all the Kentucky teenagers and young people who will be “graduating” into their next phases of life – especially those who will be receiving their diplomas from high school, college, or career/technical programs. While we realize that there are many who are bemoaning the fact that they are missing out on the pomp and circumstance celebrations, we want to publicly celebrate this major [...]
While Kentucky was trying to address the immediate needs of families across the commonwealth in the wake of COVID-19, the final gavel sounded on the 2020 General Assembly. There was some good news for kids in this year’s legislative session—including its unprecedented one-year budget—while progress stalled for many policies and budget priorities that would help kids and families. Two types of leaders make these wins for kids possible: legislative champions and, just as importantly, the [...]
Kids, young adults, and families across Kentucky are already feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic—and will be for months to come. Those who have been involved in the child welfare system are facing many challenges, and as the state rebuilds and makes plans to support these kids and families navigating tough situations, it is important that our leaders understand their experiences. Kentucky Youth Advocates, in partnership with Casey Family Programs, is hosting nine virtual [...]
