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The latest Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation ranked Idaho high in the family and community category, at fourth best in the nation. (Vadim Sofin/Adobe Stock)

Report:ID ranks high in child well-being, education still concern

Idaho ranks 13th in a new report on child well-being. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual Kids Count Data Book measures how well states are …

Nearly $13 million in food benefits would have been distributed to Idaho families if the state had signed up for the Summer EBT program. (jetcityimage/Adobe Stock)

Without summer food aid, ID families' options limited

Thirty-seven states have signed up for summer meal dollars for kids. Idaho is not among them. The Department of Agriculture's Summer Electronic …

Medicaid coverage includes checkups, sick visits, immunizations as well as dental and vision care. (Adobe Stock/AI)

Report: ID covering fewer kids with public insurance vs. 2019

As pandemic era protections were lifted, a new report showed the number of children on Medicaid has varied widely between states, with Idaho seeing a …

La cobertura de Medicaid incluye revisiones m�dicas, visitas por enfermedad, vacunas y atenci�n odontol�gica y oftalmol�gica. (Adobe Stock/AI)

Informe: ID cubre a menos niños con seguro público en comparación a 2019

Al levantarse las protecciones de la era de la pandemia, un nuevo informe muestra que el número de niños que reciben Medicaid ha variado …

Pandemic-related SNAP benefits ended in March, causing thousands to fall off the

Changes to SNAP in 2023 Farm Bill Concern Hunger-Fighting Groups

Anti-hunger advocates are closely watching negotiations over the 2023 Farm Bill. Every five years, Congress considers this large piece of …

Idaho ranks fifth in the nation among states in the Family and Community category of a new report on child well-being. (Douglas Hughmanick/Adobe Stock)

ID Ranks High in Child Well-Being, But Child Care Costs Concerning

Idaho ranks fairly high compared to other states in a new report on children's well-being, but the high cost of child care lurks as a burden for …

Programs such as Double Up Food Bucks help families buy more fresh food at farmers markets. (Jeremy Segrott/Flickr)

Anti-Hunger Advocate to Tout Safety Net's Benefit in ID

BOISE, Idaho -- The head of Hunger Free America is coming to Idaho this weekend as part of his tour across the country. Joel Berg, CEO of the …

The Pandemic EBT program offers about $375 in food benefits per eligible child over the summer months to replace school meals. (fizkes/Adobe Stock)

Report: Permanent Summer Food Program Would Benefit ID Kids

BOISE, Idaho -- Summer usually coincides with a troubling spike in childhood hunger while kids are out of school, but a program set up during the …

In 2019, 109,000 Idaho children lived in households where families spent more than 30% of their income on housing. (sorapop/Adobe Stock)

Pandemic, High Housing Costs Could Stall Progress for ID Kids

BOISE, Idaho -- A new report finds child wellbeing in Idaho had been improving since the Great Recession until COVID-19 hit. The Annie E. Casey …

Idaho ranks 39th in broadband internet access, according to BroadbandNow.(cienpies/Adobe Stock)

You May Have Help with High-Speed Internet Thanks to Pandemic

BOISE, Idaho - The internet has become a key facet to life during the pandemic, but access still lags in many parts of the country. To help people …

Idahoans will no longer receive enhanced unemployment benefits as of June 19, although many continue to struggle as costs for housing, food and other necessities rise. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

"Unintended Consequences" of Ending Pandemic Unemployment in Idaho

BOISE, Idaho - Gov. Brad Little announced this week he will pull Idaho out of the federal unemployment programs that have provided enhanced benefits …

More than half of renters with extremely low income in Idaho are older or have a disability. (Kirk Fisher/Adobe Stock)

Housing Crisis Hits Idahoans on Fixed Income Harder

BOISE, Idaho -- The shortage of affordable housing in Idaho is hitting people on fixed incomes especially hard. The state is short more than 22,000 …

Idahoans received $1.5 billion in total from stimulus checks during the first round of relief. (ungvar/Adobe Stock)

Stimulus Checks, Tax Refunds Could Help Build Rainy-Day Funds

BOISE, Idaho -- With stimulus checks hitting bank accounts and tax refunds on the horizon for some, financial experts are advising people to make a …

Idaho, Like Biden Administration, Could Bump Up Minimum Wage

BOISE, Idaho - As the Biden administration pushes to raise the minimum wage as part of novel coronavirus relief legislation, a bill in the Idaho …

An undisclosed donor is helping the organization Economic Opportunity offer 50 people in Idaho emergency personal loans. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

To Some Idahoans, Emergency Loans are "COVID Relief"

BOISE, Idaho - While there may be a light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, many Idahoans still face big financial challenges. One organization …

Idaho expanded Medicaid in 2020 to about 100,000 residents. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

ID Health-Care Advocates to Gov Little: Funds Available for Medicaid

BOISE, Idaho -- To kick off the Idaho legislative session, Gov. Brad Little gave his 2021 State of the State and Budget address on Monday. The …

