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Take Action for the Farm Bill During Hunger Action Month

September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide effort to raise awareness about hunger in the U.S. A key piece of federal legislation in combating hunger is the Farm Bill, which is set to expire at the end of the month.  The Farm Bill is a comprehensive piece of legislation that determines national agriculture, conservation, and nutrition policies. It encompasses vital programs ranging from crop insurance for farmers to food assistance for low-income families. This bill [...]

By |2024-09-24T16:08:05-04:00September 24th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Economic Security, Health|
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An Update on the Housing Crisis and Call to Action for Young People

In all 120 Kentucky counties, families are struggling to find affordable housing. In addition to being a frequently discussed topic in communities across the Commonwealth, the 2024 Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy agenda prioritized the development of an interim joint legislative task force to focus on the state’s housing crisis. We are pleased that the legislature established the Kentucky Housing Task Force to study and review the current and future policy needs to address [...]

By |2024-09-11T13:07:48-04:00September 11th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health|
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Together We Bloom Summit: Cultivating Kentucky’s Future

MARK YOUR CALENDARS on May 7, 2025, as community leaders, policymakers, and advocates will gather at the Shelbyville Conference and Welcome Center in Shelbyville for the Together We Bloom Summit, hosted by Bloom Kentucky. This one-day event will focus on cultivating positive childhood experiences through both policy and systems change across the Commonwealth, offering a unique platform to explore new strategies for fostering resilience and mitigating Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Kentucky’s children. The [...]

By |2024-09-11T10:01:07-04:00September 10th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Race Equity|
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Child Care Access – Gathering Input from Centers and Families

We are in the final countdown! The final federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan will run out on September 30th, and the child care industry will be expected to stand on its own two feet.   Unfortunately, child care was barely surviving prior to the pandemic, and with the inflation that has occurred in the past four years, the industry is not set-up to be successful. The biggest challenge to overcome is the cost [...]

By |2024-10-24T09:10:38-04:00September 10th, 2024|Blog, Economic Security, Education|
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Making Kids Count in the 2024 Election

Kids cannot vote, but you can ensure that their voices are heard by engaging with candidates in local, state, and federal elections and being an informed voter.  The leaders we elect determine policies and budgets that will impact our daily lives for what may be generations to come. But how often do we pause to consider–specifically–how our choices at the ballot box will impact us, and particularly children who depend on us to make [...]

By |2024-10-14T10:47:51-04:00September 4th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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Save the Date: Children’s Advocacy Week 2025

For more than 20 years, advocates for kids have gathered in Frankfort for Children’s Advocacy Day to fill the halls of the Capitol and ask their elected officials to step up for Kentucky kids. The critical mass of advocates in the Capitol building led to many policy wins and raising awareness of issues facing kids and their families.   During Children’s Advocacy Week, we host a series of virtual events with more opportunities to [...]

By |2024-08-26T09:32:38-04:00August 20th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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New Report – Fostering Connections: The Housing Landscape for Foster Care Alumni and Recommendations

LOUISVILLE, KY – Everyone needs a safe, stable place to call home. However, a short supply of housing has made this increasingly difficult for Kentucky’s young people. The Fostering Connections: The Housing Landscape for Foster Care Alumni and Recommendations report, released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates, sheds light on the critical housing needs of young adults ages 18-28 in Louisville, Kentucky, particularly young adults who have spent time in foster care as children.  Foster care [...]

By |2024-08-08T09:16:27-04:00August 8th, 2024|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health, News Room, Race Equity|
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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 |2024-07-11T13:42:11-04:00July 11th, 2024|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Race Equity|
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OP-ED: We must coalesce around improving Kentucky’s student outcomes

This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Kentucky Lantern on July 5, 2024. By Terry Brooks The annual national KIDS COUNT Data Book includes more data into which to dive than column inches allow.  But an overview of the report reminds us that Kentucky is not the best place in America to be young.  Or the second-best place.  Or the 10th or the 20th or even 30th.  Instead, the 2024 report card on the [...]

By |2024-07-08T11:36:32-04:00July 3rd, 2024|Blog, Economic Security, Education, Kids Count, News Room, Race Equity|
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KYGA24: Major Updates for Kinship Families

Co-authored by  Kathleen Baldwin, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates During the 2024 legislative session we saw some MAJOR wins for kinship families in Kentucky, which will be going into effect over the coming months. Research shows that placement with family members or a safe adult known to the child, rather than traditional foster care, can have lifelong benefits for a child and their family. Children placed in kinship settings have more placement stability, are less [...]

By |2024-07-03T15:10:37-04:00July 3rd, 2024|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security|
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