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  31. <title>On Virtues of Growing Carrots</title>
  32. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/on-virtues-of-growing-carrots/2025/10/21/</link>
  33. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/on-virtues-of-growing-carrots/2025/10/21/#respond</comments>
  35. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anya Petrone Slepyan]]></dc:creator>
  36. <pubDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  37. <category><![CDATA[Agriculture]]></category>
  38. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233295</guid>
  39.  
  40. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  41. <p>On a sunny fall morning, a dozen people kneel in the freshly turned earth of a carrot patch, chatting as they unearth the bright orange vegetables. Working as a team, they sort the carrots into bunches, tie them off with rubber bands, and toss them into buckets of water to keep them fresh. These carrots [&#8230;]</p>
  42. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/on-virtues-of-growing-carrots/2025/10/21/">On Virtues of Growing Carrots</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  43. ]]></description>
  44. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06717-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  45. <p class="has-drop-cap">On a sunny fall morning, a dozen people kneel in the freshly turned earth of a carrot patch, chatting as they unearth the bright orange vegetables. Working as a team, they sort the carrots into bunches, tie them off with rubber bands, and toss them into buckets of water to keep them fresh.</p>
  46.  
  47.  
  48.  
  49. <p>These carrots are some of the last produce that will be harvested this year at Cerro Vista farm, an 18-acre farm in Taos County, in northern New Mexico. The area, sitting at over 7500 feet above sea level, has a short growing season of only around 90 days. But the team of farmers, which includes teenagers and young adults, makes the most of it.&nbsp;<br><br>The youngest carrot harvester in the group is thirteen. The oldest – Daniel Carmona, the owner of Cerro Vista Farm – is 75 (and a half). The carrots were planted as part of the <a href="https://www.cultivoproject.org/">Cultivo Project</a>, a non-profit initiative that employs youth interns to grow food at Cerro Vista farm and sell it at the nearby Questa Farmers Market and other local businesses around Taos County.</p>
  50.  
  51.  
  52.  
  53. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233298" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06744-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>&nbsp;A multigenerational team works to harvest carrots at Cerro Vista Farm in northern New Mexico. The farm is the site of the Cultivo Project, which teaches teenagers and young adults about local sustainable agriculture. (Credit: Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</em></figcaption></figure>
  54.  
  55.  
  56.  
  57. <p>Gaea McGahee is the director of the Cultivo Project and the founder of the Questa Farmers Market. She first began employing local youth at the farmers market as a way to draw in the community and provide job opportunities for teenagers and young adults in the rural community. But since 2024, youth interns have also participated in growing the crops at Cerro Vista.</p>
  58.  
  59.  
  60.  
  61. <p>The program employs the most young people during the summer, when school is out. However, because Questa Independent School District has a four-day school week, school-aged students are able to continue working into the fall on Fridays when there is no school.</p>
  62.  
  63.  
  64.  
  65. <p>The youngest interns get paid $15 an hour, while older apprentices are paid $17-$18 an hour.&nbsp;</p>
  66.  
  67.  
  68.  
  69. <p>But in addition their wages, McGahee believes the teens benefit from seeing the crops through, from seedlings to the final harvest.&nbsp;</p>
  70.  
  71.  
  72.  
  73. <p>“Maybe they didn’t know the whole picture at the beginning of the season. There are these tiny carrots, and you’re supposed to weed around them, and it’s tedious,” she said. “And then all of a sudden they’re really, really big. And then you’re digging up the whole row and pulling them out and bunching them. You went through all the steps, and now it’s very satisfying.”</p>
  74.  
  75.  
  76.  
  77. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="603" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255-1296x1002.jpg?resize=780%2C603&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233299" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=1296%2C1002&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=760%2C588&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=768%2C594&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=1536%2C1188&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=2048%2C1584&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=1200%2C928&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=1024%2C792&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=2000%2C1547&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=780%2C603&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=400%2C309&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255.jpg?resize=706%2C546&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_2157-scaled-e1759173305255-1296x1002.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Earlier in the season, Gaea McGahee poses with the growing carrots. (Credit: Martha Morgan)</em></figcaption></figure>
  78.  
  79.  
  80.  
  81. <p>According to the Cultivo Project’s website, the mission of the program is “to grow food security, cultural continuity, and economic vitality in northern Taos County by inspiring, educating, and equipping the next generation.”</p>
  82.  
  83.  
  84.  
  85. <p>The transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next is a critical part of the program. Youth interns and apprentices are mentored by older, more experienced farmers, and the whole project is overseen by Daniel Carmona, who first began farming in Taos County in 1979.</p>
  86.  
  87.  
  88.  
  89. <p>With nearly 50 years of experience, Carmona is an expert at farming in the tricky high-elevation, low-water environment of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, as well as managing the difficult economics of small local farms.&nbsp;</p>
  90.  
  91.  
  92.  
  93. <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter" data-effect="slide" style="--aspect-ratio:calc(1296 / 960)"><div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper"><ul class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper"><li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"><figure><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="578" alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-233300" data-id="233300" data-aspect-ratio="1296 / 960" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515.jpg?resize=780%2C578&#038;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C960&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C563&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C569&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1138&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1517&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C889&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C758&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1481&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C578&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C296&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C523&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06515-1296x960.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Daniel Carmona has mentored young farmers at Cerro Vista farm for decades. He continues that work through the Cultivo Project. (Credit: Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure></li><li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"><figure><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-233301" data-id="233301" data-aspect-ratio="1296 / 864" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06700-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Daniel Carmona has mentored young farmers at Cerro Vista farm for decades. He continues that work through the Cultivo Project. (Credit: Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure></li></ul><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a aria-label="Pause Slideshow" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause" role="button"></a><div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white"></div></div></div>
  94.  
  95.  
  96.  
  97. <p>Carmona said that he benefited from getting into farming at the right time. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the <a href="https://ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/chart-detail?chartId=104402#:~:text=According%20to%20USDA's%20Agricultural%20Marketing,increase%20between%202016%20and%202017.">number of farmers markets</a> in the United States grew fivefold from 1,755 in 1994 to 8,771 in 2019.</p>
  98.  
  99.  
  100.  
  101. <p>But the growth of farmers markets has plateaued in recent years, and the 2022 Census of Agriculture showed that there were roughly 140,000 fewer American farms in 2022 than there were in 2017. According to the <a href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/new-census-shows-alarming-loss-of-family-farms">American Farm Bureau Federation</a>, small-scale family-owned farms like Cerro Vista farm are especially threatened. The census also showed that farmers are aging – fewer than 300,000 are younger than 35, compared with 1.3 million farmers who are at or beyond retirement age.&nbsp;</p>
  102.  
  103.  
  104.  
  105. <p>The Cultivo Project represents a local effort to reverse these trends.&nbsp;</p>
  106.  
  107.  
  108.  
  109. <p>“The number of small farms is declining, but people still need to eat, and the quality of food still needs to be excellent,” Carmona said. “We need to keep it growing.”</p>
  110.  
  111.  
  112.  
  113. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="468" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1.jpg?resize=780%2C468&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233377" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C778&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C456&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C461&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C921&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1229&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C720&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C614&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C468&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C240&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C424&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06801-1-1296x778.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> Forty different varieties of vegetables, beans, and grains are grown on Cerro Vista Farm. (Credit: Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  114.  
  115.  
  116.  
  117. <p>One way to do that is to work with young people who don’t necessarily come from agricultural backgrounds.&nbsp;</p>
  118.  
  119.  
  120.  
  121. <p>“I see cultivo as a way to bring people into farming, who might not have access otherwise,” McGahee said.</p>
  122.  
  123.  
  124.  
  125. <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex">
  126. <p>Espiranza Quintana began volunteering with Carmona on Cerro Vista farm when she was eleven years old. Now twenty, she is in her first semester studying agriculture at the University of New Mexico, Taos, and is an apprentice with the Cultivo Project. After she graduates, she hopes to grow vegetables and raise livestock on a farm of her own.</p>
  127. </div>
  128.  
  129.  
  130.  
  131. <p>She says that working with Carmona has been instrumental in growing her passion for farming and helping her envision a future in agriculture, even with the economic difficulties facing small farms.</p>
  132.  
  133.  
  134.  
  135. <p>“I hope to make at least a little impact in my community, but with the way the economy is going, it’s rough because you never know what’s going to happen,” Quintana said. “But it just makes me so happy, being able to provide fresh food to my community.”</p>
  136.  
  137.  
  138.  
  139. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233376" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06784-1-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Espiranza Quintana began volunteering at Cerro Vista farm when she was eleven years old. Now an apprentice with the Cultivo Project, she dreams of having her own farm one day. (Credit: Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  140.  
  141.  
  142.  
  143. <p>Through the Cultivo Project, Carmona is able to share his decades of accumulated knowledge about growing vegetables in Taos County’s unique climate. But he also works with youth like Quintana to help them understand the economics of farm management and how to develop an annual farm plan that will turn a profit.&nbsp;</p>
  144.  
  145.  
  146.  
  147. <p>One of his most important lessons is that to be successful, any small farmer needs access to two things: water and markets.&nbsp;</p>
  148.  
  149.  
  150.  
  151. <p>A private well – critical in northern New Mexico’s high desert – provides the first necessity. And communities around Taos County provide the second.&nbsp;</p>
  152.  
  153.  
  154.  
  155. <p>The project sells to local farm-to-table restaurants and the food bank in nearby Questa. Some Cultivo produce is even sold in the local grocery store, the Sangre de Cristo Valley Market, which reopened last year in an effort to <a href="https://questanews.com/sangre-de-cristo-valley-market-brings-foodsecurity-to-northern-taos-county/">increase food security and accessibility</a> in northern Taos County.&nbsp;</p>
  156.  
  157.  
  158.  
  159. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233305" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06492-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Cultivo carrots can be purchased at the locally owned Sangre de Cristo Valley Market, just fifteen minutes from Cerro Vista Farm. (Credit: Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder).</em></figcaption></figure>
  160.  
  161.  
  162.  
  163. <p>The Cultivo Project also runs a community-supported agriculture, or CSA program that provides a box of vegetables to nearly thirty clients each week during the growing season. And the project is a regular vendor at the Questa Farmers Market, where youth employees are paid to sell the produce they’ve grown themselves.</p>
  164.  
  165.  
  166.  
  167. <p>For middle and high-school-aged students, this work is an opportunity to develop a sense of autonomy and responsibility, according to Carmona.</p>
  168.  
  169.  
  170.  
  171. <p>“The kids are choosing to come here, and they’re getting paid, and then they get to choose what to do with that money,” Carmona said. “So it’s giving them a choice, at this stage in their life, to decide what life is about.”</p>
  172.  
  173.  
  174.  
  175. <p>The program has also helped participants forge meaningful relationships across generations, not only as mentors and mentees, but also as friends and equals, Carmona said.&nbsp;</p>
  176.  
  177.  
  178.  
  179. <p>Of course, working with teenagers isn’t always easy. Adult crews seldom need reminding that wheelbarrows are for carrying loads, not racing. And some tomato-throwing may be expected when the pickers are eighth-graders who are beyond ready for snack time.</p>
  180.  
  181.  
  182.  
  183. <p>But overall, Carmona and McGahee have found that their faith in their teenage participants is not misplaced.</p>
  184.  
  185.  
  186.  
  187. <p>“We trust them, and they rise to the occasion,” McGahee said.</p>
  188. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/on-virtues-of-growing-carrots/2025/10/21/">On Virtues of Growing Carrots</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  189. ]]></content:encoded>
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  192. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  195. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233295</post-id> </item>
  196. <item>
  197. <title>The Black Women Driving a Food Revolution in Rural Mississippi</title>
  198. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/the-black-women-driving-a-food-revolution-in-rural-mississippi/2025/10/21/</link>
  199. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/the-black-women-driving-a-food-revolution-in-rural-mississippi/2025/10/21/#respond</comments>
  201. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Aallyah Wright / Capital B]]></dc:creator>
  202. <pubDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2025 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  203. <category><![CDATA[Community & Economic Development]]></category>
  204. <category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
  205. <category><![CDATA[repub]]></category>
  206. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233572</guid>
  207.  
  208. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  209. <p>This story was originally published by Capital B. Sowing Resilience:&#160;Rural communities across the country are grappling with food insecurity. Schoolchildren, seniors, grocers and even farmers face a food crisis compounded by government cuts and soaring costs. These nine stories reveal how communities are navigating — and reimagining — the systems that have left them hungry. [&#8230;]</p>
  210. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/the-black-women-driving-a-food-revolution-in-rural-mississippi/2025/10/21/">The Black Women Driving a Food Revolution in Rural Mississippi</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  211. ]]></description>
  212. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1251-scaled-1.webp?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  213. <p class="has-text-align-center"><em>This story was originally published by <a href="https://capitalbnews.org/black-women-mississippi-delta-food-deserts/">Capital B</a></em>.</p>
  214.  
  215.  
  216.  
  217. <p><em><strong>Sowing Resilience:&nbsp;</strong>Rural communities across the country are grappling with food insecurity. Schoolchildren, seniors, grocers and even farmers face a food crisis compounded by government cuts and soaring costs. These nine stories reveal how communities are navigating — and reimagining — the systems that have left them hungry.</em></p>
  218.  
  219.  
  220.  
  221. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  222.  
  223.  
  224.  
  225. <p>Grocery store owner Marquitrice Mangham hurries out of the sweltering August heat of the Mississippi Delta and enters her newly opened Farmacy Marketplace. </p>
  226.  
  227.  
  228.  
  229. <p>She arrives about an hour before the doors open at 10 a.m.</p>
  230.  
  231.  
  232.  
  233. <p>It’s a quiet Friday morning in Oakland, Mississippi, except for the occasional screech of tires from semitrucks passing by on Highway 51. Oakland, fewer than 30 miles from her hometown of Webb, is home to about 400 residents, more than half of whom are Black.&nbsp;</p>
  234.  
  235.  
  236.  
  237. <p>Inside the store, Mangham greets and praises her assistant manager, Kini Bradford-Jefferson. She emphasizes that without her, the store couldn’t operate. They laugh, ask each other how they are doing and tidy up the 3,000-square-foot space.</p>
  238.  
  239.  
  240.  
  241. <p>Until April, Oakland had been without a grocery store.&nbsp;</p>
  242.  
  243.  
  244. <div class="wp-block-image">
  245. <figure class="alignright"><img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/capitalbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSF1264-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-21864"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Marquitrice Mangham stands outside mobile food truck in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Hardiman)</figcaption></figure></div>
  246.  
  247.  
  248. <p>In rural areas, particularly in the Delta, residents face some of the highest rates of food insecurity and unemployment in the state, resulting in poor health outcomes such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. These communities have high populations of Black people. They often struggle to attract grocery stores and are overwhelmed&nbsp;<a href="https://capitalbnews.org/dollar-stores-black-communities/">by a striking growth of dollar stores</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  249.  
  250.  
  251.  
  252. <p>Around 14% of Americans — more than 47 million people — were food insecure at some point during 2023, according to an Associated Press analysis of U.S. Census Bureau and Feeding America data.</p>
  253.  
  254.  
  255.  
  256. <p>​​Mississippi had a food insecurity rate of 18%, higher than the national rate.</p>
  257.  
  258.  
  259.  
  260. <p>The U.S. Department of Agriculture will&nbsp;<a href="https://investigativenewsnetwork-org.tmailroute.net/x/d?c=47953958&amp;l=43352f3c-661e-4ad2-a278-11ef6f427485&amp;r=52b6ef4e-988f-49df-998a-ceebef0511a1">stop collecting and releasing statistics on food insecurity</a>&nbsp;after October 2025, saying the numbers had become “overly politicized.” The decision comes in the wake of&nbsp;<a href="https://investigativenewsnetwork-org.tmailroute.net/x/d?c=47953958&amp;l=887d432b-9462-4108-b161-d58350ac7752&amp;r=52b6ef4e-988f-49df-998a-ceebef0511a1">federal funding cuts</a>&nbsp;for food and nutrition safety net programs nationwide.</p>
  261.  
  262.  
  263.  
  264. <p>Getting consistent support from the government to fight hunger is often a struggle. For the second year in a row, the Mississippi Department of Health and Human Services&nbsp;<a href="https://mississippitoday.org/2025/02/03/mississippi-again-turns-down-millions-of-dollars-to-feed-low-income-kids-during-summer-months/">opted out of a federal program</a>&nbsp;that would’ve provided kids with $40 in grocery assistance in the summer months. Advocates worry this decision could increase hunger and health issues. Recent federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the elimination of grants geared to help farmers and improve food access compound the problem.&nbsp;</p>
  265.  
  266.  
  267.  
  268. <p>Despite all these challenges, Black women like Mangham are stepping up. From grocery stores to food distribution services, they’re leading community-centered solutions to feed their families and improve the health and well-being of their neighbors.</p>
  269.  
  270.  
  271.  
  272. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-local-grocer-fills-a-crucial-need-nbsp">Local Grocer Fills a Crucial Need </h2>
  273.  
  274.  
  275.  
  276. <p>Community leaders in Oakland requested a supermarket after learning of Mangham’s first store in Webb, which she opened in 2022.&nbsp;</p>
  277.  
  278.  
  279.  
  280. <p>Oakland resident Bradford-Jefferson said there hadn’t been a place to shop for everyday necessities since she was a child. There’s only a library, food service plant, post office, bank and medical clinic. Like other residents, Bradford-Jefferson traveled to the nearest town to purchase food from stores such as Wal-Mart or Piggly Wiggly.&nbsp;</p>
  281.  
  282.  
  283. <div class="wp-block-image">
  284. <figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="1040" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=780%2C1040&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233577" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=972%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 972w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=570%2C760&amp;ssl=1 570w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1.webp?w=1536&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1130-3-scaled-1-972x1296.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kini Bradford-Jefferson smiles during her shift. (Photo by Justin Hardiman)</figcaption></figure></div>
  285.  
  286.  
  287. <p>She used to drive regularly to her retail job in Batesville, a 40-mile round trip. Not only did she get a job closer to home, but she’s been able to cut back on expenses such as gas.</p>
  288.  
  289.  
  290.  
  291. <p>“I can walk here [to work] if I had to,” she said.&nbsp;</p>
  292.  
  293.  
  294.  
  295. <p>The bell above the door chimed as the store doors swung open, welcoming the first customers of the day. They excitedly greeted Bradford-Jefferson before hugging Mangham.</p>
  296.  
  297.  
  298.  
  299. <p>It felt as if everyone knew everyone.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  300.  
  301.  
  302.  
  303. <p>Bradford-Jefferson seamlessly transitioned from ringing up purchases on the cash register to prepping meat at the deli station for two men on their lunch break.</p>
  304.  
  305.  
  306.  
  307. <p>The 58-year-old understands that the store is needed for her town, as well other rural areas where food access is limited.</p>
  308.  
  309.  
  310.  
  311. <p>“You got to think of the elders, and some people don’t have vehicles and can’t afford to pay people to take them to other towns to shop,” she said. “It’s a good thing for this community and the surrounding communities.”&nbsp;</p>
  312.  
  313.  
  314.  
  315. <p>Mangham grew up on a family farm in Webb, a majority-Black town of fewer than 500 people. They grew soybeans, corn, fruits and trees, and managed livestock (cows and hogs) on over 200 acres of land.&nbsp;</p>
  316.  
  317.  
  318.  
  319. <p>Back then, they “lived off the land,” meaning most of the food they consumed, they grew themselves. Even if they wanted to visit a grocery store, they had to drive 20 to 30 miles. But, as a child, Mangham didn’t grasp the severity of the situation.&nbsp;</p>
  320.  
  321.  
  322.  
  323. <p>The 48-year-old military veteran moved away after high school, eventually settling in Atlanta. In 2016, she inherited her family’s farm, which brought her back to Webb more frequently. She began paying closer attention to the food disparities.&nbsp;</p>
  324.  
  325.  
  326.  
  327. <p>It was worse than when she left nearly 25 years ago.&nbsp;</p>
  328.  
  329.  
  330.  
  331. <p>“My 89-year-old grandmother has to drive 15 to 20 miles just to get fresh food,” Mangham said. “She’s a diabetic and has this special diet.”</p>
  332.  
  333.  
  334.  
  335. <p>In 2023, Tallahatchie County, where Webb is located, 21% of people reported food insecurity in their household, higher than the state and national rates, with about 2,610 people who were food insecure.</p>
  336.  
  337.  
  338.  
  339. <p>Mangham’s nonprofit,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inhershoesinc.org/">In Her Shoes Inc</a>., began in Atlanta and focuses on improving access to food and supporting farmers. But she recognized a greater need for these programs in the Delta. She conducted research, secured funding and successfully launched her first Farmacy Marketplace store.</p>
  340.  
  341.  
  342.  
  343. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/capitalbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSF1243.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-21844"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Marquitrice Mangham services a customer at her mobile food truck in Mound Bayou. (Photo by Justin Hardiman)</figcaption></figure>
  344.  
  345.  
  346.  
  347. <p>She also teaches families how to prepare meals that cater to their specific health care needs and how to properly store fresh foods. The store also implemented the&nbsp;<a href="https://doubleupamerica.org/">Double Up Food Bucks</a>&nbsp;program, which encourages SNAP recipients to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.&nbsp;</p>
  348.  
  349.  
  350.  
  351. <p>Inspired, other communities — like Oakland — have reached out for guidance.&nbsp;<br>“The most important thing was it showed so many other communities that this can be your community, too,” she said.&nbsp;</p>
  352.  
  353.  
  354.  
  355. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-online-delivery-services-for-those-without-transportation">Online Delivery Services for those Without Transportation</h3>
  356.  
  357.  
  358.  
  359. <p>About 19 miles away in Drew, Gloria Dickerson is working to uplift her community “from poverty to prosperity,” the mission of her youth nonprofit.&nbsp;</p>
  360.  
  361.  
  362. <div class="wp-block-image">
  363. <figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="1040" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=780%2C1040&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233576" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=972%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 972w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=570%2C760&amp;ssl=1 570w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1.webp?w=1536&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1310-scaled-1-972x1296.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Portrait of a young Gloria Dickerson (Photo by Justin Hardiman)</figcaption></figure></div>
  364.  
  365.  
  366. <p>Providing residents with the resources to achieve food security is her North Star.</p>
  367.  
  368.  
  369.  
  370. <p>Despite growing up in poverty, Dickerson and her family knew how to put food on the table. Her parents, Mathew and Mae Bertha Carter, were sharecroppers who lived with their 13 children on a plantation near Drew. They grew a garden filled with fruits, vegetables, and beans.</p>
  371.  
  372.  
  373.  
  374. <p>But that was snatched away when the children decided to do the unthinkable: integrate the “all white” Drew High School in 1965,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-12-04-ls-10119-story.html">becoming the first Black family to do so</a>. Their house was shot at, credit in local stores was cut off, the garden was plowed up, and they were evicted.</p>
  375.  
  376.  
  377.  
  378. <p>Mae Bertha was fortunate to have a friend in the civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, who lived less than 10 miles away. Hamer sent Charles McLaurin, her campaign manager and fellow activist, to check on the family, Dickerson recalled. This came with a wave of support from other civil rights workers who assisted the family with finding a home in Drew.</p>
  379.  
  380.  
  381.  
  382. <p>At the time, Main Street in downtown Drew had retail stores, grocery stores, and even “nickel and dime stores,” Dickerson remembered.&nbsp;More than 60 years later, the same street in the 77% Black town of 2,000 people is different. Today, there are not many businesses. There’s Stafford’s Deli and Dickerson’s nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.we2gether.org/">We2Gether Creating Change</a>, which operates out of several buildings on the street. In the town, there’s no grocery store. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlouisfed.org/open-vault/2022/dec/offering-security-rural-food-desert">closed</a>&nbsp;in 2012. There’s only one Dollar General, which has some frozen foods. In Sunflower County, where Drew is located, 22.8% of people reported food insecurity in their household in 2023.</p>
  383.  
