skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Israel, Iran trade strikes as Trump weighs U.S. involvement in conflict; Challenge to ND gender-affirming care ban in play, despite SCOTUS ruling; 'Jubilee Day' was honored before Juneteenth in 1800s Indiana; Ohio urged to restore $61M for foster care in final budget talks.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Lawmakers on both sides urge President Trump not to enter the Israel-Iran war. Supreme Court deals the transgender community a major blow by upholding a Tennessee state law.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Hurricane Helene mobilized the North Carolina community of Marshall in unexpected ways, giant data centers powering AI want cheap rural land but can face community pushback, and ceramics made by Cherokee potters honor multiple generations.

Groups Target Diabetes Among Hungry Kentuckians

play audio
Play

Wednesday, November 21, 2018   

FRANKFORT, Ky. – While helping to reduce hunger throughout the state, some advocacy groups also are spreading the word about how to avoid an all too common disease.

The American Diabetes Association, the Kentucky Association of Food Banks and Passport Health Plan are working to educate families served by food banks about how they can best prevent and manage Type 2 diabetes.

Kirsten Rowland, associate state director of the American Diabetes Association in Kentucky, says about 108,000 people in the state have diabetes and don't know it, which greatly increases their health risk. Additionally, more than 1 million have pre-diabetes.

"That's a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes,” Rowland explains. “That's an important group that we want to educate to become aware of how they can reduce their risk."

Rowland says food insecurity can make it even more challenging to manage a complex chronic disease such as diabetes.

It's estimated that 40 percent of families served by a food bank in Kentucky have at least one member with diabetes.

The organizations are passing out educational materials about diabetes detection, management and prevention.

Rowland says they're also talking with food bank workers and clients about how to eat on a budget and make healthy food choices.

"When it comes to diabetes, we talk about sugar a lot, but this time we've also talked about reducing your salt intake and all of those just add up to other complications when it comes to diabetes and other health related issues," she explains.

Close to 600,000 Kentuckians live with diabetes, and Rowland adds that working with the food bank system is a natural fit because it serves thousands of people who may not otherwise have access to information on diabetes prevention.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
A parklet is an elevated public space, usually converted from a parking space and used to enhance community experience and support local businesses. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Eight Wisconsin cities, including four rural communities, will receive improvements to help make their communities more livable. Eleven grantees …


Social Issues

play sound

A bill prohibiting credit reporting on Oregonians' medical debt has been signed into law by Gov. Tina Kotek. Hailed as a significant victory for …

Environment

play sound

June is World Oceans Month, and advocates are warning that industrial shipping pollution hurts both oceans and port communities. At least 31 …


Flowers and notes are placed outside the Brooklyn Park home of state Rep. Melissa Hortman after the Minnesota lawmaker and her husband were fatally shot in what police say was a politically motivated attack. (Mike Moen/PNS)

Social Issues

play sound

Minnesotans gathered at the state Capitol last night for a candlelight vigil for Rep. Melissa Hortman, D-Brooklyn Park, after she was assassinated …

Social Issues

play sound

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday released an opinion that allows Tennessee to keep in place a ban on gender-affirming care for minors. While seen …

More than 500 Ohio children were reported sleeping in county government offices over a one-year period due to a lack of foster care placements. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Ohio child welfare advocates are urging lawmakers to restore more than $60 million in funding to address the state's ongoing foster care placement cri…

Social Issues

play sound

A Pennsylvania literacy organization is commemorating the Juneteenth holiday by highlighting the history and contributions of Black people in the Unit…

Environment

play sound

Forest fires have broken out in parts of New Mexico that state forecasters had already warned would see an elevated wildfire risk this summer due to h…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021