Stories

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7.21.2023 -

Why Rural Child Care Should Be a Top Priority for the Farm Bill

The fact that much of rural America is a “child care desert” has far-reaching implications for the families, children and care providers directly affected—but also for regional and national economic health and wellbeing. In other words, it impacts all of us. LISC’s Nicole Barcliff argues for ways the next USDA Farm Bill can nurture a humane and robust child care network across rural places through dedicated funding and technical assistance. All of which demands a critical shift in perspective.

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4.19.2023 -

The Long and (Very) Winding Road to Universal Broadband for Rural America

In many parts of rural and tribal America, upwards of 21 percent of the population lack broadband access, and the obstacles to installing and preparing people to use broadband in rural America are high and complex, in spite of unprecedented federal support. LISC has been helping local nonprofits, as well as town, county and tribal governments, to leverage public capital and get connectivity, digital devices and training into local places and the hands of residents. The upshot is more people and regional economies accessing business, educational and social opportunities that are imperative for life in the 21st century.

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11.23.2022 -

LISC-NPQ Series: Centering Food Justice + Indigenous Maternal Knowledge

Our series with NonProfit Quarterly, Community Strategies for Systemic Change, concludes with an essay by the founding directors of the Cihuapactli Collective, a Phoenix-based organizations that offers healing services to urban Indigenous people "from womb to tomb." Nurturing the inextricable links between Native food sovereignty and mothering practices, they argue, supports community, land and spirit, and paves a path to equity and wellbeing. All photos courtsey of Cihuapactli Collective.

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9.14.2022 -

The Transformative Power of an Expungement Clinic in the Mississippi Delta

One in three Americans has a criminal record, many of which reflect dropped charges or fines their holders simply couldn't afford to pay. In Greenville, MS, where far too many people, especially Black residents, can't pursue their goals because of barriers created by their records, LISC and a coalition of partners launched an expungement program to help job- and education-seekers get those charges and fines dismissed. It's part of a movement to upend the criminalization of poverty and help people advance on the path to wellbeing and financial stability, in Greenville and beyond.

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Connecting Communities through Affordable Broadband

LISC’s Michelle Harati looks at how recent federal investments in broadband affordability will help connect more households and expand access to shared prosperity within historically underserved communities.

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12.01.2021 -

The State of Rural Development: Q+A with Caitlin Cain

In a wide-ranging interview with Affordable Housing Finance, VP and director of Rural LISC Caitlin Cain lists the top ways to build robust and sustainable rural economies and reveals what keeps her up at night (and her predictions for the next Super Bowl).