  384.  
  385.  
  386. <div class="wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery aligncenter is-style-rectangular"><div class=""><div class="tiled-gallery__gallery"><div class="tiled-gallery__row"><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:53.10139%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1307-768x1024-1.webp?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1307-768x1024-1.webp?strip=info&#038;w=768&#038;ssl=1 768w" alt="" data-height="1024" data-id="233573" data-link="https://dailyyonder.com/?attachment_id=233573" data-url="https://dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1307-768x1024-1.webp" data-width="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1307-768x1024-1.webp?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive"/></figure></div><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:46.89861%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1270-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1270-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1270-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1270-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1270-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1270-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w" alt="" data-height="1500" data-id="233574" data-link="https://dailyyonder.com/?attachment_id=233574" data-url="https://dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1270-scaled-1-1296x972.webp" data-width="2000" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1270-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive"/></figure><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1284-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1284-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1284-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1284-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1284-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1284-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w" alt="" data-height="1500" data-id="233575" data-link="https://dailyyonder.com/?attachment_id=233575" data-url="https://dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1284-scaled-1-1296x972.webp" data-width="2000" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSF1284-scaled-1-1296x972.webp?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive"/></figure></div></div></div></div></div>
  387.  
  388.  
  389.  
  390. <p>Dickerson noticed that many children in her programs often came to class hungry. Although she provided food, it still wasn’t enough. Along with other organizers, she created a group called Drew United for Progress. During a community discussion, residents repeatedly expressed a need for a grocery store.</p>
  391.  
  392.  
  393.  
  394. <p>“[They said] We can’t buy an apple. We can’t buy a banana. We can’t buy any vegetables,” she said. “We have to hire somebody to take us out of the community to pay them $10 to get there, pay them $10 to get back, and that takes away from the money we have to put on food.”</p>
  395.  
  396.  
  397.  
  398. <p>They then formed the Drew Collaborative, which included experts to research the feasibility of a store. The market analysis found the town was too small to support a grocer. Instead of pursuing a supermarket, the collaborative launched the Grocery Online Ordering Distribution Service (GOODS) in 2021. Residents of Drew, Ruleville, Parchman, and Rome are able to place food orders online. The food is stored at the National Guard Armory for delivery or pickup. This initiative was initially funded by HOPE Credit Union in the Mississippi Delta. The nonprofit provides iPads and education on how to order food because of limited broadband and digital literacy concerns.</p>
  399.  
  400.  
  401.  
  402. <p>The program expanded to Shaw, Mississippi, about 27 miles from Drew. With the rising cost of food, more families need assistance. There are still some people who are left behind, said Chiquikta Fountain, former director of Delta Hands for Hope, which shepherds the program in Shaw.&nbsp;</p>
  403.  
  404.  
  405.  
  406. <p>“On a state level, we have a legislature that doesn’t value what it means for children and communities to be food secure,” she said. “They’re not working hard enough to make sure that people who make a living wage are able to buy food and not have to play Russian Roulette with what’s going to be a priority this month.”&nbsp;</p>
  407.  
  408.  
  409.  
  410. <p>In Drew, Dickerson responded by hosting a monthly food pantry.&nbsp;</p>
  411.  
  412.  
  413.  
  414. <p>This month, We2Gether Creating Change will<strong>&nbsp;</strong>launch family gardens, where at least 10 families will have ownership of a plot of land. This project will teach them how to grow their own food, which they can use to feed their families or sell. Each family will also receive a $200 stipend to keep their garden up, and youth workers will get paid to help out in the summer.</p>
  415.  
  416.  
  417.  
  418. <p>Dickerson hopes to evolve this work into garden parties, cooking classes, and more. Her biggest concern is that if food insecurity goes unchecked, it will affect the mental well-being of children and their ability to perform well in school.</p>
  419.  
  420.  
  421.  
  422. <p>Her call to action is for people to get involved, especially because the Delta was ground zero for the civil rights movement, and everyone benefits from those sacrifices — from death and loss of jobs to political violence.&nbsp;</p>
  423.  
  424.  
  425.  
  426. <p>“People need to remember where they really came from and who was on the battlefield, fighting for them to have what they have right now … it was the people that lived in these small communities putting their lives on the line,” Dickerson said. “Don’t forget us.”</p>
  427.  
  428.  
  429.  
  430. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/capitalbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSF1254-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-21815"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dennis Wesley (from left), Marquitrice Mangham, and Maudy Edwards all operate the mobile food truck in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Hardiman)</figcaption></figure>
  431.  
  432.  
  433.  
  434. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-the-next-generation-nbsp">Growing the Next Generation </h3>
  435.  
  436.  
  437.  
  438. <p>Back in Oakland, once business at Farmacy Marketplace is up and running, Mangham drives nearly 63 miles from the Oakland store to Mound Bayou to open her mobile grocery store around noon.&nbsp;</p>
  439.  
  440.  
  441.  
  442. <p>A few days earlier she made the 12-hour trek from her residence in Atlanta to Mississippi. It’s part of her weekly routine. She spends a few days in Atlanta and then heads to her beloved home state to manage not one, but two, grocery stores.</p>
  443.  
  444.  
  445.  
  446. <p>It’s a sacrifice she doesn’t mind making.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  447.  
  448.  
  449.  
  450. <p>Founded by formerly enslaved cousins, Mound Bayou is considered the “jewel of the Delta.” It is known as a self-reliant Black community that provided solace and refuge from&nbsp; the threats of the Jim Crow South. During the&nbsp;<a href="https://capitalbnews.org/emmett-till-legacy-70-years-later/">trial of Emmett Till</a>’s murderers, the town became home to his mother, Mamie Till Mobley, the Black press — including Simeon Booker with Jet Magazine — and witnesses.</p>
  451.  
  452.  
  453.  
  454. <p>Mangham’s mobile truck is parked on the site of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/08/09/nx-s1-5070087/black-hospitals-history-desegregation-rural-communities">now-shuttered Taborian Hospital</a>, which exclusively admitted Black patients and staff during a time when other health care facilities didn’t accept Black folks. It’s across the street from a gas station, and near the high school,&nbsp;<a href="https://mississippitoday.org/2018/08/15/state-supreme-court-says-mound-bayou-high-school-can-close/">which closed in 2018</a>&nbsp;and now houses the Mound Bayou Museum of African American History and Culture.</p>
  455.  
  456.  
  457.  
  458. <p>Every Friday, the truck is in Mound Bayou from noon to 4 p.m. It is also stationed in Jonestown on Tuesdays and Coffeeville on Fridays.</p>
  459.  
  460.  
  461.  
  462. <p>Thirty minutes after opening, residents trickled in, asking about watermelon and selecting from a variety of frozen meats, fruits and vegetables. On that day, James Edwards Jr., a retired vocational instructor, traveled from his home in Marks, Mississippi, to help out with the mobile market. As his wife, Maudy Edwards, assisted customers, James sat in a chair under a shaded tree, greeting and conversing with residents.&nbsp;</p>
  463.  
  464.  
  465.  
  466. <p>Usually, he’s repairing or cleaning the mobile grocery truck. He makes sure it’s filled with gas and ensures the food is frozen and up to temperature. When he’s not on site helping with the mobile truck, he’s at the distribution center in Lambert, or the stores.&nbsp;</p>
  467.  
  468.  
  469.  
  470. <p>“It’s been a pleasure to do this because we bring in food to what we call desert communities, where we don’t have the grocery store,” Edwards said. “My wife and I think this is a wonderful thing, and I know it’s gonna grow, but it’s like a young baby, it’s got to be nourished. You gotta be on milk before it grows so and it’s a blessing to Mississippi.”</p>
  471.  
  472.  
  473. <div class="wp-block-image">
  474. <figure class="alignright"><img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/capitalbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSF1240.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-21854"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dennis Wesley holds a watermelon in front of mobile food truck in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Hardiman)</figcaption></figure></div>
  475.  
  476.  
  477. <p>In Her Shoes received a grant in 2023 to build a chicken processing facility, which will allow Black farmers to make more money by processing their products. The organization is set to break ground on the facility in October.</p>
  478.  
  479.  
  480.  
  481. <p>“Mississippi has a billion-dollar poultry industry, but … there are no private processing facilities for the smaller farmers to be able to get their poultry into local stores,” Mangham said.&nbsp;</p>
  482.  
  483.  
  484.  
  485. <p>Mangham’s work will not only provide a market for farmers to sell their produce and allow residents to purchase fresh foods, it’s also an avenue to get young people involved. She created an apprenticeship program that pairs students with farmers to learn how to grow produce.</p>
  486.  
  487.  
  488.  
  489. <p>In Bolivar County, where Mound Bayou is located, 24.4% of people reported food insecurity in their household in 2023. Addressing the issue takes more than opening two stores and providing a temporary mobile food truck, Mangham said. She’s looking at other avenues, like partnering with pharmacies to bring in a fresh food kiosk or refrigeration to store meats and vegetables. She’s also working to convert shipping containers into permanent corner grocery stores.&nbsp;</p>
  490.  
  491.  
  492.  
  493. <p>This work can be overwhelming and exhausting, but Mangham continues because of the community’s support, she said.</p>
  494.  
  495.  
  496.  
  497. <p>“When I see the 75-year-old lady come in and buy all of her groceries, and she doesn’t have to drive … that’s the kind of thing that makes it all worth it,” she said with teary eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  498.  
  499.  
  500.  
  501. <p>She added that her work has inspired others. “Nobody wants to invest in these rural communities. They don’t want to invest in the people. But just do what’s put on your heart to do, and the rewards will come.”</p>
  502.  
  503.  
  504.  
  505.  
  506.  
  507. <p><em>Associated Press data reporter Kasturi Pananjady contributed to this report. This reporting is part of a series called&nbsp;</em><a href="https://inn.org/inn-collaborations/sowing-resilience/"><em>Sowing Resilience</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://inn.org/inn-collaborations/"><em>a collaboration</em></a><em>&nbsp;between the Institute for Nonprofit News’&nbsp;</em><a href="http://ruralnewsnetwork.org/"><em>Rural News Network</em></a><em>&nbsp;and The Associated Press. Nine nonprofit newsrooms were involved:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/"><em>The Beacon</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://capitalbnews.org/"><em>Capital B</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://enlacelatinonc.org/"><em>Enlace Latino NC</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/"><em>Investigate Midwest</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.jeffcobeacon.com/"><em>The Jefferson County Beacon</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.kosu.org/"><em>KOSU</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.lpm.org/news"><em>Louisville Public Media</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://themainemonitor.org/"><em>The Maine Monitor</em></a><em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.minnpost.com/"><em>MinnPost</em></a><em>. The Rural News Network is funded by Google News Initiative and Knight Foundation, among others.</em></p>
  508. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/the-black-women-driving-a-food-revolution-in-rural-mississippi/2025/10/21/">The Black Women Driving a Food Revolution in Rural Mississippi</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  509. ]]></content:encoded>
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  515. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233572</post-id> </item>
  516. <item>
  517. <title>New Texas Energy Package Could Help Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facilities During Extreme Weather</title>
  518. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/new-texas-energy-package-could-help-older-adults-in-long-term-care-facilities-during-extreme-weather/2025/10/20/</link>
  519. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/new-texas-energy-package-could-help-older-adults-in-long-term-care-facilities-during-extreme-weather/2025/10/20/#respond</comments>
  521. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Madeline de Figueiredo]]></dc:creator>
  522. <pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  523. <category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
  524. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233463</guid>
  525.  
  526. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  527. <p>Editor&#8217;s Note: This story was completed as part of the Journalists in Aging Fellows Program organized by the Gerontological Society of America and the Journalists Network on Generations. A growing body of research warns that climate disasters are disproportionately dangerous for older adults, especially those in long-term care settings who rely on others for essential [&#8230;]</p>
  528. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/new-texas-energy-package-could-help-older-adults-in-long-term-care-facilities-during-extreme-weather/2025/10/20/">New Texas Energy Package Could Help Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facilities During Extreme Weather</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  529. ]]></description>
  530. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25051689321430-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  531. <p><em>Editor&#8217;s Note: This story was completed as part of the Journalists in Aging Fellows Program organized by the Gerontological Society of America and the Journalists Network on Generations.</em></p>
  532.  
  533.  
  534.  
  535. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  536.  
  537.  
  538.  
  539. <p>A growing body of research <a href="https://www.aamc.org/news/why-older-adults-are-especially-vulnerable-climate-change">warns</a> that climate disasters are disproportionately dangerous for older adults, especially those in long-term care settings who rely on others for essential support. Those risks are often compounded in rural areas, where resources are scarce and emergency support is slower to arrive.</p>
  540.  
  541.  
  542.  
  543. <p>As temperatures plummeted and power went out across Texas during the February 2021 <a href="https://tdem.texas.gov/disasters/winter-storm-uri">Winter Storm Uri</a>, a record-breaking winter storm that brought unprecedented cold and ice, staff at Gainesville Nursing and Rehabilitation, a nursing home in the rural North Texas town of Gainesville, made a desperate call: evacuate all 36 residents. The nursing home had lost both power and water and the facility’s backup systems had failed.&nbsp;</p>
  544.  
  545.  
  546.  
  547. <p>Fire-rescue crews scrambled to borrow school buses to move everyone to a temporary shelter at a nearby college. “We had two buses, and it probably took us four hours to move those 36 residents,” Gainesville Fire-Rescue Chief Twiner told the <a href="https://www.gainesvilleregister.com/news/local_news/dozens-of-nursing-home-senior-living-residents-sheltered-during-winter-storm/article_5a72f79e-8e4e-11eb-98a0-bb760b63445d.html">Gainesville Daily Register</a> in 2021. “We had to take some of their beds—there were beds at [the shelter], but it wasn’t enough.”&nbsp;</p>
  548.  
  549.  
  550.  
  551. <p>Research indicates that extreme weather disproportionately affects rural areas, which also have limited capacity to respond to weather events and the prolonged utility outages that often follow.&nbsp;</p>
  552.  
  553.  
  554.  
  555. <p>A <a href="https://fas.org/publication/impacts-of-extreme-heat-on-rural-communities/">2025 report</a> from the Federation of American Scientists found that rural communities faced heightened risks from extreme heat, with residents more likely to have pre-existing health conditions, limited healthcare access, and older or substandard housing. In rural areas, heat waves disrupted work, strained local businesses, and exposed weaknesses in aging energy infrastructure, revealing a pressing need for targeted investments in health systems and resilient energy.</p>
  556.  
  557.  
  558.  
  559. <p>A 2025 <a href="https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/NHREFO.NHENG-2235">study</a> published in <em>Natural Hazards Review</em> further found that rural communities hit by natural disasters faced significantly longer power outage recovery times than urban areas, highlighting how limited infrastructure and resources can leave rural populations disproportionately vulnerable.&nbsp;</p>
  560.  
  561.  
  562.  
  563. <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Power Outages Can Lead to Death</strong></h2>
  564.  
  565.  
  566.  
  567. <p>New research is beginning to explain the toll that Winter Storm Uri had on older populations in rural areas. The chaos in Gainesville was just one of hundreds of stories that unfolded across Texas in February 2021. Now, a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11979729/#note-ZOI250184-1-s">2025 study</a> has confirmed the human toll of the severe weather event on these communities. Long-term nursing home residents whose facilities lost power or water during the storm faced significantly higher death rates than those in facilities that remained operational.</p>
  568.  
  569.  
  570.  
  571. <iframe title="Nursing Home Utility Outages During Winter Storm Uri (2021)" aria-label="Symbol map" id="datawrapper-chart-9WwyX" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/9WwyX/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="753" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}})}();
  572. </script>
  573.  
  574.  
  575.  
  576. <p>The peer-reviewed study, published in the <em>Journal of the American Medical Association</em> (<em>JAMA</em>), found that utility failures were the driving factor behind the rise in mortality.&nbsp;</p>
  577.  
  578.  
  579.  
  580. <p>“We can estimate that [the outages] would contribute to about 11 or 12 excess deaths, had those nursing homes not experienced a utility outage,” said Brian Downer, PhD, associate professor in the <a href="https://www.utmb.edu/spph/">School of Public and Population Health</a> (SPPH) at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and one of the article’s authors. “To better contextualize those 11 excess deaths, the state of Texas was able to attribute about 150 deaths among adults aged 60 and older…to Winter Storm Uri.”</p>
  581.  
  582.  
  583.  
  584. <p>A 2022 <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-022-00462-5">study in <em>Nature</em></a> found that rural communities faced greater challenges during Winter Storm Uri. Limited resources and slower emergency support made outages harder to manage. Residents in these areas were also less prepared for prolonged power loss, highlighting vulnerabilities in infrastructure and disaster response.</p>
  585.  
  586.  
  587.  
  588. <p>“It is the rural communities that are being disproportionately affected by the power outages,” Downer said about the <em>Nature</em> study.&nbsp;</p>
  589.  
  590.  
  591.  
  592. <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>New Texas Legislation Helps Essential Services Adapt to Severe Weather</strong></h2>
  593.  
  594.  
  595.  
  596. <p>In response to such risks, the Texas Legislature authorized $1.8 billion this year for the <a href="https://www.txenergyfund.texas.gov/TBPP">Texas Backup Power Package</a>, an initiative aimed at strengthening energy resilience through backup power systems and microgrids in critical facilities, including those in rural areas. The program, funded through the broader<a href="https://www.txenergyfund.texas.gov/"> Texas Energy Fund</a>, was designed to ensure that essential services like nursing homes, hospitals, and water systems are better equipped to remain operational during future grid emergencies.</p>
  597.  
  598.  
  599.  
  600. <p>“The extreme weather events that crippled Texas in recent years made it clear this investment was overdue,” said Texas State Representative Ana Hernandez, who serves on the <a href="https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/Documents/55407_13_1359682.PDF">Texas Backup Power Package Advisory Committee</a>. “These backup systems allow vital facilities to keep operating even if the main grid goes down.”</p>
  601.  
  602.  
  603.  
  604. <p>The Texas Backup Power Package was passed in 2023, but didn’t receive funding until the 2025 legislative session. It will provide grants and loans for generators, battery storage, and solar systems.&nbsp;</p>
  605.  
  606.  
  607.  
  608. <p>State Representative Hernandez said the program rules will be drafted later this year and applications are expected online by spring 2026, with installations starting that summer. Final eligibility is still being decided, but critical facilities will be prioritized.&nbsp;</p>
  609.  
  610.  
  611.  
  612. <p>“By providing multi-day, stand-alone backup systems, the program ensures that vital services don’t go dark when the grid fails. Health centers, senior living facilities, emergency responders, and other critical operations will be able to stay open and serve the public,” Hernandez said. “In short, it helps communities hold steady in the face of long outages and strengthens overall resilience.”</p>
  613.  
  614.  
  615.  
  616. <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Outages Deepened Health Risks for Older Adults&nbsp;</strong></h2>
  617.  
  618.  
  619.  
  620. <p>During Winter Storm Uri, Texas experienced historically low temperatures and sweeping power failures as the state’s electric grid struggled to meet surging demand.&nbsp;</p>
  621.  
  622.  
  623.  
  624. <p>According to the <a href="https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/02222023%20Left%20in%20the%20Dark%20-%20Wyden-Casey%20final.pdf">Texas Health and Human Services Commission</a>, 578 of the state’s 1,212 nursing homes, nearly half, reported at least one incident during the storm, including 139 that lost power, 327 that had to boil water, and 121 that suffered burst pipes, water shortages, or complete water loss.&nbsp;</p>
  625.  
  626.  
  627.  
  628. <p>An estimated 39,000 residents, about half of all nursing home residents in the state, lived in facilities that reported such incidents, according to data compiled by the <a href="https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/02222023%20Left%20in%20the%20Dark%20-%20Wyden-Casey%20final.pdf">Texas Health and Human Services Commission</a>.</p>
  629.  
  630.  
  631.  
  632. <p>For residents, those outages were more than an inconvenience. They intensified existing health risks and exposed the particular dangers that extreme temperatures pose to older adults.</p>
  633.  
  634.  
  635.  
  636. <p>Andrea Earl, associate state director of advocacy and outreach at <a href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/">AARP Texas</a>, said older adults in care facilities faced heightened risks during extreme temperatures because their bodies struggle to regulate heat and cold. Many residents also have mobility issues, chronic health conditions, or cognitive impairments that limit self-care. Medication, medical equipment needs, and social isolation further increased vulnerability to extreme temperatures, according to Earl. But some nursing facilities lacked staff expertise to recognize early signs of heat or cold stress, making reliable utilities critical for protecting residents’ health.</p>
  637.  
  638.  
  639.  
  640. <p>Some of the effects of extreme weather and utility outages are not immediately detectable.&nbsp;</p>
  641.  
  642.  
  643.  
  644. <p>“In extreme cold, your blood starts to thicken, especially if you&#8217;re older, and that increases the risk of blood clots and other cardiovascular incidents. And I think the hard part about both is these things don&#8217;t come on right away,” Earl said.&nbsp;</p>
  645.  
  646.  
  647.  
  648. <p>In the <em>JAMA</em> study, researchers captured these longer term effects by reviewing outcomes over the course of the weeks following the storm.&nbsp;</p>
  649.  
  650.  
  651.  
  652. <p>“We really need to start paying attention to these more delayed effects that are coming up,” said Alex Holland, a doctoral student in population health sciences at UTMB and a co-author of the <em>JAMA</em> article. “In our study, we didn&#8217;t really see that difference in mortality until three weeks after winter storm Uri, so there’s somewhat of a delayed effect.”&nbsp;</p>
  653.  
  654.  
  655.  
  656. <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>New Backup Systems Target Future Outages</strong></h2>
  657.  
  658.  
  659.  
  660. <p>The Texas Backup Power Package aims to strengthen the state’s energy infrastructure by installing generators, microgrids, and batteries at critical facilities across the state that could run independently when there are grid failures.</p>
  661.  
  662.  
  663.  
  664. <p>Winter Storm Uri caused economic losses upwards of <a href="https://comptroller.texas.gov/economy/fiscal-notes/archive/2021/oct/winter-storm-impact.php">$80 billion</a>. The state’s power grid faced an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629621001997">unprecedented surge</a> in electricity demand and critical parts of the system failed.&nbsp;</p>
  665.  
  666.  
  667.  
  668. <p>To prevent a total collapse that could have taken weeks or even months to recover from, the <a href="https://www.ercot.com/">Electric Reliability Council of Texas</a> (ERCOT), which manages most of Texas’s electric grid, implemented emergency blackouts.&nbsp;</p>
  669.  
  670.  
  671.  
  672. <p>Some of the water shortages were directly tied to <a href="https://www.ercot.com/">ERCOT</a> emergency directives, which required utilities to reduce power consumption to stabilize the electric grid.<br><br>In Medina County, a rural area west of San Antonio, <a href="https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/02222023%20Left%20in%20the%20Dark%20-%20Wyden-Casey%20final.pdf">water was unavailable</a> during Winter Storm Uri, even for essential needs like drinking, bathing, and flushing toilets. Nursing homes in the county were among those affected, facing dangerous conditions as power and water systems failed.&nbsp;</p>
  673.  
  674.  
  675.  
  676. <p>As part of their research, Downer and Holland spoke with nurse practitioners at UTMB who conduct home visits to nursing homes in the area. They said the access to water can be critical to mitigate health risks and manage hygiene.&nbsp;</p>
  677.  
  678.  
  679.  
  680. <p>“[The nurse practitioners] were really emphasizing how both physical and oral hygiene can be really important, not only to just general quality of life and a person&#8217;s comfort, but also, too, from an infection risk, especially when it comes to oral health,” Downer said. “We felt that it would be interesting to include water outages for that reason. And then also, too, since power and water outages tend to occur together.”<br><br>Those health risks are amplified in rural areas, where limited infrastructure and slower emergency response make outages harder to manage.</p>
  681.  
  682.  
  683.  
