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More than half of single parents in Wyoming earn less than $17 per hour, according to an Oxfam America report. (Adobe Stock)

More than 1 in 4 WY workers would benefit from higher minimum wage

More than 80,000 Wyoming workers would benefit from an increased minimum wage, according to a new report. Wyoming is one of 16 states where …

The Food Bank of Wyoming distributed nearly 10 million pounds of food to patrons last year. (Adobe Stock)

Grant helps WY pantries source food locally

As summer begins, people who rely on Food Bank of Wyoming will start seeing more local options, thanks to a new grant. The U.S. Department of …

The Food Bank of Wyoming operates 19 mobile food pantries and recently launched the Fresh Express Route, which distributes nutrient-rich produce to 50 hunger relief partners by semi-truck. (Adobe Stock)

WY Food Bank distributed 10.8 million pounds of food in 2023

Working with more than 150 hunger relief partners across the state, Food Bank of Wyoming was able to distribute nearly 11 million pounds of food in 20…

One in four Wyoming kids lives in single-parent families, according to Wyoming Community Foundation data. Such children are more likely to live in poverty compared with their peers in married-parent families. (Adobe Stock)

Training, mental health recovery called key for single moms to escape poverty

A Wyoming nonprofit is helping single mothers climb out of poverty by connecting them with the training and support they need to step into and succeed…

Eighty-six percent of rural parents cited lack of child care as the main reason they or their partner were not able to work. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Lack of child care in Wyoming threatens viability of rural communities

Child care is an essential component of strong communities throughout the U.S. - but finding a provider is significantly more difficult in rural …

The Food Bank of Wyoming is asking for help from the public to meet rising food needs during the holiday season. (Food Bank of Wyoming)

Food banks, pantries address rising food insecurity during winter holidays

The number of people in Wyoming who don't know where their next meal will come from is on the rise, according to new U.S. Department of Agriculture …

Many of the companies lobbying for tax breaks have paid very little in taxes. Netflix, for example, has paid federal corporate income taxes equal to less than 1% of its reported profits over four years. (Adobe Stock)

Congress urged to consider business tax cuts, child tax credit

Lawmakers in Congress are facing mounting pressure from corporate lobbyists to pass business tax breaks before the end of the year but new analysis su…

Wyoming has gained some ground in food-insecurity rates over the past decade. In 2012, nearly 14% of families were food insecure, compared with 11.4% in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

One in three single-parent households experienced hunger last year

The number of families in Wyoming and across the nation struggling to put food on the table rose dramatically last year, according to a new report …

In 2020, almost half of Wyoming students owed an average of $23,510 in student loan debt. (Adobe Stock)

Over 5,000 Wyoming Residents in New Student Loan Repayment Plan

More than 4 million student loan borrowers, including 5,100 in Wyoming, are now enrolled in the Biden-Harris Administration's new Saving on A …

Wyoming ranks in the bottom five states alongside South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, in children's health. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wyoming Children Near Bottom Nationally for Health

Wyoming dropped from 14th to 27th nationally in this year's Kids Count Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which ranks states for …

A new Annie E. Casey Foundation report found a 35% increase in the number of kids in Wyoming entering foster care due to abuse. (Adobe Stock)

Helping Wyoming Foster Youths Succeed as Adults

The number of Wyoming children in foster care between the ages of 14 and 21 has dropped by 54% over the past two decades, according to a new Annie E…

An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people are expected to be dropped from Medicaid rolls in Wyoming. (Adobe Stock)

Keeping Older Wyoming Residents from Losing Nursing Home Coverage

Congress has put an end to a pandemic-era policy prohibiting states from dropping Medicaid recipients from their rolls, and 15 million people in …

Nearly one in five new mothers participating in Wyoming's Medicaid Pregnant Women Program lose their health insurance 60 days after giving birth. (Adobe Stock)

WY Lawmakers Consider Extended Health Coverage for New Moms

New mothers in Wyoming enrolled in the Medicaid Pregnant Women Program lose their health insurance 60 days after giving birth, but a new bill making …

Billionaire wealth has increased by $2.7 billion per day, while more than 1.7 billion people live in countries where their wages, adjusted for inflation, have declined. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Rich Got Richer, Workers Left Behind During Pandemic

The world's richest 1% took home almost twice as much wealth as the bottom 99% combined during the pandemic, according to a new Oxfam International …

One in eight individuals in Wyoming, and one in six children, do not know where their next meal will come from. (Adobe Stock)

Food Bank Ramps Up Thanksgiving Food Assistance

Turkeys and other holiday standards are still available for struggling families through food pantries, senior centers, school districts and other …

Food insecurity among adults ages 65 and older living alone reached the highest rates in 20 years between 2020 and 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Millions of Older Adults Experience Food Insecurity

Some 35 million people in Wyoming and across the U.S. struggle to put food on the table, and older adults experiencing food insecurity face numerous …

Education data showed 63% of Wyoming eighth graders scored below proficient in math, and 59% of fourth graders were below proficient in reading. Both figures are better than the national averages of 67% and 66%, respectively. (Adobe Stock)

