MINNEAPOLIS -- Political debates in Minnesota have included a common component in recent years: noted differences between geographic areas.

But new findings from a research group show most parts of the state are seeing similar trends, while dealing with many of the same challenges.

Ellen Wolter, research scientist at The Wilder Foundation, led the project through Minnesota Compass, which measures social indicators around the state.

She said while there's a lot of focus on how different metro areas are when compared to Greater Minnesota, people might be surprised to know a lot of the same things are happening.

For example, she said most areas are struggling to find affordable housing for everyone.

"Around 24% of households are cost-burdened in Greater Minnesota compared with 27% in the Twin Cities, and that's just a 3% difference," Wolter explained. "So, that means overall, about a quarter of households, whether you're in Greater Minnesota or the Twin Cities region, are struggling to pay for housing."

The report also showed growth in racial and ethnic diversity isn't just happening in metro areas.

The findings show seven of the top 10 counties with the largest percentages of persons of color are in greater Minnesota.

On the flip side, aging populations aren't just a rural trend. Wolter pointed out several Twin Cities suburbs are among the 10 oldest cities in the state.

When it comes to additional challenges, Wolter noted broadband internet access still is a key problem in rural areas, especially due to infrastructure gaps. But she said affordably is a problem that's occurring all over.

"Low-income households, or even just lower-income households, are much less likely to have internet access," Wolter stated.

According to the report, in households with income of $20,000 or less, nearly half in all Greater Minnesota regions and 40% in the Twin Cities have no internet subscription at home. Wolter added that's a major obstacle at a time when many students are doing distance learning because of the pandemic.


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A Las Vegas nonprofit helping women recover from substance addiction, domestic violence, human trafficking and homelessness has received AARP's prestigious Purpose Prize for 2023.

The group, called Unshakeable, will also get a $10,000-dollar grant to support its work.

Debbie Isaacs, founder and president of Unshakeable, who was named as a Purpose Prize fellow, said Unshakeable will serve about 100 women this year.

"Our clients, by the time they finish, we hear them make statements of, 'I am capable, I am strong, I am ready. I am confident, I am unstoppable,' " Isaacs noted.

Isaacs explained Unshakeable helps women put their past aside and return to the workforce, with some in so-called "survival jobs" and others back on a career path. The agency provides a series of in-depth workshops designed to reignite clients' confidence and sense of purpose. The Purpose Prize has been honoring people over age 50 who make a real difference in their communities since 2005.

Isaacs pointed out the grant will help many women get back on their feet, some of whom need the most basic essentials.

"$10,000 provides continued help for our programming," Isaacs emphasized. "It can be helping with transportation or child care vouchers, or a set of eyeglasses, or even a bed and a mattress."

AARP said it will celebrate fifteen Purpose Prize winners and fellows from around the country at an awards ceremony in October, in Washington, D.C.

Many rural North Carolina kids lack access to summer camps and consistent meals when school is out, but an organization in Benson is working to change it.

The Four Leaf Clover Program provides free lunches and activities for kids several days a week until the school year starts.

Cleo McKinnon, founder and president of the Four Leaf Clover Program, said she started the program seven years ago with encouragement from her daughter. She explained the Four Leaf Clover also acts an emergency food bank for residents in need.

"We have homeless people that sometimes, on the weekend, food banks and stuff are closed, we provide them food, so they can eat," McKinnon pointed out. "Sometimes people, families, don't have food when their [food] stamps have run out, or whatever the situation."

During the school year, around 900,000 North Carolina children rely on free or reduced-price meals. According to the nonprofit Feeding America, one in six children in the state is uncertain where they will get their next meal.

McKinnon said Four Leaf Clover runs entirely on the help of volunteers who care about the well-being of kids in the community. She laments many young people in the area have nothing to do during the day, and worries rural regions in particular lack safe, affordable summer programming.

She noted Four Leaf Clover recently acquired a bus to take kids on day trips, to places like local farms and the fire station.

"Everything that we do is donated, we are all volunteer workers," McKinnon stressed. "We do not get paid but from the Lord."

McKinnon acknowledged local support has made a difference, and she is proud of a recent $5,000 "Volunteer Voice" grant from Coastal Credit Union.

"It was totally, wholly a blessing to our community," McKinnon recounted. "It was awesome. And we thank them."

Headquartered in Raleigh, Coastal Credit Union has awarded nearly $100,000 to 19 volunteer-run community groups in North Carolina this year.

Quick-turnaround loans of up to $5,000 are available to small businesses in eastern Kentucky affected by the devastating flooding that has left at least 28 people dead across more than a dozen counties.

Many of the region's local businesses were just starting to make a comeback from the pandemic, said Robert Allen, lending director at the Mountain Association, and now they'll need help rebuilding. He said residents and rescue crews who are beginning the cleanup process are counting on shops and stores to provide necessities.

"There are grocery stores that are there that are a vital part of the community, where the food source is," he said. "There are businesses that are going to have a really hard time building back, and the economic impact is real."

Allen said loan information may not be available online yet, but wants residents to know they should keep checking mtassociation.org for updates. President Joe Biden has declared the flooding a federal emergency, which opens the door for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance and federal aid for recovery efforts. The loans are aimed at helping business owners with immediate needs, and have a six-month interest-only payback period.

Allen said the goal is to get local businesses "back on their feet" as quickly as possible "to cover expenses that are going to come from critical equipment they may need - loss of revenue, need more capital, cleanups - whatever the case may be."

Applications for FEMA assistance are online at disasterassistance.gov. If specific county information isn't available yet, residents can pre-apply and the application will go through once the county has been included in the federal declaration. Home Crisis Cleanup help is also available at crisiscleanup.org.