  684. <p>Although this utility collapse was widely attributed to frozen power plants, a <a href="https://www.me.utexas.edu/images/research/SECO_Project_FINAL_20221108_V2.pdf">University of Texas study</a> highlighted the need for better energy efficiency measures to reduce strain on the grid and protect vulnerable populations during extreme weather events.</p>
  685.  
  686.  
  687.  
  688. <p>“There&#8217;s a whole host of reasons why extreme weather events can result in lower supply,” said Joshua Rhodes, PhD, a research scientist at the University of Texas and one of the report’s authors. “[During Winter Storm Uri,] we saw [that] every single kind of power plant didn&#8217;t perform as well as we would have liked it to perform. We saw power plants freeze, be they coal, natural gas or nuclear, wind. We saw snow on top of solar panels. But we also saw the natural gas sector freeze…we lost the ability to produce about 80% of the natural gas in the Permian Basin, and so we weren&#8217;t able to move as much natural gas. We also had a bunch of power plants that just couldn&#8217;t get fuel.”&nbsp;</p>
  689.  
  690.  
  691.  
  692. <p>Winter Storm Uri brought the state’s energy sector to a standstill and future extreme weather threatens to do the same.&nbsp;</p>
  693.  
  694.  
  695.  
  696. <p>“Texas is seeing more disasters as more people live in areas where we have hurricanes, and as, just generally, more people are around, and we rely on more things for electricity,” Rhodes said.&nbsp;</p>
  697.  
  698.  
  699.  
  700. <p>To boost energy resilience, Texas lawmakers approved $1.8 billion in 2025 for the Texas Backup Power Package.</p>
  701.  
  702.  
  703.  
  704. <p>“We&#8217;re recognizing that there are thousands of facilities across the state, many in rural areas, but some also in urban areas, that provide vital community services, like water treatment facilities, fresh water facilities, assisted living centers and other medical facilities…,” said Texas Senator Nathan Johnson, who led legislation to create and fund the Texas Backup Power Package. “So in order to make that more affordable, what we wanted to do is just put some state money behind it.”</p>
  705.  
  706.  
  707.  
  708. <p>“Modern life runs on electricity,” Rhodes said. “I think it&#8217;s good that we&#8217;re at least keeping the critical parts of that life, of that livelihood, up and running whenever we run into issues.”&nbsp;</p>
  709.  
  710.  
  711.  
  712. <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>An Uncertain Pathway Forward&nbsp;</strong></h2>
  713.  
  714.  
  715.  
  716. <p>Researchers and advocates said that while the Texas Backup Power Package has potential to serve long-term care residents, it is not a guaranteed fix.&nbsp;</p>
  717.  
  718.  
  719.  
  720. <p>During the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers failed to pass <a href="https://capitol.texas.gov/billlookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&amp;Bill=SB481">SB 481</a>, which would have required nursing and assisted living facilities in Texas to maintain safe temperatures during emergencies with backup power systems. Without such state regulations, Earl expressed concern that many facilities may be unaware of the Texas Backup Power Package program or lack the capacity to apply for it.</p>
  721.  
  722.  
  723.  
  724. <p>“A lot of these places are understaffed…so any extra administrative processes might be a hindrance to why they would apply,” Earl said. “We&#8217;re hopeful that facilities out there are paying attention to [the backup power package], but I think that&#8217;s another thing too. How well is this fund going to be marketed? Are we going to see these facilities know firsthand that they can apply for this? How are they going to find out about it?”</p>
  725.  
  726.  
  727.  
  728. <p>Holland said that the successful implementation of backup power also depends on training and education for effective emergency preparedness.&nbsp;</p>
  729.  
  730.  
  731.  
  732. <p>“Now there&#8217;s funding available to help with these backup power sources, like the Texas Backup Power Package. But then the question becomes like, well, then what? These facilities might not know, what is the best power supply backup for us? Where should we put them?” Holland said.&nbsp; “We see sometimes that generators end up getting put on the floor and ground level in areas that are prone to flooding or nursing home staff aren&#8217;t trained on how to use this emergency backup equipment.”&nbsp;</p>
  733.  
  734.  
  735.  
  736. <p>Without proper guidance and preparation, the funding alone cannot guarantee that facilities will be ready when disaster strikes.</p>
  737.  
  738.  
  739.  
  740. <p>“Disaster preparedness is for everybody,” Holland said. “I think especially that&#8217;s something that lends itself very strongly to rural communities [where] you kind of have that ‘everybody knows everybody’ feel. And so taking that into the disaster preparedness side of things, and knowing how your city or your county is preparing for some of these events, or, what are the resources in place, kind of at that local level, also definitely come into mind.”</p>
  741.  
  742.  
  743.  
  744. <p>Earl emphasized that emergency preparedness shouldn’t wait for tragedy.</p>
  745.  
  746.  
  747.  
  748. <p>“We don&#8217;t think death should be the underlying reason for, or the catalyst for, doing backup power and requiring a certain level of power in these facilities,” Earl said. “We think that there&#8217;s a lot of dignity with this stage of life and where you&#8217;re at and that that should be preserved, especially if you are paying to be in a facility and putting your hard earned dollars and assuming and expecting a certain level of care.”</p>
  749.  
  750.  
  751.  
  752. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  753.  
  754.  
  755.  
  756. <p><br></p>
  757.  
  758.  
  759.  
  760. <p><br></p>
  761.  
  762.  
  763.  
  764. <p><br></p>
  765. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/new-texas-energy-package-could-help-older-adults-in-long-term-care-facilities-during-extreme-weather/2025/10/20/">New Texas Energy Package Could Help Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facilities During Extreme Weather</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  766. ]]></content:encoded>
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  769. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  772. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233463</post-id> </item>
  773. <item>
  774. <title>Arduous and Unequal: The Fight to Get FEMA Housing Assistance After Helene</title>
  775. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/arduous-and-unequal-the-fight-to-get-fema-housing-assistance-after-helene/2025/10/20/</link>
  776. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/arduous-and-unequal-the-fight-to-get-fema-housing-assistance-after-helene/2025/10/20/#respond</comments>
  778. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jennifer Berry Hawes / ProPublica and Ren Larson / The Assembly]]></dc:creator>
  779. <pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  780. <category><![CDATA[Community & Economic Development]]></category>
  781. <category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
  782. <category><![CDATA[Government & Policy]]></category>
  783. <category><![CDATA[repub]]></category>
  784. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233581</guid>
  785.  
  786. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  787. <p>This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Slogging through a thick slop of mud and rock, Brian Hill passed the roof that Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters had just ripped off someone’s barn and [&#8230;]</p>
  788. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/arduous-and-unequal-the-fight-to-get-fema-housing-assistance-after-helene/2025/10/20/">Arduous and Unequal: The Fight to Get FEMA Housing Assistance After Helene</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  789. ]]></description>
  790. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-45_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  791. <p class="has-text-align-center"><em>This story was originally published by <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/fema-aid-hurricane-helene-income-disparities?utm_source=sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=majorinvestigations&amp;utm_content=feature">ProPublica</a>.</em></p>
  792.  
  793.  
  794.  
  795. <p><em>ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for <a href="https://www.propublica.org/newsletters/the-big-story?source=reprint&amp;placement=top-note">The Big Story newsletter</a> to receive stories like this one in your inbox</em>.</p>
  796.  
  797.  
  798.  
  799. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  800.  
  801.  
  802.  
  803. <p>Slogging through a thick slop of mud and rock, Brian Hill passed the roof that Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters had just ripped off someone’s barn and dumped into his yard. Then he peered into the unrecognizable chaos inside what had been his family’s dream home.</p>
  804.  
  805.  
  806.  
  807. <p>The century-old white farmhouse, surrounded by the rugged peaks of western North Carolina, sat less than 15 yards from the normally tranquil Cattail Creek. As Helene’s rainfall barrelled down the Black Mountains last September, the creek swelled into a raging river that encircled the house. Its waves pounded the walls, tore off doors, smashed windows and devoured the front and back porches.</p>
  808.  
  809.  
  810.  
  811. <p>Brian and his wife, Susie, had just bought the house a year earlier. They had a 30-year mortgage — and, now, no house to live in. Because their home didn’t sit in the 100-year floodplain, they had not purchased flood insurance.</p>
  812.  
  813.  
  814.  
  815. <p>Across Helene’s devastating path through the Southeast, people like the Hills turned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA doles out financial help after a major disaster for everything from home repairs to rental assistance. Once she could get a cell signal, Susie applied.</p>
  816.  
  817.  
  818.  
  819. <p>It took months of persistence, but eventually the Hills were among the lucky ones. They received close to $40,000, just shy of the maximum amount FEMA provides for rebuilding and repairs.</p>
  820.  
  821.  
  822.  
  823. <p>But farther up Cattail Creek, a man whose wife was killed in floodwaters said he checked his FEMA application one day and noticed it was marked “withdrawn,” a surprise since he’d received no explanation. Elsewhere in Yancey, another man said he realized FEMA had denied him aid because his birthdate was a year off on his application. A third man said his application — which he filled out just days after hiking down a mountain severely injured — seemingly vanished from the system.</p>
  824.  
  825.  
  826.  
  827. <p>FEMA’s application process can be onerous, particularly for people who’ve lost their homes. And it can be especially daunting for those with lower incomes who may have fewer resources.</p>
  828.  
  829.  
  830.  
  831. <p>An analysis by ProPublica and The Assembly found that among the more rural counties hardest hit by Helene, the households that got the most housing assistance tended to have the highest incomes. The income disparity is especially stark in Yancey County, where the Hills live.</p>
  832.  
  833.  
  834.  
  835. <p>A <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/hurricane-helene-evacuation-warnings-yancey-county-north-carolina">ProPublica investigation</a> earlier this year found that despite dire warnings from the National Weather Service, many people in Yancey were unaware of the enormity of danger Helene posed. The storm killed 11 people there, the highest per-capita loss of life for any county in North Carolina.</p>
  836.  
  837.  
  838.  
  839. <iframe title="In North Carolina's Hardest-Hit Rural Counties, the Highest-Income Homeowners Typically Received the Most FEMA Housing Assistance" aria-label="Small multiple column chart" id="datawrapper-chart-UQ7HV" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/UQ7HV/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="905" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script>
  840.  
  841.  
  842.  
  843. <p>The Hills, who are both public school teachers, do not fall in the highest-income brackets FEMA identified. Households in the middle range tended to get about as much FEMA housing assistance money as the lower-income ones, or even a little less. But experts say the Hills did have something in common with the highest-income households: They had the luxury of time to pursue every dollar of federal aid that they were qualified to receive. That’s because they received full pay for seven weeks while schools were closed. That allowed them to navigate FEMA’s bureaucracy during a crucial time when, for many others, pursuing the aid felt insurmountable.</p>
  844.  
  845.  
  846.  
  847. <p>Our analysis looked at counties with the highest per-capita rate of households receiving FEMA aid for housing assistance, an indicator of where Helene hit people the hardest. Housing assistance includes separate buckets of money that cover both rental assistance and home repairs and rebuilding. Apart from Buncombe County — home to Asheville and by far the most urban county in the region — lower- and middle-income households overall got lower amounts of this aid compared to the highest-income earners.</p>
  848.  
  849.  
  850.  
  851. <p>In some counties, the highest-income homeowners received two to three times as much housing assistance as those with lower incomes.</p>
  852.  
  853.  
  854.  
  855. <p>Yet income isn’t supposed to play a role. FEMA aid for home repairs and rebuilding is intended to help begin replacing a primary home or make it safe and habitable again, not restore one to its prior state. In theory, a couple living in a million-dollar home and another in a starter house should be eligible for the same level of assistance. For instance, couples who live alone generally would qualify for aid to cover one bedroom, one bathroom and one refrigerator, even if they had three of each.</p>
  856.  
  857.  
  858.  
  859. <p>FEMA did not respond to ProPublica and The Assembly’s requests for comment. The agency <a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-20-503.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com">previously told</a> the Government Accountability Office, according to a 2020 report, that it encourages all survivors with property damage to apply, and those with minimal damage are “driving down the average award amount.”</p>
  860.  
  861.  
  862.  
  863. <p>Disparities in who receives FEMA aid have long been known to researchers, including Sarah Labowitz, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who studies and writes about disasters and publishes the <a href="https://carnegieendowment.org/features/disaster-dollar-database?lang=en">Disaster Dollar Database</a>.</p>
  864.  
  865.  
  866.  
  867. <p>“Disasters pull back the curtain on inequity,” Labowitz said. “It’s a vicious combination of things that make it so much harder for people without a lot of money to get what they need from FEMA.” She pointed to FEMA inspectors who undervalue damage to more modest homes, FEMA’s onerous documentation requirements and a “brutal and discouraging” appeals process.</p>
  868.  
  869.  
  870.  
  871. <p>The agency itself has also known about the problems. Several years ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/06/29/1004347023/why-fema-aid-is-unavailable-to-many-who-need-it-the-most">NPR obtained an internal FEMA analysis</a>&nbsp;showing that the poorest homeowners received about half as much to rebuild their homes compared with higher-income homeowners. The 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-20-503.pdf">GAO report</a>&nbsp;noted that homeowners in communities with the most socioeconomic vulnerabilities, like being below the poverty line and not having a high school diploma, received significantly less assistance than those in less vulnerable communities.</p>
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  875. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  876. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  877. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233592" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_4701_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Hills’ home was destroyed outside, first image, and inside, second image.&nbsp;(Photo courtesy of the Hills)</figcaption></figure>
  878. </div>
  879.  
  880.  
  881.  
  882. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  883. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233593" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11_32-am_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95_2025-09-22-220658_dgrp-2.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Hills’ home was destroyed outside, first image, and inside, second image.&nbsp;(Photo courtesy of the Hills)</figcaption></figure>
  884. </div>
  885. </div>
  886.  
  887.  
  888.  
  889. <p>The disparity we found in Yancey was equally striking in Haywood County, where water flows down 13 peaks towering above 6,000 feet. Households there making more than $175,000 typically received $11,000 in housing assistance; households below that threshold received about $5,000.</p>
  890.  
  891.  
  892.  
  893. <p>Michelle and Jeff Parker, who live about 70 miles southwest of the Hills, in Haywood, had evacuated during the storm. Like the Hills, they returned to find their house had been filled with water. They too had lost virtually everything, down to their wedding photographs.</p>
  894.  
  895.  
  896. <div class="wp-block-image">
  897. <figure class="alignleft size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="1172" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-259_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C1172&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233594" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-259_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-259_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=506%2C760&amp;ssl=1 506w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-259_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C1154&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-259_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=682%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 682w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-259_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C1172&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-259_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C601&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-259_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C1061&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-259_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michelle Parker has struggled to get FEMA to cover her rent after her home was flooded by Helene.&nbsp;(Photo by Jesse Barber / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure></div>
  898.  
  899.  
  900. <p>But the Parkers had been here before. In 2023, they finished repairing their 936-square-foot home after Tropical Storm Fred’s floodwaters filled it with 4 feet of water in 2021. That time, their house had been rebuilt by a state-run program. They received $50,000 from their flood insurance and just $1,644 from FEMA for rental assistance.</p>
  901.  
  902.  
  903.  
  904. <p>When Helene hit just a year after they got back into their home, they decided the risk of rebuilding was too great. Jeff, a former wastewater treatment plant operator, was on disability. Michelle was working as a medical assistant and could take only a couple of weeks off after Helene. They applied for a <a href="https://www.haywoodcountync.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1086">hazard mitigation</a> buyout, another program offered <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVZdihUkkMc">through FEMA</a>, instead. It would pay them the property’s appraised value before the storm and turn it into green space.</p>
  905.  
  906.  
  907.  
  908. <p>But that process could take years, and their home was unlivable. They figured they would at least get rental assistance from FEMA in the meantime.</p>
  909.  
  910.  
  911.  
  912. <p>The couples’ situations diverged in important ways, and they applied for different pots of FEMA housing assistance. But their journeys underscore how disaster survivors with varying resources are able to navigate FEMA’s application process.</p>
  913.  
  914.  
  915.  
  916. <p>Susie and Michelle spent hours plodding through FEMA’s online system, uploading documents, deciphering bureaucratic letters and making myriad phone calls to the agency.</p>
  917.  
  918.  
  919.  
  920. <p>After weeks of pestering FEMA, the Hills received just under the maximum $42,500 for home repair and rebuild assistance for damage to things like the home’s walls, windows and doors, plus about $9,000 from other FEMA aid programs. The money played a critical role in helping them start rebuilding.</p>
  921.  
  922.  
  923.  
  924. <p>The Parkers received $2,210 for the first two months of rental assistance to help pay for temporary housing. Michelle continued to nag FEMA for months seeking longer-term help; the agency will pay rental assistance for up to 18 months, which could translate to an additional $7,500.</p>
  925.  
  926.  
  927.  
  928. <p>Then Jeff died from cardiac arrest in June at age 56. Michelle felt like she was operating in a fog. She couldn’t handle another stressor.</p>
  929.  
  930.  
  931.  
  932. <p>So when FEMA’s call wait times soared to two to three hours <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/climate/fema-missed-calls-texas-floods.html">after the deadly Texas floods</a> on July 4, she gave up on pursuing additional rental assistance from FEMA.</p>
  933.  
  934.  
  935.  
  936. <p>“I got tired of calling,” she said.</p>
  937.  
  938.  
  939.  
  940. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  941. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  942. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="1172" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_3888-SG-edit_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.webp?resize=780%2C1172&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233595" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_3888-SG-edit_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.webp?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_3888-SG-edit_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.webp?resize=506%2C760&amp;ssl=1 506w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_3888-SG-edit_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.webp?resize=768%2C1154&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_3888-SG-edit_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.webp?resize=682%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 682w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_3888-SG-edit_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.webp?resize=780%2C1172&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_3888-SG-edit_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.webp?resize=400%2C601&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_3888-SG-edit_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.webp?resize=706%2C1061&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_3888-SG-edit_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michelle’s husband, Jeff, with their Chihuahuas, Cloey and Sweet Pea. (Photo courtesy of Michelle Parker)</figcaption></figure>
  943. </div>
  944.  
  945.  
  946.  
  947. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  948. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="1172" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-317_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C1172&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233596" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-317_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-317_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=506%2C760&amp;ssl=1 506w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-317_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C1154&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-317_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=682%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 682w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-317_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C1172&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-317_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C601&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-317_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C1061&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-317_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Inside Michelle’s camper. (Photo by Jesse Barber / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  949. </div>
  950. </div>
  951.  
  952.  
  953.  
  954. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233597" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1296%2C863&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1200%2C799&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C681&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C266&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=1450&amp;ssl=1 1450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-301_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-1296x863.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michelle’s memorial to her husband and their Chihuahua, Sweet Pea, includes a stuffed animal that plays a recording of Jeff’s voice, a box with the Corvette emblem containing Jeff’s ashes and a box with Sweet Pea’s ashes.&nbsp;(Photo by Jesse Barber / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  955.  
  956.  
  957.  
  958. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Daunting Process</h3>
  959.  
  960.  
  961.  
  962. <p>After disasters strike, households with lower incomes can face major challenges, beginning with the early steps of the rebuilding process, which include finding temporary housing and transportation. Some residents lack reliable internet access or cell service. They have less money to pay professionals for estimates or attorneys for advice. Throw in the added hurdles of rugged topography, and western North Carolina posed particular challenges to those faced with rebuilding after Helene.</p>
  963.  
  964.  
  965.  
  966. <p>Alicia Edwards, who directs the Disaster Relief Project for Legal Aid of North Carolina, said she wasn’t surprised by our analysis, which found that in six of the 10 counties most impacted by Helene, the lowest-income households got less in FEMA’s housing assistance than those at the highest income level.</p>
  967.  
  968.  
  969.  
  970. <p>“People with lower incomes are at a huge disadvantage,” Edwards said.</p>
  971.  
  972.  
  973.  
  974. <p>The application process can be onerous and overwhelming, particularly for people who just survived raging floodwaters and the destruction of their homes and communities. And it can feel downright impossible to navigate for those with less money or other resources.</p>
  975.  
  976.  
  977.  
  978. <p>In Buncombe County, our analysis found the opposite trend. The lowest-income families there typically received more housing assistance than those with higher incomes. It’s also where residents tend to have better access to resources, as many regional nonprofits are based there. Pisgah Legal Services has had an office in Asheville for decades.</p>
  979.  
  980.  
  981.  
  982. <p>Several of the counties with pronounced income disparities are among the most rural counties heavily impacted by Helene. Yancey, Mitchell and Polk all have populations under 21,000.</p>
  983.  
  984.  
  985.  
  986. <p>The region also is home to both higher-income retirees, who can have more free time and more experience navigating complicated finances, and lower-income multigenerational families. In more rural areas, many of the latter tend to distrust the federal government and are reluctant to pursue assistance, said Morgan Monshaugen, disaster recovery program director with the Housing Assistance Corp., a nonprofit that serves Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties.</p>
  987.  
  988.  
  989.  
  990. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  991. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  992. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-490_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233600" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-490_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-490_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-490_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-490_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-490_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-490_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C266&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-490_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-490_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A vacant apartment complex, first image, and a mobile home park, second image, in Haywood County, North Carolina, that were damaged by Helene.&nbsp;(Photo by Jesse Barber / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  993. </div>
  994.  
  995.  
  996.  
  997. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  998. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-375_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233601" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-375_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-375_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-375_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-375_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-375_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-375_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=400%2C266&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-375_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-375_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-2.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A vacant apartment complex, first image, and a mobile home park, second image, in Haywood County, North Carolina, that were damaged by Helene.&nbsp;(Photo by Jesse Barber / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  999. </div>
  1000. </div>
  1001.  
  1002.  
  1003.  
  1004. <p>The month before Helene struck, Tulane University researchers released <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221242092400390X">a literature review</a> of 25 years of research on barriers to equitable disaster recovery. They noted common themes, including the confusing aid process and challenges navigating bureaucracies. They also pointed to research that shows inspectors’ biases and time pressures can play a role.</p>
  1005.  
  1006.  
  1007.  
  1008. <p>Before 2020, inspectors would go through a long checklist of items that could qualify for repair or replacement money. Someone with more things could therefore get more aid.</p>
  1009.  
  1010.  
  1011.  
  1012. <p>After FEMA changed that system, inspectors now record notes about standardized factors such as roof damage and the height of flood marks inside. The amount of damage puts a household into one of several levels, each of which determines how much and what type of repair and rebuild assistance it can get. Some households get additional money for things like heating, venting and air conditioning or septic systems.</p>
  1013.  
  1014.  
  1015.  
  1016. <p>“It shouldn’t have to do with anything other than what was damaged and what was repaired,” Edwards said. But she worries biases can still creep in. “If they feel you are a credible person, they could give you a little more assistance, even subconsciously,” she said.</p>
  1017.  
  1018.  
  1019.  
  1020. <p>The agency’s decisions come in the form of mailed letters, each regarding a different pot of money. Some letters might have a dollar amount granted. Others might announce denials. It isn’t always obvious that survivors can appeal — an even more arduous process for many.</p>
  1021.  
  1022.  
  1023.  
  1024. <p>“It makes it impossibly hard for people to navigate,” Edwards said.</p>
  1025.  
  1026.  
  1027.  
  1028. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233602" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-1296x864.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Four months after Helene hit western North Carolina, debris still remained in Yancey County.&nbsp;(Photo by Juan Diego Reyes / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  1029.  
  1030.  
  1031.  
  1032. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Hills of Challenge</h3>
  1033.  
  1034.  
  1035.  
  1036. <p>Susie Hill knew her family would need every dollar they could get to rebuild. So she filled out a FEMA application online and talked to someone at the agency by phone.</p>
  1037.  
  1038.  
  1039.  
  1040. <p>Slowly, aid from FEMA started arriving in their bank account — $3,514 first, a set amount for people displaced, then an initial $13,687 for home repair. In October, it reached about $22,000, roughly half of the $42,500 maximum in 2024 for home repair and replacement.</p>
  1041.  