New Annie E. Casey Publication Ranks Wyoming 14th for Child Well-Being

Wyoming ranks 14th in the nation for promoting children's overall well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest report on child …

Wyoming's eight community health centers serve some 50,000 patients each year, and contribute $71 billion to the state's economy. (Adobe Stock)

Safety-Net Health Centers Eye ARPA to Expand Care

Wyoming lawmakers are set to distribute $85 million in federal pandemic relief for capital-improvement projects, and Tracy Brosius - the CEO of …

Wyoming has set a target to get 82% of Wyoming's working population ages 25-64 to complete a valuable postsecondary credential or degree by 2040. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Students Could Help with Unfilled Jobs

Nearly 95,000 Wyomingites have completed some college, but have not earned a degree or credential, according to new data from the National Student …

In fiscal year 2021, the Wyoming Food Bank distributed more than 13 million pounds of food, a 12% increase over 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Food Bank to Distribute Water to Rawlins Residents

Water is a precious commodity in Wyoming and across the Mountain West, and the Wyoming Food Bank is headed to replenish supplies for Rawlins …

Children who are incarcerated are less likely to graduate from high school and find employment later in life. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Incarcerated Children Severely Undercounted

Nearly a quarter-million children were incarcerated in the U.S. in 2019, about five times more than annual point-in-time counts, according to a new …

The Wyoming Hospital Association estimated expanding Medicaid would cut uncompensated-care costs by more than $100 million a year. (Adobe Stock)

Medicaid Expansion Proponents Not Backing Down

Supporters of expanding Medicaid in Wyoming said they will regroup after lawmakers once again blocked an expansion proposal late last week. Jeff …

Even though Wyoming officials have tried to prioritize mental-health care for youths, many facilities are having difficulties keeping their doors open due to budget cuts. (Adobe Stock)

Holiday Poses Challenges for Foster Youths Aging Out of System

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Young people in Wyoming who have not been adopted officially age out of the foster-care system when they turn 18, joining 24,000 …

Social Security lifts more than one million U.S. children out of poverty, along with some 26,000 elderly residents in Wyoming. (Adobe Stock)

Economists Challenge Warnings of Social Security's Demise

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Social Security, the program credited with lifting 15 million older residents in Wyoming and across the U.S. out of poverty…

Nearly one in three Wyoming adults with children reported feeling down, depressed or hopeless in March. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wyoming Still Far Behind on Children's Health Care

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Wyoming ranks 45th nationally for child health, and an estimated 15,000 Wyoming kids do not have health insurance, according to The …

Accessing health insurance has been a major barrier for small businesses during COVID-19. (Adobe Stock)

Consumers, Employers and Small Businesses Say Health Reform Needed

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Consumers, employers, and small business owners in Wyoming and across the U.S. agree that it's time to go big on health care reform…

Children in states that expanded their Medicaid programs are almost twice as likely to have health coverage than children in the 12 non-expansion states, including Wyoming. (Depositphotos)

WY Medicaid Expansion Could Advance in Joint Revenue Committee

RIVERTON, Wyo. -- Wyoming lawmakers are giving Medicaid expansion a second look at today's Joint Revenue Committee meeting in Riverton, after …

A majority of women are breadwinners in their families. (Pixabay)

Survey: Moms Want More Than Breakfast in Bed This Mother’s Day

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Mother's Day draws near, a new survey conducted by the Institute for Women's Policy Research offers a clearer picture of what …

During the Trump administration, oil and gas companies acquired more than 7,000 federal drilling permits and stockpiled more than 13 million acres of oil and gas leases on public lands. (Nicholas A. Tonelli/Flickr)

Legal Battle Expands Over Oil/Gas Lease Pause

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- A legal battle is unfolding over the Biden administration's pause on oil and gas lease sales on public lands. Wyoming and industry …

Wyoming ranks second nationally behind Texas for its rate of uninsured children at 10.6%. (World Bank/Flickr)

Report: Lower Rates of Uninsured Kids Linked to Medicaid Expansion

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming lawmakers consider a proposal to expand Medicaid coverage, a new Georgetown University Center for Children and Families …

States dependent on tourism and energy production revenues have been disproportionately impacted by economic fallout from COVID-19. (Roger Sylvia/Wikimedia Commons)

Report: COVID Stimulus Could Soften Wyoming Budget Shortfall

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wyoming and other states facing steep budget shortfalls could bounce back as early as next year if the federal government invests …

AARP's most recent survey found that 90% of adults age 65 and older want to stay in their<br />homes and communities as they age. (A Place for Mom)

Senior Home-Care Cuts Could Expand State Budget Shortfalls

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- When Wyoming lawmakers reconvene in early March, advocates for people age fifty and older are hoping to convince them to preserve a …

Wyoming's $1.2 billion budget shortfall has triggered cuts to programs critical for children and families in the state. (Pixabay)