About 1 in 9 Idaho families doesn't have health insurance during the pandemic. (Alliance/Adobe Stock)

Report: Idaho Families 'Left on Their Own' During Pandemic

BOISE, Idaho -- As in the rest of the country, families in Idaho are struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. A new report from the Annie E. Casey …

Idaho is allocating $300 million to small businesses affected by coronavirus. (Maridav/Adobe Stock)

Unable to Access Fed Aid, ID Small Businesses Have Chance at State Relief

BOISE, Idaho -- Many small businesses in Idaho were shut out of the federal government's popular coronavirus aid programs, so the Gem State is …

Volunteers in Idaho are stepping up to feed those in need across the state. (motortion/Adobe Stock)

ID Food Pantries See Spike in Folks Needing Meals

BOISE, Idaho -- More Idahoans are seeking help getting meals as businesses close their doors to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. The …

The USDA estimates 35% of meat goes unused. (waranyu/Adobe Stock)

Tip List: Don't Let Holiday Foods Go to Waste

BLACKFOOT, Idaho – The holidays mean lots of big meals – and also lots of food waste. But a few tips could help people put those …

Empty Bowls event on November 23, 2018 in Boise, Idaho, which raised about $43,000. (The Idaho Foodbank)

Filling 'Empty Bowls' for ID Families in Need This Holiday Season

BOISE, Idaho — It's the 22nd year of Empty Bowls, a post-Thanksgiving tradition in Boise to ensure fewer people are without food this holiday …

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide if it will take up a case involving Boise's rules for ticketing people who are homeless. (Srdjan/Adobe Stock)

Critic of Boise Mayor Skeptical about Public Forum on Homelessness

BOISE, Idaho – Boise Mayor Dave Bieter holds a community forum on homelessness today, but an attorney with a history of challenging the mayor …

Children's uninsured rates are nearly three times higherr in states that haven't expanded Medicaid. Idaho is expanding its Medicaid program in 2020. (Syda Productions/Adobe Stock)

Report: Steep Increase in ID Kids Without Health Coverage

BOISE, Idaho – Idaho has seen a sharp uptick in the rate of children without health care insurance, including the biggest jump of any state …

Idaho's application to add work requirements for Medicaid coverage notes the proposal could affect health coverage for 16,000 people. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

ID Submits 'One-Strike' Medicaid Work Requirement for Feds' Approval

BOISE, Idaho — The public comment period is open on Idaho's application to the federal government to add work reporting requirements to its …

A new Casey Foundation report says quality schools and parents' access to job opportunities are key for children in high-poverty neighborhoods. (Skyla Child/Idaho Air National Guard)

Report: More Rural ID Children Living in High-Poverty Neighborhoods

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho has seen little change in the number of children living in concentrated poverty since the Great Recession a decade ago…

Six schools in the Boise School District are providing services to make sure students are fed and have the proper clothing in the classroom. (Dan Hollar/Boise School District)

Boise Community Schools Model Supports Families Outside Classroom

BOISE, Idaho – Children are back in the classroom, but the students who are worried about food, clothing or housing have an extra test to …

Idaho is in the heart of its growing season and farmers markets are up in towns big and small. (Thomas Leth-Olsen/Flickr)

ID Farmers Markets: SNAP Dollars Go Twice As Far

BOISE, Idaho – The season for Idaho farmers markets is in full swing, offering nutritious and fresh options for folks around the state…

The uninsured rate for women of child-bearing age in states that haven't expanded Medicaid is nearly twice as high as expansion states. (blankita_ua/Pixabay)

Report: Medicaid Expansion Good for Health of Mom, Babies

BOISE, Idaho – Expanding Medicaid has helped states cover more mothers and children and improve their health along the way, according to a new …

The Medicaid expansion measure passed in November aimed to provide health insurance for the estimated 60,000 Idahoans who fall into the coverage gap. (Kencf0618/Wikimedia Commons)

Lawmakers Debate Medicaid Expansion Details as Session Winds Down

BOISE, Idaho - With the legislative session drawing to an end, Idaho lawmakers still are working out how to implement voter-backed Medicaid expansion…

Idaho is one of three states where voters decided to expand Medicaid this year. (darby/Twenty20)

Report: Idaho Children's Uninsured Rate Stagnates

BOISE, Idaho – After a decade of progress, the number of uninsured children went up last year nationwide. In an annual report released …

With rising rents and a growing population, Idaho is facing a shortage of affordable housing. (woodleywonderworks/Flickr)

Report: Idaho Incomes Fall Far Behind Rising Rents

BOISE, Idaho – Idaho renters are feeling the squeeze as rents have increased at three times the rate of wages in the state over the past few …

About 300,000 people will have access to health coverage after voters in three states, including Idaho, passed Medicaid expansion. (Reclaim Idaho)

Voters Push Idaho, Other States to Expand Medicaid

BOISE, Idaho – Idaho joined two other states on Election Day in expanding Medicaid to low-income residents. Proposition 2 passed by a wide …