  1042.  
  1043.  
  1044. <p>Then the money stopped.</p>
  1045.  
  1046.  
  1047.  
  1048. <p>As hope for more aid began to fizzle, Susie pestered FEMA. “I was anxious about getting lost in the mix of so many people across the region in need,” she said. The Hills’ application was one of nearly 1.5 million that FEMA received across the six-state region devastated by Helene.</p>
  1049.  
  1050.  
  1051.  
  1052. <p>The Hills got more estimates, uploaded more documents. They set up a GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $53,000. And finally, in late November, they came close to reaching the maximum $42,500 payout from FEMA for home repairs, along with smaller amounts from the agency’s other aid buckets.</p>
  1053.  
  1054.  
  1055.  
  1056. <p>“Unfortunately,” Susie said, “I think it is a bit of a socioeconomic situation where we have jobs, where we know people that know people, that maybe have money or that are able to help us, or that have the skills to help us, where other people are just trying to make it day to day.”</p>
  1057.  
  1058.  
  1059. <div class="wp-block-image">
  1060. <figure class="alignleft size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="1040" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C1040&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233603" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=570%2C760&amp;ssl=1 570w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C534&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C942&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-55_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Susie Hill&nbsp;Credit (Photo by Juan Diego Reyes / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure></div>
  1061.  
  1062.  
  1063. <p>Yancey is home to the most families per capita — about 175, or roughly 1 in 36 homeowners — who got the top amount of FEMA home rebuild and repair assistance. Our analysis of more than 75,000 North Carolina homeowners who applied for the assistance in the counties hardest hit by Helene found roughly 1,300 homeowners, or just 1.7%, received the maximum payout.</p>
  1064.  
  1065.  
  1066.  
  1067. <p>The Hills had decided to relocate their historic house to a spot on their property farther back from the creek. The FEMA money would cover most of that cost, a critical first step toward gutting it and rebuilding.</p>
  1068.  
  1069.  
  1070.  
  1071. <p>On an icy cold day in mid-January, house movers put I-beams underneath the water-damaged structure and used hydraulic lifts to raise it. Then, they hauled it to safer ground.</p>
  1072.  
  1073.  
  1074.  
  1075. <p>A family in Tennessee donated a camper for the Hills to live in. After three months of bouncing around, they parked it near the shell of their house. Standing at the front door, to the right, they could see the vast destruction along Cattail Creek. To the left, they could watch their home slowly come back to life.</p>
  1076.  
  1077.  
  1078.  
  1079. <p>Susie had to wash their clothes at the elementary school where she works. For other things, they used water carried from a neighbor’s well. Brian had to haul the contents of the toilet to the septic tank. But it was a home.</p>
  1080.  
  1081.  
  1082.  
  1083. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233604" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=1450&amp;ssl=1 1450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-8_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-1296x864.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Cattail Creek, now calm, flooded during Helene and destroyed the Hills’ home.&nbsp;(Photo by Juan Diego Reyes / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  1084.  
  1085.  
  1086.  
  1087. <p>An hour’s drive away, the Parkers had sought refuge during the storm at Michelle’s mother’s house. Jeff had fractured his ankle two months before the storm and used a wheelchair. They weren’t taking chances after fleeing their home under darkness — Michelle carrying their two Chihuahuas, one under each arm — when Tropical Storm Fred hit three years earlier.</p>
  1088.  
  1089.  
  1090.  
  1091. <p>When they returned home after Helene, their shed was gone. Instead, other people’s structures lay in their yard. Inside, the contents looked like everything had been spun around. Their refrigerator lay on its side. The washing machine sat wedged on top of the dryer.</p>
  1092.  
  1093.  
  1094.  
  1095. <p>“It ruined everything — <em>everything,</em>” Michelle said. “I was ready to just die right there. I was like, I can’t go through this again.”</p>
  1096.  
  1097.  
  1098.  
  1099. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233605" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1296%2C862&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1536%2C1022&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1200%2C799&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C681&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C266&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-62_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-1296x862.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michelle’s home shows signs of destruction from Helene almost a year later. (Photo by Jesse Parker / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  1100.  
  1101.  
  1102.  
  1103. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  1104. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  1105. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-102_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233606" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-102_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-102_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-102_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-102_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-102_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-102_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C266&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-102_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-102_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michelle’s home shows signs of destruction from Helene almost a year later.&nbsp;(Photo by Jesse Parker / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  1106. </div>
  1107.  
  1108.  
  1109.  
  1110. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  1111. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-156_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233607" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-156_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-156_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-156_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-156_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-156_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-156_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C266&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-156_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-156_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A vacant house near Michelle’s home. (Photo by Jesse Parker / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  1112. </div>
  1113. </div>
  1114.  
  1115.  
  1116.  
  1117. <p>A friend set up a GoFundMe, which raised $1,875. The Parkers’ flood insurance paid out $80,000, far below the $209,000 the home had been appraised for a year before. Michelle remembers FEMA offering a free hotel, more than 60 miles away in Tennessee, a distance made farther as Helene’s waters took out parts of Interstate 40. Michelle and Jeff were grateful to receive a donated camper to live in. But their property still had no water or electricity, and they had to rent a place to park it.</p>
  1118.  
  1119.  
  1120.  
  1121. <p>The rent for that gravel parking space is $900 a month. Donors paid half, but Michelle has to come up with the rest.</p>
  1122.  
  1123.  
  1124.  
  1125. <p>Michelle turned to FEMA. She requested more rental assistance and uploaded an employer letter, a rental agreement, utility bills and a rent receipt. She called FEMA repeatedly.</p>
  1126.  
  1127.  
  1128.  
  1129. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233608" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1296%2C863&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1200%2C799&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C681&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C266&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=1450&amp;ssl=1 1450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-227_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-1296x863.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michelle and her friend Krista Shalda outside Michelle’s camper. Michelle has struggled to pay the rent for the lot where the camper is parked.&nbsp;(Photo by Jesse Barber / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  1130.  
  1131.  
  1132.  
  1133. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">“They Are All Gone”</h3>
  1134.  
  1135.  
  1136.  
  1137. <p>FEMA has faced years of criticism from people applying for assistance. Chief among their complaints: inconsistent payouts, the onerous application process, incomprehensible communication and confusing rules.</p>
  1138.  
  1139.  
  1140.  
  1141. <p>Jeremiah Isom lost his home and work tools in the Yancey County floodwaters and has since been living here and there. He’s struggled to find a job and has grappled with a FEMA application, complicated by deaths in his family and property ownership issues. It doesn’t help that he’s reluctant to ask for help, much less aggressively seek it from the federal government. Just plowing through each day is hard enough.</p>
  1142.  
  1143.  
  1144.  
  1145. <p>“Everyone is so eaten up with PTSD,” Isom said. “It’s got your head so scrambled.”</p>
  1146.  
  1147.  
  1148.  
  1149. <p>FEMA has been <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/FEMA-2023-0003-0039">working on improving</a> its application process. From 2021 to 2024, it announced changes <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/01/22/2024-00677/individual-assistance-program-equity?utm_source=chatgpt.com">aimed at improving access and equity</a>, including making home repair money available to underinsured households. Another change cut an onerous rule requiring applicants to first apply for a U.S. Small Business Administration loan, which approved <a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-20-503.pdf">less than 4%</a> of all applicants from 2016 to 2018.</p>
  1150.  
  1151.  
  1152.  
  1153. <p>Before President Donald Trump took office in January, FEMA also had spent more than a year hiring a team of engineers, designers and product managers to help modernize the online application process. They faced a key challenge: The back-end system that runs much of the process at disasterassistance.gov is 27 years old.</p>
  1154.  
  1155.  
  1156.  
  1157. <p>A key problem is that when survivors check their application status, they often see simply that it’s pending. They get no indication of where the application is in the process or why. The FEMA team was working to change that.</p>
  1158.  
  1159.  
  1160.  
  1161. <p>Michael Coen, the agency’s chief of staff when the team was formed, noted that people are used to going on Amazon and getting updates about when their order is out for delivery and when it’s about to arrive. Coen said survivors wonder, “Why can’t FEMA do that?”</p>
  1162.  
  1163.  
  1164.  
  1165. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233609" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250127-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-69_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-1296x864.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Volunteers cut firewood in Swannanoa, North Carolina, four months after Helene hit the region.&nbsp;(Photo by Juan Diego Reyes / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  1166.  
  1167.  
  1168.  
  1169. <p>Yet since the Trump administration began <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-108598?utm_source=chatgpt.com">slashing the agency’s workforce</a>, the team focusing on improvements to the online application process has disintegrated. In January, the team had at least 10 people. Now, it’s down to two. The rest took the deferred resignation offer or were pushed from their posts, current and former FEMA employees told ProPublica and The Assembly.</p>
  1170.  
  1171.  
  1172.  
  1173. <p>“They all are gone,” said Alexandra Ferčak, who until May was chief of service delivery enhancement, part of a relatively new office at FEMA. Her team worked closely with the digital team. “We had so much knowledge and expertise, it was unprecedented,” she said.</p>
  1174.  
  1175.  
  1176.  
  1177. <p>Without that in-house expertise, major changes are “not going to be effective,” said a FEMA employee who worked with the team but asked not to be named out of fear of retribution.</p>
  1178.  
  1179.  
  1180.  
  1181. <p>FEMA did not respond to questions about the team. But in late August, more than 180 current and former FEMA employees <a href="https://www.standupforscience.net/fema-katrina-declaration">signed a public letter</a> to Congress warning that cuts to the agency’s full-time staff risk kneecapping its disaster response capabilities.</p>
  1182.  
  1183.  
  1184.  
  1185. <p><a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/08/29/dhs-debunks-false-claims-about-federal-emergency-management?utm_source=chatgpt.com">In response</a>, Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which includes FEMA, said she is working hard to “streamline this bloated organization into a tool that actually benefits Americans in crisis.” The agency <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/climate/fema-suspends-staff-who-criticized-trump-cuts.html">then suspended</a> most who had signed their names to the letter.</p>
  1186.  
  1187.  
  1188.  
  1189. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">One Year Later</h3>
  1190.  
  1191.  
  1192.  
  1193. <p>The Hills had their house moved back from Cattail Creek and temporarily propped up until they could get a new foundation laid. But the foundation work depended on the weather, which was varying degrees of terrible all winter.</p>
  1194.  
  1195.  
  1196.  
  1197. <p>Heavy rain triggered flashbacks to Helene, and in February it poured. But one Sunday morning, the Hills turned on the gas fireplace in their camper as the temperatures plummeted and the gray rain turned to snowflakes. Despite the gloom outside, they were gleeful.</p>
  1198.  
  1199.  
  1200.  
  1201. <p>A retired contractor from Texas volunteering his skills had become the guiding force in their rebuilding. Volunteers from other states also showed up to help. A group from a church in Georgia who work in construction had just visited. They asked what the Hills wanted in their house.</p>
  1202.  
  1203.  
  1204.  
  1205. <p>The Hills mostly wanted to add a bathroom so that their daughter, Lucy, who was 9 at the time, would have her own. The men would try to add one. When they left, the Hills went out to dinner using a gift card and declared it the best day ever, or at least something that had been hard to come by since the storm: a great day.</p>
  1206.  
  1207.  
  1208.  
  1209. <p>A few months later, a feeling of hope spread across western North Carolina as the dogwoods and redbuds bloomed in puffs of purple and white. Dandelions dotted patches of grass amid the persistent brown muck of mud and fallen trees. Friends and volunteers became fixtures at the Hills’ house. They depended on so much kindness from people. Brian spent every spare minute working on repairs as well.</p>
  1210.  
  1211.  
  1212.  
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  1221. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233612" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-74_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1222. </div>
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  1224.  
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  1227. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233613" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250406-Reyes-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-13_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-1296x972.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">With help from FEMA and their community, the Hills are rebuilding their home. Signs of normalcy have slowly returned, including a neighbor’s horses coming by to graze.&nbsp;(Photo by Juan Diego Reyes / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  1228.  
  1229.  
  1230.  
  1231. <p>Without that initial FEMA money, the Hills’ wrecked house might still be sitting in the moonscape of mud and destruction that persists along Cattail Creek. Instead, as summer waned, the house had electricity, siding, floors, insulation, drywall — and a bathroom for Lucy.</p>
  1232.  
  1233.  
  1234.  
  1235. <p>On this one-year anniversary of Helene’s destruction, the Hills expect to move back in any day. <a href="https://www.auditor.nc.gov/dashboards/helene#Tab-1Housing-4230">Thousands of others</a> aren’t even close.</p>
  1236.  
  1237.  
  1238.  
  1239. <p>Michelle now lives alone in the camper. For the past year, donors have been paying half the rent for the lot where she parks the camper. In November, that assistance will come to an end. Michelle has a job working with autistic children but cannot afford the $900 a month on her own.</p>
  1240.  
  1241.  
  1242.  
  1243. <p>“It’s just a gravel spot,” she said.</p>
  1244.  
  1245.  
  1246.  
  1247. <p>Like the Hills, Michelle credits friends and nonprofits for getting her through the last year. “They just swarmed in and started helping — and lots of them,” she said.</p>
  1248.  
  1249.  
  1250.  
  1251. <p>In the spring, Mountain Projects, a local nonprofit that provided the camper, offered her a discounted modular home and a plot of land. Other nonprofits like United Way and Salvation Army have offered to help cover some of the home’s expenses, but Michelle still must come up with $81,000 not yet covered by her insurance or donations.</p>
  1252.  
  1253.  
  1254.  
  1255. <p>The buyout program she applied for would pay her the fair market value of her home before the storm, minus her insurance payout. But if she is approved, <a href="https://www.ncdps.gov/our-organization/emergency-management/hazard-mitigation/resources#Howlongdoesthebuyoutprocesstake-8319">it could be years</a> before she sees that money. “I’m worried,” she said.</p>
  1256.  
  1257.  
  1258.  
  1259. <p>She and Jeff were preapproved for a mortgage loan, but without his income, she isn’t sure she will still qualify. Michelle is thankful for so much help. But a year after Helene, moving into a permanent home feels more unreachable than ever.</p>
  1260.  
  1261.  
  1262.  
  1263. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233614" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1296%2C862&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1536%2C1022&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1200%2C799&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=1024%2C681&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=400%2C266&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.webp?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250919-Barber-Hurricane-Helene-Recovery-224_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95-1296x862.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The home offered to Michelle by Mountain Projects. (Photo by Jesse Barber / ProPublica)</figcaption></figure>
  1264.  
  1265.  
  1266.  
  1267. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1268.  
  1269.  
  1270.  
  1271. <p><em>ProPublica and The Assembly know recovery in western North Carolina is far from over, and so is our reporting. If you have applied or thought about applying to the state housing recovery program, RenewNC, <a href="https://www.propublica.org/getinvolved/hurricane-helene-rebuilding-aid-help-us-report">fill out this form</a>. You can reach us with questions or other stories at <a href="helenetips@propublica.org">helenetips@propublica.org</a>.</em></p>
  1272.  
  1273.  
  1274.  
  1275. <p><em><a href="https://www.propublica.org/people/mollie-simon">Mollie Simon</a> contributed research, and <a href="https://www.propublica.org/people/nadia-sussman">Nadia Sussman</a> and <a href="https://www.propublica.org/people/cassandra-garibay">Cassandra Garibay</a> contributed reporting.</em></p>
  1276. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/arduous-and-unequal-the-fight-to-get-fema-housing-assistance-after-helene/2025/10/20/">Arduous and Unequal: The Fight to Get FEMA Housing Assistance After Helene</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1277. ]]></content:encoded>
  1279. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/arduous-and-unequal-the-fight-to-get-fema-housing-assistance-after-helene/2025/10/20/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1280. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1283. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233581</post-id> </item>
  1284. <item>
  1285. <title>45 Degrees North: Debris Dilemmas</title>
  1286. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/45-degrees-north-debris-dilemmas/2025/10/17/</link>
  1287. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/45-degrees-north-debris-dilemmas/2025/10/17/#respond</comments>
  1289. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Donna Kallner]]></dc:creator>
  1290. <pubDate>Fri, 17 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1291. <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
  1292. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233494</guid>
  1293.  
  1294. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C427&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C729&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1151&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1125&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1295. <p>Winter is coming here at 45 degrees north. That means my township&#8217;s solid waste transfer station will be reducing its hours and removing the seasonal bins for large items. Through the winter, we will still be able to haul our regular household trash and recyclables there on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. But the window [&#8230;]</p>
  1296. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/45-degrees-north-debris-dilemmas/2025/10/17/">45 Degrees North: Debris Dilemmas</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1297. ]]></description>
  1298. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C427&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C729&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1151&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1125&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_094438514_HDR-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1299. <p>Winter is coming here at 45 degrees north. That means my township&#8217;s solid waste transfer station will be reducing its hours and removing the seasonal bins for large items. Through the winter, we will still be able to haul our regular household trash and recyclables there on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. But the window is closing for disposal of things like the worn-out, lumpy mattress and box springs we wanted gone.</p>
  1300.  
  1301.  
  1302.  
  1303. <p>Not that long ago, many rural families had a place out back where stuff like that got dumped. It wasn&#8217;t ideal, but it&#8217;s not like there were many options. Nowadays, local government units are responsible for ensuring “<a href="https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/doclink/waext/WA422.pdf">easy access</a>” to appropriate solid waste disposal options. But Wisconsin only passed its solid waste reduction, recovery and recycling law in 1990. In the 10 years it took to implement, people were still going to rural landfills to watch black bears rummage through garbage before it was managed with open burning and bulldozing.</p>
  1304.  
  1305.  
  1306.  
  1307. <p>For those who don&#8217;t remember that implementation and the time before it, a Hogwarts-style <a href="https://www.harrypotter.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/pensieve">pensieve</a> would come in handy. I could show you memories of a time when used motor oil was spread on gravel roads to keep the dust down. When throwing an old tire onto a burning trash pile was common (it burns hotter that way), and <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn_pit">burn pits</a> were an accepted means of waste disposal. When <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_waste_management">waste management</a> was a concern for more populated areas, rural people just made do.</p>
  1308.  
  1309.  
  1310.  
  1311. <p>Nowadays, when people buy rural property, they&#8217;re not happy to discover they&#8217;ve acquired some forgotten <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midden">midden heap</a>. And you can&#8217;t blame them. Who knows what’s been leaching into the soil and groundwater from discarded refrigerators, fuel tanks, motor vehicles, and containers used for agricultural and other chemicals? Clean-up can be expensive.&nbsp;</p>
  1312.  
  1313.  
  1314.  
  1315. <p>But I find it frustrating to hear people gripe about the legacy of others’ actions and then, in the next breath, complain how government infringes on their right to do whatever <em>they</em> want on their own land. Or about taxes that just about cover the operation and tipping fees for a transfer station, but not curbside pickup. I think it&#8217;s safe to say that many rural people think common sense should prevail. I don&#8217;t disagree, but unfortunately, that is often not quite sufficient.&nbsp;</p>
  1316.  
  1317.  
  1318.  
  1319. <p>So historically, free people confer <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/why-laws-exist-721458">legitimate authority</a> on the government to adopt and enforce laws and regulations to protect people and society, individually and collectively. We vote for representatives to oversee our interests at the local, county, state, and federal levels. When we&#8217;re frustrated with their (choose one) overreach, OR underperformance, OR perceived lack of common sense, we can show up at the polls to choose different representation. Or not: Not voting yet complaining about unsatisfactory representation is certainly common.&nbsp;</p>
  1320.  
  1321.  
  1322.  
  1323. <p>But maybe we can find a place at the intersection of personal rights and responsibility where we can agree on some norms of behavior – individual and collective. If we can apply them to solid waste disposal, maybe we can also apply them to other issues where we seem hopelessly divided.</p>
  1324.  
  1325.  
  1326.  
  1327. <p>So let&#8217;s talk about the long and ugly tradition of getting rid of junk by dumping it along some country road. People dump unwanted furniture, appliances, building materials, deer carcasses, and other debris. They dump on public lands and private lands. They dump where they think they won&#8217;t get caught.&nbsp;</p>
  1328.  
  1329.  
  1330. <div class="wp-block-image">
  1331. <figure class="alignleft size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="1153" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427-877x1296.jpg?resize=780%2C1153&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233523" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?resize=877%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 877w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?resize=514%2C760&amp;ssl=1 514w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?resize=768%2C1135&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?resize=1039%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1039w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?resize=1386%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1386w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?resize=1200%2C1773&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?resize=693%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 693w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?resize=780%2C1153&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?resize=400%2C591&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?resize=706%2C1043&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427.jpg?w=1438&amp;ssl=1 1438w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_20250921_093409096_HDR-scaled-e1759757450427-877x1296.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Not that long ago, many rural families had to dump unwanted stuff “out back”. (Photo by Donna Kallner / The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure></div>
  1332.  
  1333.  
  1334. <p>They may tell themselves they&#8217;re not hurting anybody because the place looks deserted. Or that some items are biodegradable – like a big banana peel, only it takes longer to go away. Mostly, I think they know they&#8217;re turning their problem into someone else&#8217;s problem, or they wouldn&#8217;t dump in the dead of night.</p>
  1335.  
  1336.  
  1337.  
  1338. <p>Improved rural broadband connectivity can&#8217;t come fast enough for people who live near so-called wild dumps – places where other people’s bad choices are a perennial problem. My latest lottery fantasy is to fund grants that help rural people buy the latest, greatest trail cameras to aim at those spots. I don&#8217;t know if that would deter dumping any more than doorbell cameras deter porch pirates. But wouldn&#8217;t it be satisfying to announce remotely, “You have been captured on video, which has been forwarded to law enforcement.”</p>
  1339.  
  1340.  
  1341.  
  1342. <p>But consider this: Even stiff criminal or civil penalties probably wouldn&#8217;t eliminate some problems associated with rural solid waste disposal. It&#8217;s just plain hard for some of our neighbors to manage their trash, both the big stuff and their everyday household waste.</p>
  1343.  
  1344.  
  1345.  
  1346. <p>For example, where I live, we have to haul our own trash to the transfer station or arrange for someone else to do it. That can be a challenge for homebound elders without someone able-bodied who is willing and available to transport garbage during the transfer station’s limited open hours. Without the means to pay for disposal, it&#8217;s not unusual for stuff to just pile up.</p>
  1347.  
  1348.  
  1349.  
  1350. <p>There&#8217;s a lot of rural pride in our default response to problems: Community comes through. Except when it doesn&#8217;t – for which there can be very good reasons. For example, two different people in a neighborhood near me shared their concerns about a homebound elder. A mountain of garbage bags had collected outside his garage. Neighbors were reluctant to offer help in hauling it away. They had concerns that bags (probably containing used incontinence products and other bio waste) could leak or break during transport. There were also concerns about taking possession of trash that might contain drug paraphernalia left by visitors to that residence. People who meet their own obligations to remove trash may have compassion for someone unable to do the same, and yet be stymied in how to resolve a situation like that.&nbsp;</p>
  1351.  
  1352.  
  1353.  
  1354. <p>There are also times when local government is stymied in its efforts to balance compassion and responsibility (including fiscal responsibility). For example, in 2007, an <a href="https://www.weather.gov/grb/060707_tornadoes">F3 tornado</a> hit just over a mile from my house. Clean-up began almost immediately, which is what rural communities <em>do</em>. Ten years earlier, local government probably would have just bulldozed tornado debris from structures into the town&#8217;s landfill. So no one checked with the DNR or the township&#8217;s waste disposal contractor to make a debris plan before word spread that people could haul that stuff to the town’s transfer center.&nbsp;</p>
  1355.  
  1356.  
  1357.  
  1358. <p>Once it was there, that debris became the municipality’s responsibility, and the price tag was a whopper. To reduce costs, the town had to physically sort a mountain of trash into separate components. They were allowed to burn clean wood at the site. But non-burnables – including siding, shingles, insulation, drywall, windows, and treated lumber – had to be hauled by a garbage contractor to an approved disposal site.&nbsp;</p>
  1359.  
