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In Southwest Virginia, Reestablishing a Rural Hospital System Requires Rebuilding Trust

Taylor Sisk

July 08, 2021 |

100 Days in Appalachia |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Virginia

When two hospital systems merged to create Ballad Health, agreements ensured all hospitals would stay open for at least five years and essential services in each of the rural and poorly served counties would be maintained. Enforceable price controls lowered patient costs and, in an effort to rebuild community trust and improve overall health, $308 million was committed to community-based care. The community health programs are based on the missions of organizations like Health Wagon, which serves its rural patients by forming personal relationships, being easily accessible, and understanding their needs.

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20 million Americans still don't have enough to eat. A grass-roots movement of free fridges aims to help

Heather Long

June 28, 2021 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The pandemic economy has left more people without money for quality food, a need addressed in some communities by "freedges" – community-run refrigerators dispensing free food. The food gets donated by groceries, restaurants, and individuals. Volunteers maintain the fridges, which typically are placed outdoors on a sidewalk. This form of "mutual aid" has grown in popularity nationwide, despite food-safety concerns by city health officials.

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Chocpocalypse Now! Quarantine and the Future of Food

Nicola Twilley Cynthia Graber Geoff Manaugh

June 22, 2021 |

Gastropod |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Australia, Barrow Island, Western Australia

Off the coast of Australia, the energy company Chevron is experimenting with new quarantine management techniques to ensure that any plants and pests don’t hitchhike to new places, which can devastate the global food economy. They’ve redesigned shipping containers to make it harder for insects to tag along and they’ve created a video game to train workers on how to be better at finding these pests in their inspections. Some creatures and plants can slip through the process, but these tools have been successful and could be used in other ways.

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Big shots: The multicultural hustle for herd immunity in New Orleans

Kaylee Poche Sarah Ravits

June 21, 2021 |

Gambit |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Orleans, Louisiana

As demand for vaccinations plateaued and vaccination rates in Louisiana lagged outside of New Orleans, health officials found a variety of targeted, small events to reach various subcultures. These pop-up events dealt in small numbers, but chipped away at people's hesitancy with easy access, information, and community leaders' endorsements. And, this being Louisiana, the vaccination events often featured music and local delicacies, from boiled crawfish to beignets and booze.

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New grocery store reflects Cornerstone church's belief that 'South Dallas deserves beautiful things'

Sujata Dand

June 16, 2021 |

Dallas Free Press |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Dallas, Texas

The new Southpoint Community Market in Dallas is the product of seven years of planning in a process based on community input about the need for accessible, nutritious, affordable food and other everyday groceries. Anchoring what once was a run-down shopping center, the new grocery and coffee bar is supported by Cornerstone Community Enterprises, a nearby church's philanthropic arm, and the Real Estate Council Foundation, which will cover the store's financial losses until it is self-sustaining. The store is part of a larger effort to provide for a healthier neighborhood.

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Philly Families Are Taking Charge of Their Own Food Security

Emily Nonko

June 15, 2021 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In 2014, the community organization Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha piloted a community-based Food Buying Club in Philadelphia. This initiative allowed local residents to buy food in bulk at wholesale prices. The goal was to strengthen food security and combat the lack of affordable and nutritious food in their neighborhood. Despite distributing over 62,000 pounds of fresh produce, the program shut down due to financial reasons. Now, after forming an advisory council and working on their business strategy with others in the community, the club is reopening and is looking to expand across the city.

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Federal program that helps farmers during the pandemic is changing the local food landscape

Kate Bradshaw

June 13, 2021 |

The Almanac |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, California

The Farmers to Family program, an initiative from the U.S Department of Agriculture set aside $3 billion for its Farmers to Families Food Box program, part of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The program awarded contracts farmers and distributors to provide food for families experiencing food insecurity. The article lays out some of the challenges with the program like issues with how the contracts were awarded, difficulty coordinating between distributors and farmers, stringent requirements, as well as the quick, creative solutions that were deployed to overcome them.

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Internet from the moon: Varsity scholar nurtures his concept on inexpensive internet.

David Owino

June 11, 2021 |

Zulani |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

To make internet connectivity accessible and affordable across Africa, Dr. Harold Omondi developed “internet from the moon,” a technology that uses satellite dishes to communicate with transponders placed in the moon several years ago by NASA. The transponders can send and receive information and, since the moon keeps the same side of its surface pointed towards earth, the connection cannot be lost. Still in the piloting phase, the system currently offers free internet at Jomo Kenyatta University, where over 1,200 people login every day, and has another station in South Sudan serving 300-500 people daily.

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Affordable housing expansion happening on Indy's west side

Stephanie Wade

June 09, 2021 |

WRTV-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Indianapolis, Indiana

With 2,300 people on a wait list for affordable housing, the city of Indianapolis pumped $3 million into a vouchers program for 2021 that has already housed 672 people. Some of the vouchers are set aside for military veterans and their families experiencing homelessness. The city contracted with a national affordable-housing developer and property manager. The housing market has priced many people out of affordable, safe options. A new 61-unit development is under construction, with more homes dedicated to reducing the numbers of unhoused veterans.

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Recovered Covid Patients Send Their Leftover Meds to Those in Need

Priti Salian

June 08, 2021 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Mumbai

Volunteers with India’s Meds For More initiative (MFM) collect leftover unused medications from recovered Covid-19 patients by canvassing their apartment buildings, offices, student clubs, schools, and other locations. Once collected, MFM distributes them to NGOs licensed to work in the health sector, who transport the medicines to marginalized communities in urban and rural areas. Medical professionals sort and pack the medicines and give them to local hospitals and health care centers, who distribute them to patients. The success of the program has inspired similar initiatives in several other cities.

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