Often the only option for low-income Americans, legal service providers help about 20 percent of qualifying clients in civil court cases. (annie29/Twenty20)

Legal Aid Services for Low-Income Idahoans Turns 50

BOISE, Idaho – An organization that offers a critical type of aid for Idaho's poorest residents turned 50 this week. Idaho Legal Aid Services …

In the past, Idahoans in the immigrant court system were referred to free and low-cost legal services in Montana or Washington. (Immigrant Justice Idaho)

Idaho's First Legal Services Org. for Low-Income Immigrants Launches

BOISE, Idaho — A new nonprofit has launched to give more Idahoans in immigrant court legal representation. Currently, only 25 percent of …

The uninsured rate for children has dropped twice as fast in states that expanded Medicaid, compared with those that didn't. (darby/Twenty20)

Study: Rural Idaho Left Behind Other States Where Medicaid Expanded

BOISE, Idaho - States that expanded Medicaid have seen the number of uninsured adults in rural communities drop three times faster than in states …

In their Supermarket Dash event, Treasure Valley credit unions raised $4,000 for their local food pantries. (Salvation Army Nampa Corps)

Dash Through Supermarket Helps Idaho Food Banks

BOISE, Idaho – With the holiday season a few months away and school back in session, food pantries are in need. This year, a group of Idaho …

Both urban and rural parts of Idaho have seen increases in the number of homeless students. (ms_psych/Twenty20)

Analysis: Student Homelessness Skyrockets in Idaho

BOISE, Idaho – Homelessness and a lack of stable housing for their families has soared among Idaho students in the past few years, according to …

Last year, more than three-quarters of the people in Idaho who received SNAP benefits were in families with children. (vikvarga/Pixabay)

Farm Bill Could Put Food Assistance at Risk for Idahoans

BOISE, Idaho – Low-income Idahoans who receive food benefits could be required to find jobs if that policy survives the final version of the 201…

The Boise Farmers Market offers a mobile market to neighborhoods around the city. (Tamara Cameron/Boise Farmers Market)

Double Up Food Bucks a Triple Win for Communities

BOISE, Idaho — Farmers markets across Idaho are offering people the chance to double how far their food benefits go on fresh fruits and …

Idaho's low participation rate in early education fails to set kids up for success later in their academic lives, according to a new report. (Idaho National Laboratory/Flickr)

Idaho Makes Gains in Child Well-Being; Progress Still Needed

BOISE, Idaho – Idaho is making gains in critical areas of children's well-being and ranks 21st in the nation, according to an annual report …

Summer meal programs are an important resource for working families when school isn't in session. (smgu3/Twenty20)

Idaho Ranks in Top Ten on Summer Meals Report

BOISE, Idaho - Idaho ranks in the top 10 for participation rates in summer lunch programs for kids, according to a new report. The Food Research and …

The Metro Meals on Wheels program serves more than 900 hot meals every weekday to seniors in the Treasure Valley. (Metro Meals on Wheels)

Fighting Senior Hunger During Older Americans Month

BOISE, Idaho – It's Older Americans Month, a celebration of the country's seniors and also a chance to recognize some of the challenges they …

Last year, the Idaho Foodbank received 173,000 pounds of food during the Stamp Out Hunger food drive. (Idaho Foodbank)

Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Comes Just in Time for Summer

BOISE, Idaho — It doesn't get much easier to donate than it will be during this Saturday's Stamp Out Hunger food drive. In Idaho, as well as …

Women make 76 cents for every dollar a man makes in Idaho. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Equal Pay Day: Idaho Ranks 42nd in Pay Equity for Women

BOISE, Idaho – Today is Equal Pay Day, marking how long women would have to work into this year in order to make what men did in 2017. …

An Idaho child care consultant says you might be sending a future leader to day care, so it's important to pick the facility carefully. (Eduardo Merille/Flickr)

What to Watch for When Choosing Child Care

POCATELLO, Idaho – How do parents know if a child care facility is right for them? The answer differs among families, but there are some …

The School Breakfast Program helps prepare students' minds for learning. (U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr)

Idaho Governor Proclaims School Breakfast Week

BOISE, Idaho – This week, Idaho and states across the nation are celebrating the importance of breakfast for students. President of the Idaho …

Lajohnna Honey was part of the Food Is Medicine pilot program, and got to pick her own fresh food at a local farm. (Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force)

Project Uses "Prescriptive Power" of Doctors to Promote Good Nutrition

BOISE, Idaho – A mission to get patients in clinics greater access to healthy food is expanding in Idaho. The St. Luke's Community Health …

Thursday is the deadline for Congress to reauthorize funding for community health center. (Erik Drost/Flickr)

Community Health Centers Breathe Sigh of Relief with Potential Budget Deal

BOISE, Idaho – After more than three months on the precipice, funding for community health centers looks poised for reauthorization. Budget …

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ID: Poverty Issues