  1360.  
  1361.  
  1362. <p>Eventually, the town got some reimbursement for expenses from a state emergency management disaster program. But there is a lot of paperwork that has to be done to get help like that.&nbsp;</p>
  1363.  
  1364.  
  1365.  
  1366. <p>That&#8217;s something to think about when you&#8217;re voting for your representation in local government. Preferably before flooding floats pre-cast concrete septic tanks onto your property and you need help figuring out how to get rid of them. Yes, downballot races matter.</p>
  1367.  
  1368.  
  1369.  
  1370. <p>I&#8217;m grateful that we have better choices than burying our old mattress and box springs at the edge of our property or dumping it on a dead-end road some dark night. Bill and I got those pieces loaded on his pickup truck and hauled to the town&#8217;s transfer station in September. The guy who manages the transfer station helped Bill unload and stack them with other stuff people wanted to get rid of. The town pays the tipping fees. And the property taxes we pay contribute to making it possible for our community, as well as our household, to benefit.&nbsp;</p>
  1371.  
  1372.  
  1373.  
  1374. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1375.  
  1376.  
  1377.  
  1378. <p><em>Donna Kallner writes from Langlade County in rural northern Wisconsin. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s </em><a href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2025-08/epa_r5_illegal-dumping-prevention-guide_508.pdf"><em>Illegal Dumping Prevention Guide</em></a><em> has helpful information including prevention strategies for communities.</em></p>
  1379. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/45-degrees-north-debris-dilemmas/2025/10/17/">45 Degrees North: Debris Dilemmas</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1380. ]]></content:encoded>
  1382. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/45-degrees-north-debris-dilemmas/2025/10/17/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1383. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1386. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233494</post-id> </item>
  1387. <item>
  1388. <title>For the Love of Ducks</title>
  1389. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/for-the-love-of-ducks/2025/10/16/</link>
  1390. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/for-the-love-of-ducks/2025/10/16/#respond</comments>
  1392. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Kim Kobersmith]]></dc:creator>
  1393. <pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1394. <category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
  1395. <category><![CDATA[Travel & Recreation]]></category>
  1396. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233314</guid>
  1397.  
  1398. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="772" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?fit=1024%2C772&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=760%2C573&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=1296%2C977&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=768%2C579&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=1536%2C1157&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=2048%2C1543&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=1200%2C904&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=1024%2C772&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=2000%2C1507&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=780%2C588&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=400%2C301&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=706%2C532&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?fit=1024%2C772&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1399. <p>Judges decided the winner of the 2025 Federal Duck Stamp contest on Friday, September 19th. I watched the livestream, along with about 1,700 other fans. James Hautman’s acrylic painting of three Buffleheads in flight rose above the other 289 entries to capture first place. The image will grace the 2026-2027 Duck Stamp.&#160; Jim and his [&#8230;]</p>
  1400. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/for-the-love-of-ducks/2025/10/16/">For the Love of Ducks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1401. ]]></description>
  1402. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="772" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?fit=1024%2C772&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=760%2C573&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=1296%2C977&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=768%2C579&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=1536%2C1157&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=2048%2C1543&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=1200%2C904&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=1024%2C772&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=2000%2C1507&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=780%2C588&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=400%2C301&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?resize=706%2C532&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_05.jpg?fit=1024%2C772&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1403. <p>Judges decided the winner of the 2025 Federal Duck Stamp contest on Friday, September 19<sup>th</sup>. I watched the livestream, along with about 1,700 other fans. James Hautman’s acrylic painting of three Buffleheads in flight rose above the other 289 entries to capture first place. The image will grace the 2026-2027<a href="https://www.fws.gov/program/federal-duck-stamp/federal-duck-stamp-contest-event-information"> Duck Stamp</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  1404.  
  1405.  
  1406.  
  1407. <p>Jim and his two brothers, Joe Hautman and Bob Hautman, are legendary in the duck stamp art world. It is Jim’s record-breaking 7<sup>th</sup> win. Joe has won six times and Bob, three. In 2015, the three notably claimed first, second, and third places in the contest. Between them, they have painted artwork for over 50 state and federal conservation stamps.&nbsp;</p>
  1408.  
  1409.  
  1410.  
  1411. <p>The Federal Duck Stamp has a vaunted history. The idea to sell an annual stamp for funding the purchase of wetlands came from Jay N. &#8220;Ding&#8221; Darling, a famous cartoonist and former chief of the Biological Survey, a precursor of the U.S. Fish &amp; Wildlife Service. Darling drew the first stamp for 1934-1935, a brush and ink drawing of Mallards. The design selection became a contest in 1950-1951, when artist Walter Weber won for his trumpeter swans.</p>
  1412.  
  1413.  
  1414.  
  1415. <p>Due to its longevity, its role as the federal government’s only art contest, and the high caliber of artistic entries, winning is a prestigious honor for artists. It’s a career pinnacle achievement for realist wildlife painters, comparable to the Oscars or the Grammy’s. For a niche group, the contest has become a bit of an obsession, captured in the documentary, “<a href="https://www.themilliondollarduckfilm.com/">The Million Dollar Duck</a>,” and the book, “<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13538773-the-wild-duck-chase">The Wild Duck Chase</a>.”</p>
  1416.  
  1417.  
  1418.  
  1419. <p>The concept of the duck stamp has proven highly effective. Duck hunters over 16 years old are required to purchase the stamp annually, and others choose to buy one to support conservation. Ninety-eight percent of stamp proceeds goes directly to add protected land to the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/node/115">National Wildlife Refuge System</a>. In its 91-year history, the duck stamp has raised $1.2 billion and conserved 6 million acres across the country.</p>
  1420.  
  1421.  
  1422.  
  1423. <p>As a creative tool for funding land conservation, duck stamp art preserves the nation’s rural character and honors a pastoral way of life. The contest’s long-time support for realistic wildlife art sustains rural livelihoods and engenders passion for the natural world. It joins a diverse group of people in the common cause of preserving wildlife habitats.</p>
  1424.  
  1425.  
  1426.  
  1427. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="566" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03.jpg?resize=780%2C566&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233320" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C940&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C551&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C557&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1114&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1485&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C870&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C742&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1450&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C566&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C290&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C512&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_03-1296x940.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">1991-1992 duck stamp, artist Nancy Howe, the first woman to win, acrylic painting of a pair of King Eiders. (<a href="https://www.fws.gov/media/duck-stamp-1991-1992">1991-1992 King Eiders</a>, Duck Stamp 1991-1992, Nancy Howe/USFWS, Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved &#8211; Used by Permission)</figcaption></figure>
  1428.  
  1429.  
  1430.  
  1431. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">A Duck’s Life</h3>
  1432.  
  1433.  
  1434.  
  1435. <p>To say artist Adam Grimm’s life revolves around ducks is not overstating the facts. His friends called him Duck even before he became the youngest person ever to win the Federal Duck Stamp contest at 21 years old. That 1999 victory solidified his wildlife art career, and he now supports his family of six with that work. He won last year for the third time; the current 2025-2026 duck stamp features his <a href="https://adamgrimm.com/">painting</a> of a pair of King Eiders.&nbsp;</p>
  1436.  
  1437.  
  1438.  
  1439. <p>“I like capturing each species in its natural beauty, the way it was created,” he said in an interview. “Painting wildlife accurately and in the best light is what I really like to do.”</p>
  1440.  
  1441.  
  1442.  
  1443. <p>The Grimm family’s move to Wallace, South Dakota, was also motivated by ducks. The town of 91 people sits in the Prairie Pothole Region, a prime area for duck hunting and photography. Its distinctive topography creates the ideal nursery, producing nearly half of all North American waterfowl. Wallace is surrounded by small wetlands called <a href="https://www.fws.gov/story/waterfowl-production-areas">Waterfowl Production Areas</a> preserved with duck stamp funds.&nbsp;</p>
  1444.  
  1445.  
  1446.  
  1447. <p>“I originally came out to South Dakota on a hunting trip before I got married and was so amazed at this area,” he said. “It’s duck heaven.”</p>
  1448.  
  1449.  
  1450.  
  1451. <p>Ducks even define Grimm’s family life. His eldest daughter, Madison, turned 18 this year and entered her first duck stamp contest. She won the junior duck stamp contest three times, the first at age six. And this year, she founded her own duck-centered nonprofit.&nbsp;</p>
  1452.  
  1453.  
  1454.  
  1455. <p>Madison Grimm’s aviary features a concrete pond that can hold 100 ducks. After navigating the federal waterfowl rescue permit process, she began fielding calls from local farmers who found intact duck eggs after accidentally damaging nests. Her nonprofit, <a href="https://www.secondchanceflight.com/">Second Chance Flight</a>, rescued 200 ducks this year, with the possibility of reaching five times that amount next year.&nbsp;</p>
  1456.  
  1457.  
  1458.  
  1459. <p>As with his own family, Grimm sees wildlife art as a way to get people in touch with the land. While at an urban art fair, a woman admired a Wood Duck painting and asked where they live. He shared that they were native to the area and told her about their nearby wetland home. She returned to the fair the next year, excited to tell him about seeing them in person.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  1460.  
  1461.  
  1462.  
  1463. <p>“Seeing those ducks may have changed that woman’s life,” he said. “There is pretty amazing stuff around when you go out looking. People can live in a rural environment and still take it for granted. I talk to people from here and they long to be someplace else, but this is my favorite place for living and raising a family.”</p>
  1464.  
  1465.  
  1466.  
  1467. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="480" height="341" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_06.jpg?resize=480%2C341&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233321" style="width:810px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_06.jpg?w=480&amp;ssl=1 480w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_06.jpg?resize=400%2C284&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25.09.DY-Duck_06.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Winning art from 2025 Federal Duck Stamp contest, will be on the 2026-2027 duck stamp, artist James Hautman, acrylic painting of Buffleheads.(<a href="https://www.fws.gov/media/jim-hautmans-acrylic-painting-buffleheads-wins-2025-federal-duck-stamp-contest">Jim Hautman&#8217;s Acrylic Painting of Buffleheads Wins 2025 Federal Duck Stamp Contest</a>, Jim Hautman, Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved &#8211; Used by Permission)</figcaption></figure>
  1468.  
  1469.  
  1470.  
  1471. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Going Viral</h3>
  1472.  
  1473.  
  1474.  
  1475. <p>Kira Sabin is an <a href="https://www.kirasabinart.com/home/duckstamp">artist</a> who has entered the Federal Duck Stamp contest since 2019. They have never won, but the contest has forever changed their life. In 2021, they posted a TikTok video about the program and their entry that year. It reached 2.6 million views. That digital fame launched Sabin’s full-time artistic career. In addition, the video introduced millions of new people – especially young adults – to the stamp and the contest. (This article was inspired by my 21-year-old son, a follower of Sabin).&nbsp;</p>
  1476.  
  1477.  
  1478.  
  1479. <p>“I was baffled people didn’t know about it since it is one of the most successful wildlife fundraisers ever,” Sabin said in an interview. “It is so important to support programs already in place that work.”</p>
  1480.  
  1481.  
  1482.  
  1483. <p>The artist grew up in rural Hutchinson, Minnesota, with wild lands and lakes to explore. It’s the hometown of famed wildlife artist Les Kouba, whose paintings Sabin remembers in the homes of so many neighbors. Sabin is not a hunter but many of their family members are, including the grandfather that introduced them to the contest.&nbsp;</p>
  1484.  
  1485.  
  1486.  
  1487. <p>“I love that the stamp is particularly a bridge between hunters and conservationists,” they said. “My family members are big into hunting and are some of the most knowledgeable people about the land I know. Most hunters are great conservationists.”</p>
  1488.  
  1489.  
  1490.  
  1491. <p>Sabin has been key in shifting the culture of the contest in recent years. As a young LGBTQ+ person, they were initially nervous about meeting the experienced wildfowl artists since they don’t match the traditional demographic. They’ve received a warm welcome.&nbsp;</p>
  1492.  
  1493.  
  1494.  
  1495. <p>“Politically and culturally, I don’t mesh with the big names,” they said. “But I like to be a bridge. It’s okay if we don’t have the same political views if we are nice to each other and all want to preserve wildlands. There has never been a conflict.”</p>
  1496.  
  1497.  
  1498.  
  1499. <p>Only three women have ever won the contest in its 90-year history. Sabin aims to change that, posting year-round about it on their social media accounts to actively recruit other artists. They said that organizers have noticed a spike in entries by women and young people, breathing new life into the program.&nbsp;</p>
  1500.  
  1501.  
  1502.  
  1503. <p>For many of the artists who enter, competing in the Federal Duck Stamp contest is about being part of something larger than themselves. Artist Michael Kensinger of central Pennsylvania explained it best in a speech during a break in the judging. After many years of entering, he reached a measure of success last year as creator of the companion species, a black and white drawing printed on the First Day of Issue collector’s envelope alongside the duck stamp.</p>
  1504.  
  1505.  
  1506.  
  1507. <p>Kensinger said his long involvement has inspired him to raise awareness and funds for land preservation and duck nesting boxes. Being part of national efforts to conserve wetland habitat has given him purpose and a sense of identity.  Even if he remains as one of the many people who enters and never wins, he hopes to be known as the guy who loved it nonetheless.</p>
  1508.  
  1509.  
  1510.  
  1511. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1512. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/for-the-love-of-ducks/2025/10/16/">For the Love of Ducks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1513. ]]></content:encoded>
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  1519. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233314</post-id> </item>
  1520. <item>
  1521. <title>&#8216;The Hardacres&#8217; Go From Rural Rags to Rural Riches</title>
  1522. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/the-hardacres-go-from-rural-rags-to-rural-riches/2025/10/16/</link>
  1523. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/the-hardacres-go-from-rural-rags-to-rural-riches/2025/10/16/#respond</comments>
  1525. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anya Petrone Slepyan]]></dc:creator>
  1526. <pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1527. <category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
  1528. <category><![CDATA[The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy]]></category>
  1529. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233657</guid>
  1530.  
  1531. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?resize=760%2C428&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1532. <p>The British period piece, now streaming in the U.S., is set in Victorian England but speaks to modern experiences and attitudes.</p>
  1533. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/the-hardacres-go-from-rural-rags-to-rural-riches/2025/10/16/">&#8216;The Hardacres&#8217; Go From Rural Rags to Rural Riches</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1534. ]]></description>
  1535. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?resize=760%2C428&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/a6f91111aee7-the-hardacres-ep-5.jpg.webp?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1536. <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Editor’s Note: A version of this story also appeared in&nbsp;The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy, a newsletter from the Daily Yonder focused on the best, and worst, in rural media, entertainment, and culture. Every other Thursday, it features reviews, retrospectives, recommendations, and more. You can&nbsp;</em><a href="#signup"><em>join the mailing list at the bottom of this article</em></a><em>&nbsp;to receive future editions in your inbox</em>.</p>
  1537.  
  1538.  
  1539.  
  1540. <p>I love period pieces. Yes, I’m in it for the costumes and the castles and the waltzing. But as a fan of history in general (and cultural history specifically), I most appreciate how period pieces can help us understand the people and societies of the past. Successful period pieces don’t ask audiences to adopt historical values; instead, at their best, they help 21st century folk think of the past as being occupied by real human beings who have plenty in common with us, despite seeing many things differently from the way we do now.&nbsp;</p>
  1541.  
  1542.  
  1543.  
  1544. <p>With that in mind, no one does a period piece quite like the Brits. From &#8220;Downton Abbey&#8221; and &#8220;The Crown&#8221; to &#8220;Poldark&#8221; and &#8220;Peaky Blinders,&#8221; British television has left few eras of history unexplored. The Victorian era is no exception. Series range from adaptations of literary classics by Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde to <a href="https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/victorian-slum-house">&#8220;Victorian Slum House</a>&#8221; – a reality TV show that sends modern people &#8220;back in time&#8221; to live as their ancestors might have in the slums of London’s East End.&nbsp;</p>
  1545.  
  1546.  
  1547.  
  1548. <p>The most recent addition to this library of Victorian-themed television is &#8220;<a href="https://youtu.be/wFfao96vyx8?si=F0a3Gwka_vKkCIu-">The Hardacres</a>,&#8221; which was released in the United Kingdom in 2024 and is now available to stream in the U.S. and Canada. The show tells a rags-to-riches story of a family of herring workers in a small village in coastal Yorkshire. By the end of the first episode, the Hardacre family has overcome the looming threat of destitution to become some of the wealthiest people in the county – thanks to a fried herring business and some lucky investments.&nbsp;</p>
  1549.  
  1550.  
  1551.  
  1552. <p>Having achieved an unimaginable level of wealth, the family does what any rising British family would do: buy a manor house in the countryside. The estate comes complete with land, furniture, a staff of servants, and snobby neighbors. This transition from extreme rural poverty to extreme rural wealth leaves them trying to straddle both worlds, the bridge between two distinct classes that hardly come in contact despite their forced proximity in an otherwise small community.</p>
  1553.  
  1554.  
  1555.  
  1556. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="521" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=780%2C521&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233661" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=1296%2C865&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=1536%2C1025&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=1200%2C801&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=2000%2C1334&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4.webp?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EPISODE-1HARDACRESNov70448-cbcf2f4-1296x865.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Hardacre family moves their belongings to their new home. (Credit: Channel 5)</figcaption></figure>
  1557.  
  1558.  
  1559.  
  1560. <p>As the family tries to adapt to their new life, they each face distinct trials. Sam (Liam McMahon), formerly the foreman of the herring company, tries to use his new position to help the workers, while his eldest son Joe (Adam Little) struggles to impress both his father and an upper-class love interest. Sam’s wife, Mary (Claire Cooper), is desperate to fit in with the high society women, and tries to cajole her daughter Liza (Shannon Lavelle) into acting like a lady, though Liza is torn in the opposite direction by Mary’s mother, an irascible former smuggler who everyone calls Ma (Julie Graham).&nbsp;</p>
  1561.  
  1562.  
  1563.  
  1564. <p>Much of this set-up, down to some of the characters (kind-hearted patriarch, bootlegging grandmother, tomboy daughter) will be familiar to viewers of &#8220;The Beverly Hillbillies,&#8221; the 1960s sitcom that brought a lower-class family to a Hollywood mansion. Both shows revolve around class differences and social hierarchies that are not easily overcome, even in the face of great piles of money. A key difference though is the sympathy of the audience. In &#8220;The Beverly Hillbillies,&#8221; the Clampett family is often the butt of the joke, ignorant of modern conveniences from telephone poles to swimming pools. The Hardacres, in contrast, are celebrated for their scrappiness and simplicity in the face of their neighbors’ snobbery and idleness.</p>
  1565.  
  1566.  
  1567.  
  1568. <p>We feel Sam’s despair and disgust when he asks his butler what gentlemen do all day, and he learns it mostly involves reading the newspaper and then talking to other gentlemen about what he read in the newspaper. We don’t mind that Mary and Liza don’t know how to behave in the presence of a marchioness, because we don’t even really know what a marchioness is, anyways. We cheer on the family through every social misstep, and cringe at Mary’s fruitless attempts to ingratiate herself with a group of people who we know will never accept her. In this sense, the main antagonist of the series is the class structure, as defined by the norms and expectations of Victorian high society. Eventually, the Hardacres realize that they’ve let their newfound wealth lead them astray and find success in the season finale by taking pride in their humble roots. They win not by succeeding in adapting to their new class status, but by choosing to play a different game entirely.&nbsp;</p>
  1569.  
  1570.  
  1571.  
  1572. <p>This is a satisfying arc written for modern audiences. We don’t subscribe to Victorian norms – in fact, we frequently make fun of them. But by writing off Victorian social norms as stiff, silly, and frivolous, &#8220;The Hardacres&#8221; misses the opportunity to help viewers genuinely engage with the past. Though I’m no defender of the British class system, we do modern audiences – and historical people – a disservice by dismissing the social realities of the past out of hand. </p>
  1573.  
  1574.  
  1575.  
  1576. <div class="wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  1577. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  1578. <p>&#8220;Downton Abbey&#8221; is an excellent example of a show that engages with the past in good faith without vindicating the classism, sexism, racism, or host of other bigoted attitudes prevalent in that time. Though we’re unlikely to much identify with the social mores that govern the lives of the occupants of Downton, the show helps us understand what was once at stake when a woman gets a divorce or marries someone beneath her social station. For us, these events are commonplace and banal. For people of that time period, they came with real social, financial, and emotional consequences.</p>
  1579. </div>
  1580.  
  1581.  
  1582.  
  1583. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  1584. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="780" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=780%2C780&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233666" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=760%2C760&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=780%2C780&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=706%2C706&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/0_Screenshot-2024-09-30-155240.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Liza (Shannon Lavelle) and  Ma Hardacre (Julie Graham) gut herring in &#8216;The Hardacres&#8217; (2024). (Credit: Channel 5)</figcaption></figure>
  1585. </div>
  1586. </div>
  1587.  
  1588.  
  1589.  
  1590. <p>In contrast, when the Hardacre family challenges the social norms of the upper-class, they act as more or less modern characters who have been somehow transported to the past, to show what a bit of pluck and 21st century sensibilities can do for a society.</p>
  1591.  
  1592.  
  1593.  
  1594. <p>And while it is fun to root for the disruption of a society we don’t like or understand, it offers us very little opportunity for reflection. Every society has rules, and a good period piece prompts the viewer to think about our own. What are our cultural taboos? Which of them are changing, and in what direction? How do our own values differ from that of our parents and grandparents? &#8220;The Hardacres&#8221; is unlikely to raise these questions among its viewers.&nbsp;</p>
  1595.  
  1596.  
  1597.  
  1598. <p>And maybe that’s fine! Not every show needs to be a masterpiece or a cultural conversation starter. &#8220;The Hardacres&#8221; has a solid cast and some moments of real humor and heart. The Victorian fashion does not disappoint, and I’m always entertained by genteel women tossing verbal daggers over tea. And with only six episodes in the season, it’s a low barrier to entry.&nbsp;</p>
  1599.  
  1600.  
  1601.  
  1602. <p><em>The Hardacres is streaming on <a href="https://www.britbox.com/us/show/The_Hardacres_152543">BritBox</a> and the <a href="https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/1e4c6b716bc578b0036bc8c902d2015d/the-hardacres">Roku Channel</a>.</em></p>
  1603.  
  1604.  
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  1616.  
  1617.  
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  1619. <p>This article first appeared in&nbsp;<strong>The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy</strong>, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder focused on the best, and worst, in rural media, entertainment, and culture. Every other Thursday, it features reviews, recommendations, retrospectives, and more. <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/contact-us/subscribe-daily-yonder/#good-bad-elegy">Join the mailing list</a> today to have future editions delivered straight to your inbox.</p>
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  1662. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/the-hardacres-go-from-rural-rags-to-rural-riches/2025/10/16/">&#8216;The Hardacres&#8217; Go From Rural Rags to Rural Riches</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  1670. <item>
  1671. <title>More Rural School Districts Turn to Four-Day Week</title>
  1672. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/more-rural-school-districts-turn-to-four-day-week/2025/10/15/</link>
  1673. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/more-rural-school-districts-turn-to-four-day-week/2025/10/15/#respond</comments>
  1675. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anya Petrone Slepyan]]></dc:creator>
  1676. <pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1677. <category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
  1678. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233501</guid>
  1679.  
