Attacking Root Causes

Black Neighbors Band Together to Bring in Healthy Food, Co-op-Style

http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/black-neighbors-band-together-to-bring-in-healthy-food-co-op-style-20170911

J. Gabriel Ware

Yes! Magazine

11 September 2017

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In Detroit, and throughout the country, many people find themselves in "food deserts", or places where access to fresh fruits and vegetables is extremely limited. In Detroit, Black residents are addressing these issues via the creation of their own food production and supply network resulting in a grocery store labeled the

New Zealand Tries a Different Kind of Private Prison

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/08/new-zealand-tries-a-different-kind-of-private-prison/538506/?preview=pClrJ0bmzQ7taH77WLwNMQ1TAwc

Rikha Sharma Rani

CityLab

31 August 2017

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The privatized prison system is largely skewed against inmates, as most are funded based on the number of individuals incarcerated, creating a disincentive to invest in the rehabilitation and comprehensive treatment of inmates. But the Wiri prison in Auckland is piloting a new approach that focuses on the greater good: the government pays the prison for positive results based on recidivism rates and improved outcomes for inmates, especially the Maori minority.

Courting the ones who need it

http://www.eugeneweekly.com/20170824/lead-story/courting-ones-who-need-it

Kaylee Tornay

Eugene Weekly

24 August 2017

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Eugene's community court is helping improve the problem of recidivism in offenders by treating criminogenic needs (factors that make an offender likely to re-offend). Individuals are put in programs of various lengths, and do community service in the area they were cited in, and are aided in addressing underlying issues.

Home Visits Help New Parents Overcome Tough Histories, Raise Healthy Children

http://khn.org/news/home-visits-help-new-parents-overcome-tough-histories-raise-healthy-children

Anna Gorman

Kaiser Health News

21 August 2017

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Home visit programs, where family support workers meet with expecting and new parents, are at risk of not getting funding. Advocates stress the importance of these programs for improving parenting skills, providing a confidant for parents, and helping reach children before they are already struggling.

Free Lunch at the Library

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/30/well/family/free-lunch-at-the-library.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&_r=0

Catherine Saint Louis

The New York Times

30 July 2017

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From New York to Ohio to California, librarians have teamed up with the USDA summer food service program, along with other non-profits, to feed kids dependent on free/reduced-price lunches during the school year. Using census data to locate communities of greatest need and data to measure participation trends, the collaborative has witnessed a surge in effectiveness and impact across the states. Families, librarians, and public officials alike express satisfaction and enthusiasm for the initiative and its future.

Foodstuffs: Giving Food Stamp Recipients a Place at Farmers Markets

http://nhpr.org/post/foodstuffs-giving-food-stamp-recipients-place-farmers-markets#stream/0

Ben Henry

NHPR

27 July 2017

Radio / Under 5 Minutes

While farmers’ markets popularity has increased in the last decade, the higher prices mitigate equal access to such provisions -- and, by extension, the health benefits. As a result, non-profits and farmers' markets across New Hampshire are collaborating with a state program, Granite State Market Watch, to enable low-income food stamp recipients to use the markets. The state matches every dollar worth of stamps, providing needed purchasing power to enjoy the fresh bounty as well as an increased customer base and revenue stream for the local farmers.

Food pharmacy a possible solution to combat food insecurity, related health issues

http://www.richlandsource.com/news/food-pharmacy-a-possible-solution-to-combat-food-insecurity-related/article_f83e215c-706a-11e7-b855-c755be6209b5.html

Emily Dech

Richland Source

26 July 2017

Mixed Media / 800-1500 Words

More than half of the population struggles with health issues related to a poor diet - one that often results from poverty. When having to choose between paying the rent and buying fruits and vegetables, for many families, there is only one option. But some institutions like the ProMedica Toledo Hospital in Ohio are creating access to healthy food for low-income families through a novel kind of pharmacy, where patients receive free produce, recipes, and guidance from a dietician on how to treat and prevent diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure while improving eating habits.

‘Neighborhood Mothers’ Share Integration Wisdom with Refugees

https://www.newsdeeply.com/refugees/articles/2017/07/26/neighborhood-mothers-share-integration-wisdom-with-refugees?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_content=%E2%80%98Neighborhood+Mothers'+Share+Integration+Wisdom+with+Refugees&utm_medium=refugeesdeeply&utm_source=twitter

Yermi Brenner

News Deeply

26 July 2017

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Germany has welcomed many refugees in recent years, and programs across the country are trying to help integrate them as quickly as possible. 'Neighbourhood Mothers' is one such program of migrant women who mentor new refugees.

In Ethiopia, model drought defenses are put to the test

https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2017/0724/In-Ethiopia-model-drought-defenses-are-put-to-the-test

Ryan Lenora Brown

The Christian Science Monitor

24 July 2017

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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s cosmopolitan capital, has long been considered a whole world apart from surrounding rural communities, all of which suffer endlessly from reoccurring droughts and civil war. But now, thanks to international aid and government intervention, things are looking up for the whole of Ethiopia, dubbed as one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Success is particularly linked to a government program designed to predict natural disasters before they occur, and an innovative economic development program, which employs Ethiopia’s poorest in exchange for labor on public works projects. So far, these measures have helped dramatically reduce drought-induced damage, and alleviate poverty alleviated by up to 2 percent.

In Extreme Community Policing, Cops Become the Neighbor

http://www.governing.com/topics/public-justice-safety/gov-rope-community-policing-elgin-rockford.html?utm_term=In%20Extreme%20Community%20Policing%2C%20Cops%20Become%20the%20Neighbor&utm_campaign=In%20Extreme%20Community%20Policing%2C%20Cops%20Become%20the%20Neighbor&utm_content=email&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_medium=email

John Buntin

Governing

22 July 2017

Text / Over 3000 Words

In efforts to diminish violent crime, police agencies are revisiting a model law enforcement strategy of the 1970s, "community policing," as an alternative to the more recent "broken windows" style of the late nineties. Research substantiates its effectiveness, too, in building citizens' trust of law enforcement, helping a community's ability to solve its own problems, and, in turn, decreasing crime rates. Despite redefined priorities in the wake of 9/11 and post-recession budget cuts, community policing is again on the rise and bringing positive results, too.