by Tara Grieshop-Goodwin The air conditioning unit at our house recently went out - at the peak of some of our hottest days of the summer. We had an older unit that our HVAC service person had been able to keep running with fixes and repairs for many years (even decades) past when most units last. But eventually the damage was too great for repair and we had a big expense to cover. We debated [...]
Updated September 18, 2025 Photo courtesy of Pkruger via Dreamstime It’s been a long, hot summer in Kentucky. This should come as no surprise since meteorologists predicted a hotter-than-average season for much of the U.S, but in recent years weather in Kentucky has been anything but predictable. As weather fluctuates and temperatures rise, so does the cost of utilities for families. Monthly utility costs in Kentucky have increased by 33% since 2017 and [...]
As part of Bloom Kentucky, “sprout outs” are our way of giving a meaningful shout to programs fostering hope and resilience in our communities. We’re proud to spotlight the incredible work being done at WestCare Kentucky (WCKY) Camp Mariposa. WCKY Camp Mariposa is an addiction prevention and mentoring program for children ages 9-12 who have been affected by the substance use of a parent or close family member. Part of a national network of camps [...]
Can you think of someone in your life, outside of your parental figures, who showed a deep and genuine care for you? Having access to supportive, non-parental adults who care is considered a positive childhood experience and helps buffer life’s toughest times. David Townsend, Executive Director of The Home of Opportunities and Dreams (HOOD), uses his time and talents to create welcoming environments that promote positive development and create access to safe and trusted [...]
New Report - Bloom Kentucky Examines the Economic Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Kentucky and Offers Key Strategies for Prevention Contact: Kelsey Dimar kdimar@kyyouth.org LOUISVILLE, KY – Adversity experienced in childhood has an annual estimated cost of $295 million on Kentucky’s economy, according to The Economic Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Kentucky report released today by Bloom Kentucky, an initiative powered by grantmaking partners from across the Commonwealth and backboned by Kentucky Youth [...]
Last week, Kentucky Youth Advocates hosted a webinar about the Opioid Data Dashboard on Children and Families and how it can be used as a tool for informing the use of opioid settlement funds. KYA staff members were joined by Lauren Carr, Opioid Settlement Advisor with the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo), a partner in making information available to communities as they invest the funds from the opioid settlement. The opioid settlement funds, which [...]
Earlier this month, Bloom Kentucky convened for the first-ever Together We Bloom Summit that included an incredible lineup of speakers: Dr. Robert Sege, Dr. Wendy Ellis, Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers with Pantsuit Politics Podcast, and Criscillia Benford and Anna Marie Trester with Frameworks Institute. We also welcomed over 20+ local child and family-serving organizations as exhibitors from across the Commonwealth focused on mitigating Adverse Childhood Experiences and cultivating Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) [...]
The saying, “what gets measured gets changed,” has long been a cornerstone of the Kentucky KIDS COUNT project, which has reported county-level data on critical measures of child well-being for more than 35 years. As Kentucky faces an unprecedented opportunity to address the opioid epidemic through Opioid Settlement funds, we can prevent future generations from suffering the impacts. Kentucky Youth Advocates released new data this month on the Opioid Data Dashboard on Children and Families [...]
Each year, the first full week of May is reserved for Teacher Appreciation Week, a week for students and families to say thank you to the teachers that have worked so hard all year to help their students be successful. This week has typically focused on the K-12 school system; however, there is a large group of teachers who deserve just as much recognition – the early childhood educators working in child care programs for [...]
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org SHELBYVILLE, KY – Today, the Together We Bloom Summit, hosted by Bloom Kentucky, is bringing together hundreds of advocates, policymakers, and community leaders from across the Commonwealth focused on mitigating Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and cultivating Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) through policy and systems change. The sold out, one-day conference offers attendees the opportunity to hear from experts on ACEs and resilience, attend workshops on messaging and advocating for policy [...]