  1680. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="648" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?fit=1024%2C648&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=760%2C481&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=1296%2C821&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=768%2C486&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=1536%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=1200%2C760&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=1024%2C648&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=780%2C494&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=400%2C253&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=706%2C447&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?fit=1024%2C648&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1681. <p>On Mondays through Thursdays, the campus of the Questa Independent School District in rural Taos County, New Mexico, buzzes with activity. But on Fridays, the schools are quiet. The district, which serves around 315 students from Kindergarten to 12th grade, is one of 41 districts in New Mexico that use a four-day school week. In [&#8230;]</p>
  1682. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/more-rural-school-districts-turn-to-four-day-week/2025/10/15/">More Rural School Districts Turn to Four-Day Week</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1683. ]]></description>
  1684. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="648" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?fit=1024%2C648&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=760%2C481&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=1296%2C821&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=768%2C486&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=1536%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=1200%2C760&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=1024%2C648&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=780%2C494&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=400%2C253&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?resize=706%2C447&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image.png?fit=1024%2C648&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1685. <p>On Mondays through Thursdays, the campus of the Questa Independent School District in rural Taos County, New Mexico, buzzes with activity. But on Fridays, the schools are quiet. The district, which serves around 315 students from Kindergarten to 12th grade, is one of 41 districts in New Mexico that use a four-day school week.</p>
  1686.  
  1687.  
  1688.  
  1689. <p>In 2024, the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) passed a state-wide rule that would require students to attend school for a minimum of 180 days each year, effectively eliminating the four-day school week. Questa was one of 57 districts that sued PED to overturn this rule, which was struck down by a judge in February of this year.</p>
  1690.  
  1691.  
  1692.  
  1693. <p>“We stayed at a four-day week mainly because it makes sense for our community,” said John Maldonado, superintendent of the Questa Independent School District, in an interview with the Daily Yonder.</p>
  1694.  
  1695.  
  1696.  
  1697. <p>Stan Rounds is the executive director of the New Mexico Superintendents Association. He said the heart of the lawsuit is the school districts’ ability to determine their schedules locally, rather than accepting a top-down mandate from the state.</p>
  1698.  
  1699.  
  1700.  
  1701. <p>“Every district is slightly different than every other district,” Rounds told the Daily Yonder. “That’s a strength. If you build towards that, you get better community support and better student impact. And that’s best determined locally when you know your community.”</p>
  1702.  
  1703.  
  1704.  
  1705. <p>According to school board member Michael Cordova, the extra day off gives parents and students an opportunity to schedule medical appointments and family time without pulling kids out of school. It also gives older students a chance to get a job or help their parents with family responsibilities. And, he says it gives students and teachers some much-needed time to decompress.&nbsp;</p>
  1706.  
  1707.  
  1708.  
  1709. <p>According to Rounds, the schedule is especially popular with rural communities, where students and teachers often have to travel long distances to get to school. The first New Mexico school district to go to a four-day week was Cimarron, in 1972, a district in rural Colfax County on the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Students in Cimarron sometimes spend up to two hours each way on the bus, Rounds explained.</p>
  1710.  
  1711.  
  1712.  
  1713. <p>“They made the decision to have longer days, four days a week, rather than put students on buses for that fifth day because it wasn’t practical for the students,” Rounds said.&nbsp;</p>
  1714.  
  1715.  
  1716.  
  1717. <p>By the 2023-2024 school year, nearly half of the state’s 89 school districts and a handful of independent charter schools followed that schedule.</p>
  1718.  
  1719.  
  1720.  
  1721. <p>For a small district like Questa Independent Schools, going back to a five-day school week would have meant increasing the budget by around $35,000-40,000, according to Maldonado. And while some of that money would be reimbursed by the state, it would still leave the district scrambling, according to Cordova.</p>
  1722.  
  1723.  
  1724.  
  1725. <p>“There is that fear that if it does get forced down our gullets, we don’t know what we’re going to do,” he said. “It’s nice to have these ideas, but a lot of times they’re pushed through without realizing the repercussions it’s going to have on the local districts, especially small districts that don’t really see a lot of money coming in.”</p>
  1726.  
  1727.  
  1728.  
  1729. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Inconclusive Outcomes</strong></h3>
  1730.  
  1731.  
  1732.  
  1733. <p>This issue was brought to the forefront of New Mexico politics by a 2023 law that required New Mexico school districts to <a href="https://nmeducation.org/extended-learning-time-bill-headed-to-governor-for-signature/">increase the minimum number of educational hours</a> to 1140 each year. Under Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s direction, the PED created a rule interpreting the law as requiring a 180-school-day minimum, which was successfully challenged in a lawsuit.&nbsp;</p>
  1734.  
  1735.  
  1736.  
  1737. <p>In the most recent legislative session, a <a href="https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&amp;legType=B&amp;legNo=65&amp;year=25">bill</a> that clarified the right of districts to determine their schedule locally was passed unanimously, but was vetoed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.</p>
  1738.  
  1739.  
  1740.  
  1741. <p>Grisham explained her support for the 180-day rule in her <a href="https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/01/16/new-mexico-is-made-to-lead-governor-delivers-second-state-of-the-state-address-announces-legislative-agenda/">2024 State of the State address</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  1742.  
  1743.  
  1744.  
  1745. <p>“We’ve seen in New Mexico, and from states across the country, that more quality instruction makes a difference,” she said. “We’ve seen the proven effectiveness of more time in class. It’s time to do the right thing for our kids.”</p>
  1746.  
  1747.  
  1748.  
  1749. <p>New Mexico is regularly <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&amp;chort=1&amp;sub=MAT&amp;sj=&amp;st=MN&amp;year=2024R3">at the bottom</a> of nationwide education rankings. Grisham and her supporters argue that increasing the number of school days can provide a much-needed boost to the state’s education system. But the growing body of research on the topic paints a more complicated picture.&nbsp;</p>
  1750.  
  1751.  
  1752.  
  1753. <p>Researchers at the University of Oregon <a href="https://hedcoinstitute.uoregon.edu/reports/four-day-school-week-scoping-review">identified 133 studies</a> about the four-day school week in districts around the country, including <a href="https://hedcoinstitute.uoregon.edu/reports/four-day-school-week">11 studies about student educational outcomes</a>. They found that the schedule is gaining popularity, with more than 2100 schools in 850 districts adopting the four-day school week. The majority of these schools are in rural districts, though an increasing number of urban districts are shortening their school weeks as well.&nbsp;</p>
  1754.  
  1755.  
  1756.  
  1757. <p>But when it comes to assessing how the four-day school week affects students’ educational outcomes, the results are inconclusive. In part, this is because researchers frequently failed to report “key contextual considerations” like race and ethnicity, economic background, and what students did on the fifth day, which are all important for comparing results across districts.&nbsp;</p>
  1758.  
  1759.  
  1760.  
  1761. <p>But even the best-executed studies, according to the University of Oregon reviewers, had contradictory results. In some cases, reading and math scores improved for students on a four-day schedule, while in other cases, student scores went down. Data for other benchmarks, like 5-year graduation rates and student absenteeism, were also mixed.&nbsp;</p>
  1762.  
  1763.  
  1764.  
  1765. <p>Overall, researchers wrote “findings from a systematic review of 11 studies on student outcomes show little evidence for positive outcomes from a four-day school week.”&nbsp;</p>
  1766.  
  1767.  
  1768.  
  1769. <p>But is there evidence that a four-day school week meaningfully lowers student outcomes? Dr. Paul Thomas is a professor of Economics and part of the <a href="https://health.oregonstate.edu/hallie-ford/heal/policy/four-day-school-week">Four-Day School Week Policy</a> team at the University of Oregon. His <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272775721001138?via%3Dihub">research</a> indicates that the number of educational hours, rather than the number of days per week that students are in school, is the most important determining factor.&nbsp;</p>
  1770.  
  1771.  
  1772.  
  1773. <p>New Mexico’s new rule requiring 1,140 educational hours for all students makes it the state with the most required instructional hours aside from Maryland, regardless of the minimum number of school days, according to a <a href="https://reports.ecs.org/comparisons/instructional-time-policies-2023">50-state comparison</a> compiled by the Education Commission of the States in 2023.</p>
  1774.  
  1775.  
  1776.  
  1777. <p>The New Mexico Superintendents Association supported the increase of instructional hours, but helped orchestrate the lawsuit against the New Mexico PED over the 180-day rule.&nbsp;</p>
  1778.  
  1779.  
  1780.  
  1781. <p>“We think clock time is clock time,” Rounds said. “And we also believe that what you do with the hours is just as important as the quantity of hours that you’re doing. And that looks different in different places.”</p>
  1782.  
  1783.  
  1784.  
  1785. <p>Rounds is skeptical that a five-day school week can solve some of the state’s most pressing problems, including high rates of <a href="https://sourcenm.com/2024/06/14/new-mexico-a-leader-in-chronic-absenteeism-in-public-schools-according-to-state-reports-lfc/">chronic absenteeism</a>.</p>
  1786.  
  1787.  
  1788.  
  1789. <p>“A student who has an attendance problem with a four-day week is not likely to fix that because you give them a five-day week,” Rounds said. “To me, it’s easier to win by attracting them into a really great four-day experience and then giving them an opportunity to have the other part of their life that they value.”</p>
  1790.  
  1791.  
  1792.  
  1793. <p>He also worries that a required switch back to a five-day schedule would make it even more difficult for rural districts to recruit and retain talented teachers, who are attracted to those posts, in part due to the benefits of a three-day weekend.&nbsp;</p>
  1794.  
  1795.  
  1796.  
  1797. <p>Noelle Ellerson Ng is the chief advocacy and governance officer with the nation-wide <a href="https://www.aasa.org/about-aasa">School Superintendents Association</a> (AASA). She says that there is more to the conversation than just which school schedule is most pedagogically advantageous.</p>
  1798.  
  1799.  
  1800.  
  1801. <p>“In many instances, we’re not making decisions to go to a four-day school week because it’s academically the most rigorous, but because school district leaders are trying to match the realities of their operating world, which could be their budget constraints or not having enough teachers,” she said.</p>
  1802.  
  1803.  
  1804.  
  1805. <p>Given these realities, Ellerson Ng emphasized the importance of letting local districts determine their own paths.</p>
  1806.  
  1807.  
  1808.  
  1809. <p>“When it comes down to decisions about calendar and scheduling, those are decisions that are best left to the local superintendent and school board,” she said. “We don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach.”</p>
  1810.  
  1811.  
  1812.  
  1813. <p>Ellerson Ng also expressed concern about the future of educational data collection and analysis, which are critical to understanding and answering pedagogical questions like the pros and cons of a four-day school week.&nbsp;</p>
  1814.  
  1815.  
  1816.  
  1817. <p>After <a href="https://www.k12dive.com/news/Education-Department-nces-layoffs-leaves-naep-assessments-nations-report-card-barebones/742837/">budget cuts and mass layoffs</a> at the Department of Education, the National Center for Education Statistics, which has conducted nationwide education research since 1867, was left with only three employees.&nbsp;</p>
  1818.  
  1819.  
  1820.  
  1821. <p>“You can’t disaggregate data if it’s not collected, and you can’t collect data if NCES is gutted. I think it’s really important to call a spade a spade,” she said. “We are absolutely concerned about shying away from collecting data so we can shine a bright light on what is and isn’t working in education, which could include a discussion around a four-day school week.”</p>
  1822.  
  1823.  
  1824.  
  1825. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1826. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/more-rural-school-districts-turn-to-four-day-week/2025/10/15/">More Rural School Districts Turn to Four-Day Week</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1827. ]]></content:encoded>
  1829. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/more-rural-school-districts-turn-to-four-day-week/2025/10/15/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1830. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1833. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233501</post-id> </item>
  1834. <item>
  1835. <title>Study: Mobile Health Clinics Offer Alternative Access to Care</title>
  1836. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/study-mobile-health-clinics-offer-alternative-access-to-care/2025/10/14/</link>
  1837. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/study-mobile-health-clinics-offer-alternative-access-to-care/2025/10/14/#respond</comments>
  1839. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Liz Carey]]></dc:creator>
  1840. <pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1841. <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
  1842. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233393</guid>
  1843.  
  1844. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="701" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?fit=1024%2C701&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=760%2C521&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=1296%2C888&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=768%2C526&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=1536%2C1052&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=1200%2C822&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=1024%2C701&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=780%2C534&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=400%2C274&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=706%2C484&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?fit=1024%2C701&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1845. <p>A new report found that mobile health clinics can provide rural communities with access to healthcare in areas where healthcare facilities and healthcare workers may be scarce. The report from the Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reform looked at more than 160 studies about mobile healthcare clinics. The study found that these “doctor’s offices [&#8230;]</p>
  1846. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/study-mobile-health-clinics-offer-alternative-access-to-care/2025/10/14/">Study: Mobile Health Clinics Offer Alternative Access to Care</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1847. ]]></description>
  1848. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="701" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?fit=1024%2C701&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=760%2C521&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=1296%2C888&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=768%2C526&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=1536%2C1052&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=1200%2C822&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=1024%2C701&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=780%2C534&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=400%2C274&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?resize=706%2C484&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AP22091707252129.jpg?fit=1024%2C701&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1849. <p>A new report found that mobile health clinics can provide rural communities with access to healthcare in areas where healthcare facilities and healthcare workers may be scarce.</p>
  1850.  
  1851.  
  1852.  
  1853. <p><a href="https://chir.georgetown.edu/mobile-health/">The report from the Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reform </a>looked at more than 160 studies about mobile healthcare clinics. The study found that these “doctor’s offices on wheels” can improve health for both individuals and their communities, while reducing healthcare costs. Additionally, the mobile clinics expand the healthcare workforce by giving healthcare workers hands-on training in their field.</p>
  1854.  
  1855.  
  1856.  
  1857. <p>“One of the key things is that it obviously brings care closer into the communities and overcomes a lot of geographic and transportation-related barriers, which prevent a lot of rural patients from accessing care. We saw in some studies that folks had to drive 30 or 60 miles to get their care,” Maanasa Kona, associate research professor with the Center on Health Insurance Reforms, said in an interview with the Daily Yonder.&nbsp;</p>
  1858.  
  1859.  
  1860.  
  1861. <p>“The other big element is that telehealth has gained a lot of prominence, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic, but a lot of rural communities still face barriers to accessing telehealth services because of various issues related to broadband access.”</p>
  1862.  
  1863.  
  1864.  
  1865. <p>In some cases, Kona said, mobile health programs were able to partner with hospitals and other telehealth providers, and bring with them a hot spot so local providers could combine in-person care with telehealth specialists.</p>
  1866.  
  1867.  
  1868.  
  1869. <p>According<a href="https://www.mobilehealthmap.org/mobile-clinics-fill-critical-gaps-in-care-our-communities-need-them-now-more-than-ever/#:~:text=Over%20the%20last%20three%20decades,cities%20and%20rural%20areas%20alike."> to Mobile Health Map</a>, an estimated 3,000 “doctors’ offices on wheels” operate across the country. That’s double what a study in the American Journal of Managed Care found in 2014. A decade ago, research estimated 1,500 mobile clinics received some 5 million visits per year while providing services to “vulnerable populations.” The Mobile Health Map grew out of those initial research forays and now shows the location of mobile health programs nationwide.</p>
  1870.  
  1871.  
  1872.  
  1873. <p>More than just providing access to hospital services, the CHIR study found, mobile clinics bring other services such as mental health and behavioral health services, dentistry, and preventative care like mammography and cancer screenings to rural communities.</p>
  1874.  
  1875.  
  1876.  
  1877. <p>“First, of course, is access to chronic disease screening and vaccination services, but in other places we’re seeing it being used in mental health services and access to methadone and buprenorphine and substance-abuse disorder medication that is harder to come by in rural areas,” Kona said. “We&#8217;ve also seen vision care and dentistry, but those tend to be more focused on school-age kids and nursing home populations.”</p>
  1878.  
  1879.  
  1880.  
  1881. <p>In some rural communities, mobile clinics are being used as community paramedicine services or mobile integrated healthcare. Those mobile health programs use the local EMS system to provide ongoing care to people who may have challenges caring for themselves during an illness.</p>
  1882.  
  1883.  
  1884.  
  1885. <p>“These might be folks who&#8217;ve been released from the hospital to their home, and they will get post-release support through the EMS system. In these instances, the EMTs and paramedics) will come check in on them and provide some ongoing care to ensure that there is not as much readmission (to the hospital),” she said.&nbsp;</p>
  1886.  
  1887.  
  1888.  
  1889. <p>“And we’ve seen EMS workers providing more preventive and chronic disease management services for rural populations in a bid to reduce emergencies and to keep their condition from escalating to an emergency.”</p>
  1890.  
  1891.  
  1892.  
  1893. <p>The research found that mobile health programs don’t just expand access to healthcare — they also provide measurable clinical and financial effects. Studies showed that the programs had better health outcomes, higher patient satisfaction, and more continuity of care. Researchers found examples of patients in areas served by mobile health programs as having lower blood pressure, less tooth decay, and earlier diagnoses of cancer. The programs also resulted in a reduced number of emergency department visits and fewer hospitalizations, which lowered costs for both the patients and the hospitals.</p>
  1894.  
  1895.  
  1896.  
  1897. <p>“Expanding mobile health is a cost-effective way to increase the availability and proximity of care sites — expanding the reach of fixed-site facilities and telehealth, particularly in rural areas, or operating independently in areas that fixed-site facilities and telehealth can’t reach — while complementing the efforts to address workforce shortages,” the study found.</p>
  1898.  
  1899.  
  1900.  
  1901. <p>Mobile programs also help to develop the healthcare workforce, the research found. The programs provided a culturally competent workforce pipeline that got hands-on training. But the programs also increased the workforce pipeline outside of the healthcare sector, studies showed. Areas where there were mobile health programs saw a drop in minor crime and arrests, and helped to curb the spread of infectious disease which, in turn, prevented educational losses.</p>
  1902.  
  1903.  
  1904.  
  1905. <p>Still, more needs to be done, the researchers argued. In order to create a solid foundation of data on the effectiveness of mobile health programs, the researchers said policy makers need to work on standardizing data collection across mobile health programs and track the use of various healthcare systems, like mobile health, telehealth, and fixed-site care.&nbsp;</p>
  1906.  
  1907.  
  1908.  
  1909. <p>Use of each of the systems by different populations across time would also help foster a better understanding of how each healthcare delivery system is used, the study found. More funding is needed to do more research on effective mobile health programs and to build mobile health programs for use in rural and other underserved communities.</p>
  1910.  
  1911.  
  1912.  
  1913. <p>“Mobile health is a real option for improving access. It&#8217;s not something to look into when you have a little bit of extra funding to put towards it as a side project,” Kona said.&nbsp;</p>
  1914.  
  1915.  
  1916.  
  1917. <p>“Thinking about it systematically, instead of as ad hoc funding, and finding a way to make it work with all of the other existing pieces of the puzzle in the healthcare delivery system in a rural area can help supercharge the ability of all of these providers to reach people.”</p>
  1918.  
  1919.  
  1920.  
  1921. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1922. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/study-mobile-health-clinics-offer-alternative-access-to-care/2025/10/14/">Study: Mobile Health Clinics Offer Alternative Access to Care</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1923. ]]></content:encoded>
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  1926. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1929. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233393</post-id> </item>
  1930. <item>
  1931. <title>Maine’s Food Pantries Stare Down Volunteer Shortage While Anticipating Cuts</title>
  1932. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/maines-food-pantries-stare-down-volunteer-shortage-while-anticipating-cuts/2025/10/14/</link>
  1933. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/maines-food-pantries-stare-down-volunteer-shortage-while-anticipating-cuts/2025/10/14/#respond</comments>
  1935. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Elaine Appleton Grant / Maine Monitor]]></dc:creator>
  1936. <pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1937. <category><![CDATA[Community & Economic Development]]></category>
  1938. <category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
  1939. <category><![CDATA[repub]]></category>
  1940. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233566</guid>
  1941.  
  1942. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?w=1250&amp;ssl=1 1250w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=760%2C427&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1943. <p>This story was originally published by the Maine Monitor. Phylis Allen spends her days looking for things. She searches for potatoes at Sam’s Club, cheap beets and ginger at Walmart and a local grocery store. She studies the weekly inventory from Good Shepherd, Maine’s only food bank, for good deals on butter and cheese.&#160; Every [&#8230;]</p>
  1944. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/maines-food-pantries-stare-down-volunteer-shortage-while-anticipating-cuts/2025/10/14/">Maine’s Food Pantries Stare Down Volunteer Shortage While Anticipating Cuts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1945. ]]></description>
  1946. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?w=1250&amp;ssl=1 1250w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=760%2C427&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PhylisAllen_NeighborsCupboard.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1947. <p class="has-text-align-center"><em>This story was originally published by the <a href="https://themainemonitor.org/food-pantries-volunteer-shortage/">Maine Monitor</a></em>.</p>
  1948.  
  1949.  
  1950.  
  1951. <p>Phylis Allen spends her days looking for things. She searches for potatoes at Sam’s Club, cheap beets and ginger at Walmart and a local grocery store. She studies the weekly inventory from Good Shepherd, Maine’s only food bank, for good deals on butter and cheese.&nbsp;</p>
  1952.  
  1953.  
  1954.  
  1955. <p>Every Monday morning, she shops at three different stores, keeping lists of prices in her head and remembering what particular clients want. On a recent trip to Sam’s Club, she was searching for affordable eggs.&nbsp;</p>
  1956.  
  1957.  
  1958.  
  1959. <p>The diminutive 78-year-old food pantry director found them in a huge cooler. Stretching, she pulled two huge boxes off the top shelf — seven dozen eggs each, $21 a box. “$2.82 a dozen,” she said. “That’s a good price for eggs.”&nbsp;</p>
  1960.  
  1961.  
  1962.  
  1963. <p>The eggs were destined for Neighbor’s Cupboard, the food pantry in Winterport, Maine, that Allen has helped run for the last 17 years. Every Wednesday, she and a tight-knit group of volunteers provide 25 to 30 families with heaping bags of food.</p>
  1964.  
  1965.  
  1966.  
  1967. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/themainemonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Winterport.jpg?w=780&#038;ssl=1" alt="A view of a road in Winterport with buildings lining each side of the road." class="wp-image-37949"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Downtown Winterport in August. (Photo by Katherine Emery)</figcaption></figure>
  1968.  
  1969.  
  1970.  
  1971. <p>Maine has long been one of the most food insecure states in New England. Directors of food pantries say the task of making sure people are fed is getting harder because of diminishing food supplies, increasing demand and an overwhelming reliance on volunteers, many of whom are retirees with ages up into their 80s.</p>
  1972.  
  1973.  
  1974.  
  1975. <p>About 1 in 7 people in rural Waldo County, where Neighbor’s Cupboard is, were food insecure in 2023, a rate that was similar to the state and national average, according to an Associated Press analysis of U.S. Census Bureau and Feeding America data.&nbsp;</p>
  1976.  
  1977.  
  1978.  
  1979. <p>The U.S. Department of Agriculture will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ending-america-hunger-report-snap-cuts-750f90757f50ab2d8bc97dfca5a917dd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stop collecting and releasing</a>&nbsp;statistics on food insecurity after October, saying on Sept. 20 that the numbers had become “overly politicized.”&nbsp;</p>
  1980.  
  1981.  
  1982.  
  1983. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Federal Cuts Are Hurting Food Banks</strong></h3>
  1984.  
  1985.  
  1986.  
  1987. <p>In March, the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-lunch-usda-trump-c1485f824573913fe9a734bbf1273e26" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cut more than $1 billion&nbsp;</a>from two U.S. Department of Agriculture programs — the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides free food to food banks nationwide, and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which provides funds to state, territorial and tribal governments to purchase food from local farmers for distribution to hunger relief organizations.&nbsp;</p>
  1988.  
  1989.  
  1990.  
  1991. <p>“I can watch the availability of federal food going down every month,” Allen said.&nbsp;</p>
  1992.  
  1993.  
  1994.  
  1995. <p>Charitable food networks are also bracing for $186 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the federal low-income nutrition program better known as food stamps. In turn, Feeding America predicts that food pantries will see more demand.&nbsp;</p>
  1996.  
  1997.  
  1998.  