Report: WY Families Struggle with Food Insecurity, Mental Health

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Families in Wyoming are coping somewhat better than in other states when it comes to putting food on the table and keeping a roof …

One in six Wyoming residents currently does not know where his or her next meal will come from. (Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies)

Food Bank "Leans In" to Meet Growing Demand Across WY

EVANSVILLE, Wyo. -- Food banks in Wyoming and across the nation are seeing unprecedented demand in the wake of economic fallout from the coronavirus …

A 2011 AARP survey shows 90% of adults age 65 and older want to stay in their homes and communities as they age. (Marzena P/Pixabay)

Weighing the Costs of Cutting Home-Care Services

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming lawmakers wrestle with a staggering $750 million budget deficit, the state's largest advocacy organization for people …

A Wyoming law currently requires public pensions for firefighters, teachers and other public-sector workers to be 100% funded before any cost-of-living increases can be approved. (Pixabay)

Public Retirees Want WY Lawmakers to Follow OK Lead on Inflation Adjustment

Correction: Vicki Swenson is the president of Wyoming Education Association-Retired, rather than the past president of Wyoming Education Association…

Some 32,000 Wyoming kids live in homes where parents lack secure employment, and 10,000 don't have health insurance coverage. (USAF)

Wyoming Struggles to Catch Up in Children's Health

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- A new report ranks Wyoming 16th among states for the overall well-being of its children, down from last year when the Cowboy State …

Key elements for phasing out fossil fuels in a managed way include social protection for fossil fuel workers, sound investments in low-emission sectors, and local economic diversification. (Pixabay)

Report: Protecting Workers Key to Phasing Out Fossil-Fuel Dependence

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming's oil and gas sector continues to struggle during the coronavirus pandemic, a new report in the journal Climate Policy …

Women across the United States, already stretched thin as both breadwinners and primary caregivers, now are also charged with teaching kids. (Pixabay)

Women's Monthly Job Losses Five Times Losses in Great Recession

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Since the coronavirus sent the U.S. economy into a medically induced coma, more than 21 million jobs have been lost. And research …

School food service staff members in Wyoming are shifting gears as classrooms close, and finding creative ways to make sure children don't go hungry during the COVID-19 crisis. (Wyoming Department of Education)

WY School Districts Offer Healthy Meals for Kids at Home

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming joins the national effort to protect public health in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis by closing classrooms, school …

Wyoming's retired firefighters, teachers and other public sector workers have lost an estimated 21% of their spending power since the last pension inflation adjustment in 2008. (Pixabay)

Retired Teachers, Police, Other Public Workers Could See Pension Bump

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- The cost of health care, groceries and housing has increased dramatically since 2008, the last time Wyoming's retired public …

The 12% reduction in Wyoming state pension checks due to rising healthcare costs equals about four tanks of gas and a half-month's worth of groceries. (Daniel Case/Wikimedia Commons)

WY Retirees Face Steep Health Insurance Increases

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – On December 1, retired public employees in Wyoming saw a 12% increase in the cost of their health coverage, which is taken …

Vertical Harvest operates on one-tenth of an acre, yet grows produce at a rate equivalent to a traditional five acre soil farm. (Vertical Harvest)

Other-Abled Workers Fuel Vertical Farm in Jackson

JACKSON, Wyo. – An indoor vertical farm in Jackson that produces and sells roughly 100,000 pounds of fresh produce annually is powered by a …

Currently, only 8% of Wyoming families can afford infant care, according to federal affordability standards. (Pixnio)

Infant Care Not Affordable for Vast Majority of Wyoming Families

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – A new Economic Policy Institute report shows how hard it is for Wyoming families to pay for early child care and education for …

In the 1980s, just 1-in-3 retired households were financially insecure, compared with nearly 1-in-2 today. (401kcalculator/Flickr)

Retirement Security Out of Reach for Many in Wyoming

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Fewer employers offering pensions, a lack of retirement savings, higher health costs and longer life expectancy is putting the …

On average, school districts spend $21,000 to recruit and train a new teacher, but four years after graduation, only 10 percent who enter the profession are still in the classroom. (Woodleywonderworks/Flickr)

Report: Moonlighting Teachers Connected to Shortage

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – A new report puts a spotlight on the economic stress facing people who choose a career in teaching. Emma Garcia, the report's …

Studies spanning more than 30 years, covering virtually every state that uses capital punishment, have found that race is a significant factor in death penalty cases. (Giftedhands/Flickr)

Campaign Launches to End Death Penalty in Wyoming

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Dozens of Wyoming residents, civic and faith leaders have launched the Wyoming Campaign to End the Death Penalty in the 2020 …

In Casper, workers must earn at least $16 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment. Residents of Fremont, Calif., must earn a six-figure salary to rent a median-priced one-bedroom apartment. (Blue Diamond Gallery)

Wyoming Rental Housing Costs Rising Faster than Wages

CASPER, Wyo. — Rents are on the rise in Wyoming and across the nation, according to a new report from Apartment List. Almost half of renting …

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WY: Poverty Issues