  1999. <p>Complicating matters is the infrastructure through which the United States distributes most food to those who need help. In Maine, the nearly 600 hunger relief agencies that get free and low-cost food from Good Shepherd Food Bank rely on volunteers. This includes 250 food pantries as well as soup kitchens, senior centers, shelters, schools and youth programs.</p>
  2000.  
  2001.  
  2002.  
  2003. <p>More than 75% of these organizations rely completely on volunteers, with no paid staff, according to Good Shepherd.&nbsp;</p>
  2004.  
  2005.  
  2006.  
  2007. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/themainemonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/NeighborCupboard-volunteers.jpg?w=780&#038;ssl=1" alt="food pantry volunteers carrying grocery items." class="wp-image-37939"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Left: Neighbor’s Cupboard volunteers haul and unpack the canned goods that arrived on the morning delivery truck. Right: Bags of food are prepared for home deliveries. (Photos by Katherine Emery)</figcaption></figure>
  2008.  
  2009.  
  2010.  
  2011. <p>Anna Korsen, who co-chairs the Ending Hunger in Maine advisory committee, said food pantries alone aren’t the answer to food insecurity.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  2012.  
  2013.  
  2014.  
  2015. <p>“If our goal is to end hunger in Maine, which is a lofty goal, then we’re not going to do that through a charitable food network that’s run by volunteers, right?” she said. “That’s supposed to be for crisis situations … but what has happened is that it is just a part of the food system now. It shouldn’t be.”</p>
  2016.  
  2017.  
  2018.  
  2019. <p>Neighbor’s Cupboard hummed with activity on a recent Wednesday morning, cans stacked in piles six feet high and children’s collages taped to a cooler.&nbsp;</p>
  2020.  
  2021.  
  2022.  
  2023. <p>Keith Ritchie was greeting clients — and keeping a gentle eye out to make sure no one took more than their fair share of limited foods. At 89, he is the pantry’s oldest worker, although Betty Williams, 88, teases him about who’s older.</p>
  2024.  
  2025.  
  2026.  
  2027. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/themainemonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/KeithRitchie_BettyWilliams.jpg?w=780&#038;ssl=1" alt="Keith Ritchie and Betty Williams amid a conversation in the food pantry." class="wp-image-37942"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Keith Ritchie, 89, and Betty Williams, 88, are the pantry’s two eldest volunteers. (Photo by Katherine Emery)</figcaption></figure>
  2028.  
  2029.  
  2030.  
  2031. <p>In more than 17 years of service, Ritchie said, “I’ve only missed twice.” He drives 20 miles each way to dole out groceries and fill bags with “surprises” – donated items like Girl Scout cookies.</p>
  2032.  
  2033.  
  2034.  
  2035. <p>“You see a lot of people you know,” he said. “I don’t know anybody’s name, but I don’t need a name. I just look at their faces.”&nbsp;</p>
  2036.  
  2037.  
  2038.  
  2039. <p><strong>An aging volunteer workforce</strong></p>
  2040.  
  2041.  
  2042.  
  2043. <p>Younger volunteers can be harder to come by than affordable eggs. About 35% of Mainers volunteer — the third-highest rate in the nation, according to a 2024 report on the state of Maine’s civic health. But just 20% of millennials volunteer in Maine, half the rate of Gen Xers and baby boomers, the same report said.</p>
  2044.  
  2045.  
  2046.  
  2047. <p>It’s not a lack of desire to serve, but obstacles in the way, said researcher Quixada Moore-Vissing, an author of the report.</p>
  2048.  
  2049.  
  2050.  
  2051. <p>“I would categorize it as being an overwhelmed and overworked society,” Moore-Vissing said. “The rising costs of everything, and in particular the cost of housing, means that people have to work more.”</p>
  2052.  
  2053.  
  2054.  
  2055. <p>Younger volunteers are increasingly seeking out what the Minnesota Alliance of Nonprofit Advancement calls “event-based” volunteering — one-time efforts with no commitment to future shifts. About 20% of all volunteers contribute through a mix of online and in-person work, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20250506191133/https://www.americorps.gov/sites/default/files/document/CEV2023Spotlight_VirtualVolunteering_11012024_508_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a 2023 Americorps survey</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  2056.  
  2057.  
  2058.  
  2059. <p>The decline in volunteer numbers and the move toward one-time engagements can cause serious problems.&nbsp;</p>
  2060.  
  2061.  
  2062.  
  2063. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/themainemonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pantry-produce.jpg?w=780&#038;ssl=1" alt="a hand organizes donated produce." class="wp-image-37951"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">On Tuesdays, volunteers at Neighbor’s Cupboard unload boxes of dry goods and sort fresh produce. (Photos by Katherine Emery)</figcaption></figure>
  2064.  
  2065.  
  2066.  
  2067. <p>Second Harvest Heartland in Minnesota had to delay the distribution of thousands of pounds of food in early September because the country’s second-largest food bank didn’t have enough people to sort and package it, volunteer engagement director Julie Greene said. As a result, food pantries in Minnesota and western Wisconsin got the food later than expected.</p>
  2068.  
  2069.  
  2070.  
  2071. <p>Greene is struggling to bridge the mismatch between a need for in-person volunteer labor, like produce packers, and the increasing desire for occasional service.&nbsp;</p>
  2072.  
  2073.  
  2074.  
  2075. <p>“How can we provide more of these one-and-done volunteer opportunities, so folks are engaging with us,” she said, “and continue to do what we need to do to get the work done?”</p>
  2076.  
  2077.  
  2078.  
  2079. <p>At Neighbor’s Cupboard, Allen said funding cuts aren’t the most challenging part of her work. It’s keeping volunteers, she said, especially, “as they get older and they have health concerns or their families have health concerns.”</p>
  2080.  
  2081.  
  2082.  
  2083. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/themainemonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Phylis-Allen.jpg?w=780&#038;ssl=1" alt="Phylis Allen laughing." class="wp-image-37945"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Phylis Allen keeps lists of prices in her head and remembers what particular clients want. (Photo by Katherine Emery)</figcaption></figure>
  2084.  
  2085.  
  2086.  
  2087. <p>Distributing food requires muscle — dependable, strong volunteers who can drive long distances in snow and ice to pick up or deliver heavy boxes of food.&nbsp;</p>
  2088.  
  2089.  
  2090.  
  2091. <p>A year ago, Allen told her colleagues, “Find me a hunk with a truck.” They had lost a 78-year-old volunteer when his wife got sick. Without a replacement, they would have no way to pick up hundreds of pounds of food each week.&nbsp;</p>
  2092.  
  2093.  
  2094.  
  2095. <p>Through word of mouth, Allen found one: 67-year-old Bryan MacLaren. But just months after he’d started, he needed knee surgery. Staff once again had to search for a replacement.</p>
  2096.  
  2097.  
  2098.  
  2099. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/themainemonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/MikeMasnyk_EllieJordan.jpg?w=780&#038;ssl=1" alt="Volunteers unloading boxes from the back of a pickup track." class="wp-image-37947"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Neighbor’s Cupboard volunteers Mike Masnyk and Ellie Jordan unload the morning delivery of produce. (Photo by Katherine Emery)</figcaption></figure>
  2100.  
  2101.  
  2102.  
  2103. <p>Since March, Maine’s pantries have seen their food from Good Shepherd cut by half or more. So far, Neighbor’s Cupboard has enough to go around, in part because local residents donated 5,000 pounds of food during a May drive. But changes are coming.&nbsp;</p>
  2104.  
  2105.  
  2106.  
  2107. <p>In late August, Allen received an email from Good Shepherd. Because demand is rising, the food bank said, pantries running low on supplies are now allowed to turn away visitors who don’t live nearby — a reversal of Good Shepherd’s long-standing philosophy of food for all.</p>
  2108.  
  2109.  
  2110.  
  2111. <p>Allen wasn’t having it.&nbsp;</p>
  2112.  
  2113.  
  2114.  
  2115. <p>“We will keep serving everyone,” she wrote in an email to&nbsp;<em>The Maine Monitor</em>.&nbsp;</p>
  2116.  
  2117.  
  2118.  
  2119. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots"/>
  2120.  
  2121.  
  2122.  
  2123. <p><em><strong>Sowing Resilience:&nbsp;</strong>Rural communities across the country are grappling with food insecurity. Schoolchildren, seniors, grocers and even farmers face a food crisis compounded by government cuts and soaring costs. The&nbsp;<a href="https://inn.org/inn-collaborations/sowing-resilience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nine stories in this project&nbsp;</a>reveal how communities are navigating — and reimagining — the systems that have left them hungry.<br><br></em><em>Associated Press data reporter Kasturi Pananjady contributed to this report. This reporting is part of a series called Sowing Resilience,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://inn.org/inn-collaborations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>a collaboration</em></a><em>&nbsp;between the Institute for Nonprofit News’&nbsp;</em><a href="http://ruralnewsnetwork.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Rural News Network</em></a><em>&nbsp;and The Associated Press. Nine nonprofit newsrooms were involved:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Beacon</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://capitalbnews.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Capital B</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://enlacelatinonc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Enlace Latino NC</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Investigate Midwest</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.jeffcobeacon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Jefferson County Beacon</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.kosu.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>KOSU</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.lpm.org/news" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Louisville Public Media</em></a><em>,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://themainemonitor.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Maine Monitor</em></a><em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.minnpost.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>MinnPost</em></a><em>. The Rural News Network is funded by Google News Initiative and Knight Foundation, among others.</em>https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5537993/nx-s1-9482820</p>
  2124. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/maines-food-pantries-stare-down-volunteer-shortage-while-anticipating-cuts/2025/10/14/">Maine’s Food Pantries Stare Down Volunteer Shortage While Anticipating Cuts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2125. ]]></content:encoded>
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  2128. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  2131. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233566</post-id> </item>
  2132. <item>
  2133. <title>Trump’s H-1B Visa Policy Will Hurt Research Institutions</title>
  2134. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/trumps-h-1b-visa-policy-will-hurt-research-institutions/2025/10/14/</link>
  2135. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/trumps-h-1b-visa-policy-will-hurt-research-institutions/2025/10/14/#respond</comments>
  2137. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Melotte]]></dc:creator>
  2138. <pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:58:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2139. <category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
  2140. <category><![CDATA[The Rural Index]]></category>
  2141. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233638</guid>
  2142.  
  2143. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="826" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?fit=1024%2C826&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?w=1240&amp;ssl=1 1240w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=760%2C613&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=768%2C619&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=1200%2C968&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=1024%2C826&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=780%2C629&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=400%2C323&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=706%2C569&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?fit=1024%2C826&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2144. <p>On September 19, 2025, Trump passed an executive order requiring international applicants to pay a $100,000 fee to acquire H-1B visas, a program that allows employers to hire skilled workers in specialized positions. The new fee will affect a wide range of industries, including education, healthcare, technology, and research. Proponents of Trump’s new policy say [&#8230;]</p>
  2145. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/trumps-h-1b-visa-policy-will-hurt-research-institutions/2025/10/14/">Trump’s H-1B Visa Policy Will Hurt Research Institutions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2146. ]]></description>
  2147. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="826" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?fit=1024%2C826&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?w=1240&amp;ssl=1 1240w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=760%2C613&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=768%2C619&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=1200%2C968&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=1024%2C826&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=780%2C629&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=400%2C323&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?resize=706%2C569&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h1gmr-h-1b-visas-in-american-universities-nbsp-1-1.png?fit=1024%2C826&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2148. <p>On September 19, 2025, Trump passed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/restriction-on-entry-of-certain-nonimmigrant-workers/">executive order</a> requiring international applicants to pay a $100,000 fee to acquire H-1B visas, a program that allows employers to hire skilled workers in specialized positions. The new fee will affect a wide range of industries, including education, healthcare, technology, and research.</p>
  2149.  
  2150.  
  2151.  
  2152. <p><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/trumps-proposed-changes-to-the-h-1b-visa-program-explained">Proponents of </a>Trump’s new policy say that it will incentivize employers to hire American workers, but detractors argue that there aren’t enough skilled American workers available to fill those positions. The H-1B visa program was originally created to address workforce needs that current residents of the United States couldn’t meet, <a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/fact-sheet/h1b-visa-program-fact-sheet/">according to experts</a>. While the H-1B program <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/09/24/2025-18473/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b">previously operated as a lottery</a>, it will now prioritize higher-skilled and higher-paid workers.</p>
  2153.  
  2154.  
  2155.  
  2156. <p>A new <a href="https://www.thexylom.com/post/h-1b-visa-trump-uscis-research-university-medicine-engineering-funding-map">dataset</a> from Alex Ip at <a href="https://www.thexylom.com/about-us">the Xylom</a>, an Asian American-run nonprofit news outlet, maps H-1B visa holders at research universities in the United States. Because of Trump’s H-1B visa fee, universities would need to spend a larger share of their research budget to keep the same number of visa workers next year. The median financial burden, or share of an institution’s research budget needed to retain visa holders, was 3.1% in fiscal year 2023, according to Ip’s analysis. That comes out to about $3.6 million, but that figure varies widely between institutions.</p>
  2157.  
  2158.  
  2159.  
  2160. <p>“It will be significantly more difficult and expensive for America’s top research institutions – which already cannot keep up with industry compensation – to continue to attract skilled workers from across the world,” Ip wrote.</p>
  2161.  
  2162.  
  2163.  
  2164. <p>Institutions in red states are expected to be disproportionately affected by this policy change, according to Ip.&nbsp;</p>
  2165.  
  2166.  
  2167.  
  2168. <p>In this edition of the Rural Index, I’ll be exploring the financial burden of Trump’s new policy on rural research institutions in particular. This map shows all of the 211 land-grant, sea-grant, and R1 institutions included in the Xylom analysis from the fiscal year 2023. These are universities with high research and doctorate degree production and are therefore expected to be hurt the most by Trump’s new policy.</p>
  2169.  
  2170.  
  2171.  
  2172. <iframe title="H-1B Visas in American Universities" aria-label="Symbol map" id="datawrapper-chart-h1gmr" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/h1gmr/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="481" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script>
  2173.  
  2174.  
  2175.  
  2176. <p>Out of the 211 universities in the Xylom dataset, 196 are in metropolitan counties and 15 are in nonmetropolitan, or rural, counties. In metropolitan counties, the median percent of federal research dollars required to maintain the same level of visa workers staffing next year was 3%. In nonmetropolitan counties, that number was 3.7%.</p>
  2177.  
  2178.  
  2179.  
  2180. <p>The most financially burdened rural institution was Ohio University, which is expected to have to expend approximately 12% of its federal research budget on retaining H-1B visa workers next year. That represents about $2.7 million.&nbsp;</p>
  2181.  
  2182.  
  2183.  
  2184. <iframe title="Rural Institutions" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-z4Ncp" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/z4Ncp/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="891" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script>
  2185.  
  2186.  
  2187.  
  2188. <p>The table above displays the financial burden of all 15 rural institutions included in the Xylom dataset. Click <a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/z4Ncp/">here</a> to see an interactive version of the table.&nbsp;</p>
  2189.  
  2190.  
  2191.  
  2192. <p>Rural institutions spent just over $1 billion federal research dollars in 2023, compared to $50 billion in metropolitan institutions. All but two of the rural research institutions – Dartmouth and Tuskegee – are public universities. Ten of the 15 institutions are land-grant universities. The median federal research funding that rural institutions received was approximately $61.5 million in fiscal year 2023. To retain visa workers, rural institutions spend, on average, about $2.1 million in federal research funding, totaling $32 million across all rural institutions.</p>
  2193.  
  2194.  
  2195.  
  2196. <p>Six of the 15 rural institutions are in the American South, four of which are historically black universities and colleges, or HBCUs. The rural HBCUs included in this dataset are Alcorn State University in Mississippi, Kentucky State University, South Carolina State University, and Tuskegee University in Alabama.</p>
  2197.  
  2198.  
  2199.  
  2200. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots"/>
  2201. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/trumps-h-1b-visa-policy-will-hurt-research-institutions/2025/10/14/">Trump’s H-1B Visa Policy Will Hurt Research Institutions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2202. ]]></content:encoded>
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  2208. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233638</post-id> </item>
  2209. <item>
  2210. <title>Partisan Road Blocks on the Way to Reauthorizing the Expired Farm Bill </title>
  2211. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/partisan-road-blocks-on-the-way-to-reauthorizing-the-expired-farm-bill/2025/10/13/</link>
  2212. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/partisan-road-blocks-on-the-way-to-reauthorizing-the-expired-farm-bill/2025/10/13/#respond</comments>
  2214. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Claire Carlson]]></dc:creator>
  2215. <pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2216. <category><![CDATA[Agriculture]]></category>
  2217. <category><![CDATA[Government & Policy]]></category>
  2218. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233543</guid>
  2219.  
  2220. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2221. <p>Already two years overdue, the latest extension of the 2018 farm bill expired on September 30, 2025. While the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law in July, contained much of the policy usually included in the farm bill, it did not cover all of the programs that farmers and rural communities rely [&#8230;]</p>
  2222. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/partisan-road-blocks-on-the-way-to-reauthorizing-the-expired-farm-bill/2025/10/13/">Partisan Road Blocks on the Way to Reauthorizing the Expired Farm Bill </a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2223. ]]></description>
  2224. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP25270048126655-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2225. <p>Already two years overdue, the latest extension of the 2018 farm bill expired on September 30, 2025. While the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law in July, contained much of the policy usually included in the farm bill, it did not cover all of the programs that farmers and rural communities rely on.&nbsp;</p>
  2226.  
  2227.  
  2228.  
  2229. <p>“Anything that was not included in the Republican budget bill is likely to end,” said Michael Happ, program associate for climate and rural communities at the <a href="https://www.iatp.org/">Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  2230.  
  2231.  
  2232.  
  2233. <p>The farm bill is a package of food and agriculture policies that is reauthorized once every five years. Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), crop insurance, and commodity protections are funded through the farm bill.&nbsp;</p>
  2234.  
  2235.  
  2236.  
  2237. <p>The OBBBA covered about <a href="https://agamerica.com/blog/farm-bill-2025/">80%</a> of the provisions usually provided by the farm bill. Notably, it extended commodity support programs through 2031 and expanded crop insurance benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers.&nbsp;</p>
  2238.  
  2239.  
  2240.  
  2241. <p>But the law cut $120 billion from SNAP over the next 10 years. One in seven rural households rely on SNAP to put food on the table, according to the <a href="https://frac.org/blog/snaps-critical-role-in-rural-communities-and-the-consequences-of-cuts">Food Research and Action Center</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  2242.  
  2243.  
  2244.  
  2245. <p>The budget bill left out other key rural programs like the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program, Rural Cooperative Development grants, and the Rural Energy for America Program. It also excluded the Conservation Reserve Program and the Local Agricultural Market Program.</p>
  2246.  
  2247.  
  2248.  
  2249. <p>Happ said that losing these programs puts farmers in a tough position as they adapt to the changes tariffs have made to their businesses, which increased input prices for fertilizer and equipment like combines and tractors. Some farmers have lost their export markets because of the tariffs, making domestic markets an essential part of their businesses.</p>
  2250.  
  2251.  
  2252.  
  2253. <p>“These programs are supposed to help farmers connect to those local markets and local purchasers,” Happ said. “Now is not the time to be cutting those and letting them shut off for however long.”</p>
  2254.  
  2255.  
  2256.  
  2257. <p>The farm bill expiration came hand-in-hand with a government shutdown that could exacerbate the blow.&nbsp;</p>
  2258.  
  2259.  
  2260.  
  2261. <p>Many government workers are currently furloughed, including at the Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers farm and food policy. SNAP benefits are currently paid out through the end of October, but if the shutdown extends past then, benefits could be delayed.</p>
  2262.  
  2263.  
  2264.  
  2265. <p>The dual timing of an expired farm bill and a government shutdown highlights just how divided Congress has become. The shutdown occurred because lawmakers could not agree on a spending bill for the 2026 fiscal year; the most contested issue was over tax credits provided through the Affordable Care Act. The farm bill saw similar disagreement between lawmakers, especially over how to fund SNAP.&nbsp;</p>
  2266.  
  2267.  
  2268.  
  2269. <p>Up until recently, the farm bill was one of the last examples of truly bipartisan legislation that saw politicians from both sides of the aisle work together. A spokesperson for Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said he “continues to work with members of the committee to deliver strong wins for agriculture as well as a farm bill.”&nbsp;</p>
  2270.  
  2271.  
  2272.  
  2273. <p>But the latest disagreements over how to fund nutrition programs significantly slowed farm bill negotiations.&nbsp;</p>
  2274.  
  2275.  
  2276.  
  2277. <p>“[Republicans] raided the nutrition title to pay for some crop insurance and reference prices that should have been done in a farm bill,” said Representative Angie Craig (D-Minnesota) in a Civil Eats <a href="https://civileats.com/2025/09/22/at-farm-aid-top-agriculture-democrats-say-trumps-policies-are-hurting-farmers/">interview</a> from mid-September. “I’m at the table. I’m negotiating. But the truth is that none of this is going to be fast enough to offset the tariffs that the Trump administration has put forward.”</p>
  2278.  
  2279.  
  2280.  
  2281. <p>As of October 13, no extension has been made to the 2018 farm bill, which means the agriculture programs that weren’t covered by the OBBBA will likely slip through the cracks in the coming months.</p>
  2282.  
  2283.  
  2284.  
  2285. <p>“We might be living in a post-farm bill world right now where we just pass farm policy through budget bills, and leave out a lot of really important programs,” Happ said.</p>
  2286.  
  2287.  
  2288.  
  2289. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  2290. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/partisan-road-blocks-on-the-way-to-reauthorizing-the-expired-farm-bill/2025/10/13/">Partisan Road Blocks on the Way to Reauthorizing the Expired Farm Bill </a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2291. ]]></content:encoded>
  2293. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/partisan-road-blocks-on-the-way-to-reauthorizing-the-expired-farm-bill/2025/10/13/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  2294. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  2297. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233543</post-id> </item>
  2298. <item>
  2299. <title>Q&#038;A: The Connection Between Buffalo Restoration and Native Liberation</title>
  2300. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-the-connection-between-buffalo-restoration-and-native-liberation/2025/10/13/</link>
  2301. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-the-connection-between-buffalo-restoration-and-native-liberation/2025/10/13/#respond</comments>
  2303. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ilana Newman]]></dc:creator>
  2304. <pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:58:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2305. <category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
  2306. <category><![CDATA[Path Finders]]></category>
  2307. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=119684</guid>
  2308.  
  2309. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="732" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?fit=1024%2C732&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=760%2C543&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=1296%2C926&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=768%2C549&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=1200%2C857&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=1568%2C1120&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=400%2C286&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=706%2C504&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?fit=1024%2C732&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2310. <p>Editor’s Note: This conversation originally ran in the Path Finder’s newsletter in December 2023. The world has changed since then, but Elsie’s message of hope and empowerment for Indigenous communities still rings true. Today, we are highlighting this interview again in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Like what you see here? You can join the mailing [&#8230;]</p>
  2311. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-the-connection-between-buffalo-restoration-and-native-liberation/2025/10/13/">Q&#038;A: The Connection Between Buffalo Restoration and Native Liberation</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2312. ]]></description>
  2313. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="732" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?fit=1024%2C732&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=760%2C543&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=1296%2C926&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=768%2C549&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=1200%2C857&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=1568%2C1120&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=400%2C286&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?resize=706%2C504&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Elsie-DuBray.jpg?fit=1024%2C732&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2314. <p><em>Editor’s Note: This conversation originally ran in the <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/path-finders/">Path Finder’s</a> newsletter in December 2023. The world has changed since then, but Elsie’s message of hope and empowerment for Indigenous communities still rings true. Today, we are highlighting this interview again in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Like what you see here? You can <a href="#signup">join the mailing list at the bottom of this article</a> and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week.</em></p>
  2315.  
  2316.  
  2317.  
  2318. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  2319.  
  2320.  
  2321.  
  2322. <p>Elsie DuBray is a young Oohenunpa Lakota, Nueta and Hidatsa woman currently working on a Master&#8217;s degree in Community Health and Prevention at Stanford University. DuBray brings together her upbringing on a buffalo ranch on the Cheyenne River Reservation with her interest in Indigenous public health, combining traditional knowledge with Western science.&nbsp;</p>
  2323.  
  2324.  
  2325.  
  2326. <p>I heard DuBray speak at a screening of&nbsp;<a href="https://gather.film/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Gather</em></a>, on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation.&nbsp;<em>Gather&nbsp;</em>follows Indigenous people across the country working to reclaim their foodways. The film was released in 2020, and filmed even earlier.&nbsp;</p>
  2327.  
  2328.  
  2329.  
  2330. <p>Much has happened in DuBray’s life since the film, where she was shown winning a high school science fair with her research comparing buffalo lipid content to beef lipid content. DuBray’s work has grown and evolved over the years, and in our conversation we focus on her investment in buffalo restoration, bringing a Native identity to higher education, Indigenous public health, and where she hopes to take her work in the future.</p>
  2331.  
  2332.  
  2333.  
  2334. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  2335.  
  2336.  
  2337.  
  2338. <p class="has-text-align-center"><em>This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.</em></p>
  2339.  
  2340.  
  2341.  
  2342. <p><strong>Ilana Newman, The Daily Yonder: First, can you introduce yourself and tell me about where you&#8217;re from and a little bit about the work that you&#8217;re doing today?</strong></p>
  2343.  
  2344.  
  2345.  
  2346. <p><strong>Elsie DuBray:</strong> I’m going to introduce myself in my own language first.</p>
  2347.  
  2348.  
  2349.  
  2350. <p>Han mitakuyepi! Cante wasteya nape ceyuzape ksto. Mahpiya Ile Win emaciyapi na wasituya micaje kin Elsie DuBray. Oohenunpa Lakota na Nueta na Hidatsa hemaca, na Wakpa Waste Oyanke hemantanhan.&nbsp;</p>
  2351.  
  2352.  
  2353.  
  2354. <p>Hello relatives, I greet you all with a good heart. My name is Mahpiya Ile Win, which in English roughly translates to Blazing Cloud Woman. And my English name is Elsie DuBray. I am Oohenunpa Lakota, Nueta, and Hidatsa from the Cheyenne River Reservation in what is now known as South Dakota. I am currently a Stanford University student.&nbsp; I just completed my undergrad in the spring of this year, and then for some reason, I decided to stay and I&#8217;m now doing my Masters here as well.</p>
  2355.  
  2356.  
  2357.  
  2358. <p><strong>DY:</strong> <strong>Tell me about the work that you&#8217;re doing now around public health and food sovereignty.</strong></p>
  2359.  
  2360.  
  2361.  
  2362. <p><strong>ED:</strong> So a lot of what I&#8217;m doing in school currently, or at least up until this point has been very related to the work that my family does at home on our buffalo ranch. When I got started here at Stanford, the work I was doing was biochemistry scientific research into lipid analysis of buffalo fat and beef fat and trying to kind of look into the biochemical pathways of a shift away from a traditional diet to a modern diet, and some of the reasons behind the disparate outcomes in native youth and type two diabetes. I went down that hard scientific and Western scientific rabbit hole a bit and found it harmful for me and not ultimately satiating my interest in any way, nor contributing to what I believe to be my responsibility to my community and myself.&nbsp;</p>
  2363.  
  2364.  
  2365.  
  2366. <p>My understanding of science and my interest in science was not at all independent of my identity as a Lakota woman. Attempting to distill and compartmentalize those things was very painful. And I found that in the manifestation of an eating disorder that really peaked and became most dangerous my freshman year at Stanford, when I was wrapped up in the fast-paced scientific rigor of it all, all amidst this major life transition from being at home on the rez in South Dakota to then coming to Stanford and experiencing so much more homesickness and culture shock than I ever imagined.</p>
  2367.  
  2368.  
  2369.  
  2370. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  2371. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%">
  2372. <p>I took so much for granted at home. I always knew home was beautiful and incredible and that I was so lucky to grow up on my homeland. Still, I was excited to run away to California for a while. And then immediately upon arriving in California, I couldn&#8217;t wait to run away back home. And I got home and had this kind of whole new outlook and this whole new understanding of just how important home is to me. My physical removal from home takes a toll on my physical body and then my mind and my spirit.</p>
  2373. </div>
  2374.  
  2375.  
  2376.  
  2377. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  2378. <figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="1040" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=780%2C1040&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-119202" style="width:487px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=972%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 972w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=570%2C760&amp;ssl=1 570w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=1151%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1151w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=1200%2C1601&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=400%2C534&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?resize=706%2C942&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1.jpeg?w=1536&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_0639-1-972x1296.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Elsie DuBray. (Photo provided)</figcaption></figure></div></div>
  2379. </div>
  2380.  
  2381.  
  2382.  
  2383. <p>And then in November 2020, my little brother passed away to suicide. And that absolutely rocked my world and everything I thought I knew to be true. And all of the healing that I felt like I had experienced was all kind of pulled out from under me. I felt untethered for the first time in my life. Through whatever hardships I experienced before that, I always felt so grounded in a sense of purpose and responsibility to the buffalo, and yet losing my brother just really rocked me.</p>
  2384.  
  2385.  
  2386.  
  2387. <p>Through that grieving process, there was a real awakening that shook me enough to parse through all of the hesitation and fogginess of what I wanted or what I was interested in. It showed me the urgency with a kind of stinging clarity I needed to not be distracted or dissuaded by the institutional Western push towards this hyper-medicalization, hyper-STEM application. I&#8217;m making up words now. But the focus on the research and the STEM and the bureaucracy and the institutionalization of it all, I couldn&#8217;t do it anymore.&nbsp;</p>
  2388.  
  2389.  
  2390.  
  2391. <p>I became very adamant that my interest in the holistic health and well-being of my community deserves to be honored in the way that my community sees fit and that our life experiences dictate, not the syllabus of a chemistry class.</p>
  2392.  
  2393.  
  2394.  
  2395. <p>I still graduated with a B.S. in Human Biology, but I made my concentration the holistic health and well-being of Indigenous communities. I completed my Native Studies minor, and then I decided to pursue honors in the Center for Comparative Studies and Race and Ethnicity, which is the center that houses Native American studies. My honors thesis became this real kind of reflective think piece about my family and myself. So there are no graphs in my thesis, there are no lipid levels or percentages. There are stories that my dad told me, there are stories of my life, of his life. There&#8217;s narrative, there&#8217;s spirits, there&#8217;s even some poetry.</p>
  2396.  
  2397.  
  2398.  
  2399. <p>I feel like this is so far removed from the question that you even asked. But it is deeply informative of how I&#8217;m approaching things now and how I came to understand the concept of food sovereignty as a tangible reality, as an embodied personal experience — away from this abstract conceptual textbook. I feel it in my body. I work towards it daily.</p>
  2400.  
  2401.  
  2402.  
  2403. <p><strong>DY: You grew up on a buffalo ranch on the Cheyenne River Reservation and buffalo, and buffalo restoration, are at the heart of so much of what you are doing now. Can you tell me about how your relationship with the buffalo has developed over time?</strong></p>
  2404.  
  2405.  
  2406.  
  2407. <p><strong>ED: </strong>It&#8217;s the greatest honor of my life to be able to have been raised at home in the way that I was. Part of that was being around buffalo my whole life, which is a pretty uncommon experience. I think my brother, before he died, may have been the only other young person who has been able to grow up from birth to the present, surrounded by the buffalo. Every day, I began to understand more and more how much of a privilege that is. I grew up thinking it was normal to be able to eat buffalo meat every day. What an absolutely incredible blessing. I think about how all of that from a cellular level, nutritional level, and psychological level has helped me become the person that I am today.&nbsp;</p>
  2408.  
  2409.  
  2410.  
  2411. <p>I cringe when I think about myself as a kid, and about not wanting to go check the buffalo with my dad because it&#8217;s too hot outside or I&#8217;m scared of snakes. In the last couple of years, I&#8217;ve been a lot more intentional about spending time outside watching the buffalo.&nbsp;</p>
  2412.  
  2413.  
  2414.  
  2415. <p>I&#8217;ve been so fortunate to be thinking about buffalo restoration my whole life, in a state where there were buffalo. Buffalo restoration was about growing the numbers. I didn&#8217;t think about the very real kind of implications of if something happened and there wasn&#8217;t any buffalo anymore or what happens if there&#8217;s a real threat to the buffalo. That&#8217;s what happened when we lost 30% of our animals to a cattle disease, Mycoplasma bovis. It has a very high mortality rate. I took for granted the fact that we were out where we had this many buffalo. But what happens when we lose them? And that took a huge toll on me as well. I hadn&#8217;t ever had to directly experience the loss of buffalo like that.&nbsp; We can&#8217;t be people without the buffalo, but I&#8217;ve never had to think about it that way because the buffalo were already there for me.</p>
  2416.  
  2417.  
  2418.  
  2419. <p><strong>DY:</strong> <strong>Can you speak about why the buffalo are so important, both to the land and to the people?</strong></p>
  2420.  
  2421.  
  2422.  
  2423. <p><strong>ED:</strong> To my people, buffalo are everything. Buffalo are at the center of our creation story. That&#8217;s something that no one can deny and no one can take away from us. When you are so deeply connected to an intertwined with someone else like that, like our people and the Pte Oyate, the Buffalo Nation, you can see and understand the centrality of them to our culture. If something is the center of your creation story, it&#8217;s going to be the center of your culture and the way you see the world and the way you interact with it and each other and the way you organize and the way you structure yourselves and the way you treat each other. It is because of the buffalo that we have the values that we have. They are the topic of so many of the stories that have been passed down since time immemorial. And you can&#8217;t take that away from somebody and expect them to be okay. The attempted extermination of the buffalo was a very intentional attempted extermination of my people. And it goes beyond just the warfare tactic of attacking somebody&#8217;s food system and understanding the damage that that does to a people. It was going to be more than a starvation situation. It was an attempt at genocide and ethnocide in the fullest of the term. It was to eradicate, or attempt to eradicate, who we are beyond physical bodies getting in the way of conquest.</p>
  2424.  
  2425.  
  2426.  
  2427. <p>Buffalo restoration is food sovereignty for Lakota people. And food sovereignty is where all of these social justice efforts meet and intersect. To me, it is a tangible mechanism for this radical reconceptualization of what public health looks like. And that&#8217;s what buffalo restoration means to me. And that&#8217;s why I see buffalo restoration as being so important to our people.</p>
  2428.  
  2429.  
  2430.  
  2431. <p>You can&#8217;t have Land Back without Buffalo Back. People are becoming increasingly aware that Land Back and Native people&#8217;s access to their traditional homelands and stewardship over those lands is a mechanism for combating climate change and cultivating ecological well-being. Part of that is buffalo restoration.</p>
  2432.  
  2433.  
  2434.  
  2435. <p>Prairies sequester more carbon than a rain forest does and I&#8217;ve seen more and more literature coming out about the importance of prairie restoration. Well, how do you think you&#8217;re gonna restore the prairie without the keystone species of this country? It all comes back to the buffalo and not just for my people, not just for my family, but for the connected liberation of all Indigenous communities.</p>
  2436.  
  2437.  
  2438.  
  2439. <p><strong>DY:</strong> <strong>Yeah, that all makes sense. Is there anything else you’d want to share?</strong></p>
  2440.  
  2441.  
  2442.  
  2443. <p><strong>ED:</strong> I just hope I generally give a message of hope and empowerment and encouragement as opposed to a victim narrative because I don&#8217;t believe that to be true at all. I think that this is possible, and I think this is possible because of what I&#8217;ve seen. This futurism is a tangible one and I&#8217;m committed to working towards it with my peers, my friends, and my family.</p>
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  2464. <p>This interview first appeared in <strong>Path Finders</strong>, a weekly email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each Monday, Path Finders features a Q&amp;A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Join the mailing list today, to have these illuminating conversations delivered straight to your inbox. </p>
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  2517. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-the-connection-between-buffalo-restoration-and-native-liberation/2025/10/13/">Q&#038;A: The Connection Between Buffalo Restoration and Native Liberation</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  2526. <title>Q&#038;A: Jennifer Robinson on Rural Credit Unions</title>
  2527. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-jennifer-robinson-on-rural-credit-unions/2025/10/10/</link>
  2528. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-jennifer-robinson-on-rural-credit-unions/2025/10/10/#respond</comments>
  2530. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ilana Newman]]></dc:creator>
  2531. <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2532. <category><![CDATA[Community & Economic Development]]></category>
  2533. <category><![CDATA[Path Finders]]></category>
  2534. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233627</guid>
  2535.  
  2536. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2537. <p>Over 12 million people live in banking deserts – communities without a physical bank within a 10-mile radius. In rural areas, this leaves people without a place to get loans, deposit checks, and get cash. Many rural areas still prefer cash over other forms of payment like credit cards. Without banks, rural residents’ credit scores [&#8230;]</p>
  2538. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-jennifer-robinson-on-rural-credit-unions/2025/10/10/">Q&amp;A: Jennifer Robinson on Rural Credit Unions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2539. ]]></description>
  2540. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-6.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2541. <p>Over 12 million people live in banking deserts – communities without a physical bank within a 10-mile radius. In rural areas, this leaves people without a place to get loans, deposit checks, and get cash. Many rural areas still prefer cash over other forms of payment like credit cards. Without banks, rural residents’ credit scores can drop, or they can be taken advantage of by predatory lending like payday loans.</p>
  2542.  
  2543.  
  2544.  
  2545. <p>Jennifer Robinson is the branch manager at Vantage West Credit Union in Tombstone, Arizona, a town of 1,300 in southern Arizona that maintains a Wild West identity, complete with false front storefronts and western culture preserved through museums and famous gunfight reenactments. Robinson shared a bit about what makes credit unions different from traditional banks and how they work to support her rural community. </p>
  2546.  
  2547.  
  2548.  
  2549. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  2550.  
  2551.  
  2552.  
  2553. <p class="has-text-align-center"><em>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.&nbsp;</em></p>
  2554.  
  2555.  
  2556.  
  2557. <p><strong>The Daily Yonder: Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you started working with the credit union?&nbsp;</strong></p>
  2558.  
  2559.  
  2560.  
  2561. <p><strong>Jennifer Robinson:</strong> Next year will actually be my 20th year with Vantage West. I never intended to stay. I was going to school to be a veterinarian, funny enough, and just fell in love with the members, with other team members that I met and worked my way up to branch manager. I actually just started managing the Tombstone branch in the summer. I have helped out there in years past, but when this opportunity came up, I had already been kind of helping out and decided to jump at it. It&#8217;s just so beautiful out there. It&#8217;s a different way of life, and to be able to experience both in a busier city and then, you know, go out to a rural area like Tombstone, was just a great opportunity for me. And there was a manager that I had worked with for quite some time who actually came over with the tombstone merger and just she was so deeply rooted in that community. So I really enjoyed getting to know everybody, introducing myself, and getting to be part of that community.</p>
  2562.  
  2563.  
  2564.  
  2565. <p><strong>DY:</strong> Tell me a little bit about what Tombstone is like, and what it feels like to be in rural Southern Arizona.</p>
  2566.  
  2567.  
  2568.  
  2569. <p><strong>JR:</strong> So Tombstone is a town built on a rich history of the American Southwest. They keep true to a lot of their traditions. It&#8217;s a tourist town, and even when you get to the Vantage West Branch out there, it looks like something out of the Old West. We&#8217;ve kept very true to our traditions, to the roots of the Tombstone Federal Credit Union, which was what it was before the merger. But that&#8217;s what you see, just the streets of Tombstone, and there&#8217;s a lot of small businesses just in that area, and a lot of tourist traffic through there. But the drive to there and around there, it&#8217;s just open desert.&nbsp;</p>
  2570.  
  2571.  
  2572.  
  2573. <p><strong>DY:</strong> Let&#8217;s start with the basics of credit unions. What makes a credit union different than other types of banks?</p>
  2574.  
  2575.  
  2576.  
  2577. <p><strong>JR:</strong> The biggest thing that makes a credit union different is that we are not for profit. We are owned by our members. Larger banks have shareholders that are interested in profits and what that financial institution is doing. As a credit union, we really prioritize people over profit, so we are looking at what we can do to enrich the communities that we&#8217;re in, how we can give back to those communities, and how we can serve those communities.&nbsp;</p>
  2578.  
  2579.  
  2580.  
  2581. <p><strong>DY:</strong> Can you talk a little bit about how credit unions serve rural communities better than a traditional bank? What are some of those ways that you give back?</p>
  2582.  
  2583.  
  2584. <div class="wp-block-image">
  2585. <figure class="alignright size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="436" height="570" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-7.jpg?resize=436%2C570&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233629" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-7.jpg?w=436&amp;ssl=1 436w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-7.jpg?resize=400%2C523&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unnamed-7.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 436px) 100vw, 436px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Photo courtesy of Jennifer Robinson)</figcaption></figure></div>
  2586.  
  2587.  
  2588. <p><strong>JR:</strong> So for us at the Tombstone location there are many different things that we&#8217;re involved in, like the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce, We&#8217;re involved with the food bank, with the school district. There are so many different community events and things that my team actively participates in. We&#8217;re always looking for new opportunities as a way to create awareness that we&#8217;re there for the residents of those areas surrounding Tombstone, as well as within Tombstone. The credit union actually gives volunteer hours, so we give all employees 16 hours to volunteer however they see fit. And my team consistently exhausts those hours. How can we have one of them out of the branch and in the community going and visiting the food bank and talking to members, spreading financial awareness, and we kind of work those things into their every day. Or can I have them leave a little bit early today so that on Saturday they can go participate in a parade and those things that are important to the community. We try to stay involved and to create that awareness that we&#8217;re there.</p>
  2589.  
  2590.  
  2591.  
  2592. <p><strong>DY:</strong> A lot of rural Americans live in places where there might not be any bank available in the town, or even within an hour or two outside of the town. What&#8217;s lost when people don&#8217;t have access to banking? Why is banking important?</p>
  2593.  
  2594.  
  2595.  
  2596. <p><strong>JR:</strong> When there aren&#8217;t places that they can go like Vantage West, where they can see the same faces, they can have that person that they trust, that they know is going to give them advice, it can lead to where they could be taken advantage of or not have the resources that they need. I know in Tombstone there&#8217;s not really a check cashing place, but in some of those surrounding areas, like Sierra Vista, which is a closer town, there might be that temptation to go to a payday loan place, because they don&#8217;t know that we&#8217;re there for them, and we&#8217;re going to give them a more fair and honest financial solution to what they&#8217;re what they&#8217;re needing. Another big thing right now is just all the fraud and the scams that are out there. It&#8217;s hard to tell what&#8217;s good and what&#8217;s bad, and without having a trusted financial institution where you can go and talk and be open, ‘hey, this is what someone&#8217;s asking me to do. Is this, you know, good or not’ – that&#8217;s what my bankers are able to do. And we catch those types of things on a regular basis, because we&#8217;re there for our members, and we can tell them this doesn&#8217;t seem right, and ask more questions.&nbsp;</p>
  2597.  
  2598.  
  2599.  
  2600. <p><strong>DY:</strong> How does relationship building play a role in all of that? It sounds like that&#8217;s really kind of at the root of everything that you&#8217;re doing.</p>
  2601.  
  2602.  
  2603.  
  2604. <p><strong>JR:</strong> One of the important things that we do is we hire locally from surrounding communities, and I think that ensures that [employees] have an understanding of the types of people that live in those communities, the needs of those people in the communities, because they themselves are part of those communities and rooted there. That helps build trust in those small towns.</p>
  2605.  
  2606.  
  2607.  
  2608. <p><strong>DY:</strong> What do you see as some of the most pressing economic issues in rural Arizona right now? What are people having the hardest time with?</p>
  2609.  
  2610.  
  2611.  
  2612. <p><strong>JR:</strong> Tombstone is a tourist town and a lot of the surrounding areas are heavy in agriculture. Things like that can cause fluctuations in income and pay depending on what the weather is like, or tourist seasons.Those types of things can really impact the people that live and work in this area. So I think some of the things that I&#8217;ve seen are very limited credit or no credit and having that fluctuating income sometimes makes it hard to establish credit. Also, housing. There&#8217;s not always available housing or affordable housing for people. The other thing I&#8217;ve seen is that people are less likely to use technology overall. So we&#8217;ve really tried to help educate on using the digital avenues and offer other things, like we&#8217;re piloting virtual appointments so they wouldn&#8217;t have to necessarily drive if they have internet. They can do a face to face appointment, which face to face is a big thing – they want that person that they&#8217;re, they&#8217;re comfortable working with, and so we&#8217;re piloting things like that to give other options. But also, like I mentioned earlier, the scams and the fraud, we&#8217;re seeing a lot of that. It doesn&#8217;t matter where you live, fraudsters are able to find you and try to take advantage of you. So that&#8217;s another thing that we&#8217;ve really worked closely with our members trying to create awareness.</p>
  2613.  
  2614.  
  2615.  
  2616. <p><strong>DY:</strong> How can you better meet the needs of people with that fluctuating income? How do you help fill those gaps?</p>
  2617.  
  2618.  
  2619.  
  2620. <p><strong>JR:</strong> All of my team members are financial wellness coaches, so we look at ways that we can help with budgeting, help them create plans. Maybe if they do not have great credit, helping them find ways to get their credit back on track to where they would be able to get a loan with the credit union too. We have local underwriting, so we make decisions locally in Arizona, which allows us to really look at the whole picture. And we can see those types of things and try to work with our members on something that would benefit them and would also be in line with what the credit union is trying to do, which is to help the communities that we serve well.</p>
  2621.  
  2622.  
  2623.  
  2624. <p><strong>DY:</strong> Thanks so much Jennifer, is there anything that I didn&#8217;t ask that you&#8217;d want to add?</p>
  2625.  
  2626.  
  2627.  
  2628. <p>We&#8217;re really just trying to meet all of our members where they are, whether that be face-to-face or helping educate them with the digital options and get them comfortable with that. Another thing, in addition to the virtual appointments is we also have ITMs now, which is like an ATM, but it has a live banker on there, and that&#8217;s available to them because we understand their hours might not be the same as banking hours, and it might not be as convenient for them to get there, they can still have that comfort of talking face to face with someone. A lot of our members drive at least 20 miles to come to this branch from those surrounding communities, and even in Sierra Vista, which is the next closest area there&#8217;s other banks there, there&#8217;s some larger banks there, but we are the credit union, and they&#8217;ll drive to us versus going to that bank that&#8217;s in their community. So I think that speaks volumes to just the relationship that credit unions can build versus [traditional] banks. We really take a more educational approach and make sure they feel comfortable.</p>
  2629.  
  2630.  
  2631.  
  2632. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  2633. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-jennifer-robinson-on-rural-credit-unions/2025/10/10/">Q&amp;A: Jennifer Robinson on Rural Credit Unions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2634. ]]></content:encoded>
  2636. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-jennifer-robinson-on-rural-credit-unions/2025/10/10/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  2637. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  2640. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233627</post-id> </item>
  2641. <item>
  2642. <title>Community Built Brick by Brick</title>
  2643. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/community-built-brick-by-brick/2025/10/09/</link>
  2644. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/community-built-brick-by-brick/2025/10/09/#respond</comments>
  2646. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anya Petrone Slepyan]]></dc:creator>
  2647. <pubDate>Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2648. <category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
  2649. <category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
  2650. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=233352</guid>
  2651.  
  2652. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2653. <p>With only three walls and no roof, some might mistake the Pecos Mission Church for a ruin. But the three hundred year old adobe structure is alive with cultural and spiritual significance, according to those who are working to preserve it.&#160; “The church is a monument, a testament to the people that once lived there,” [&#8230;]</p>
  2654. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/community-built-brick-by-brick/2025/10/09/">Community Built Brick by Brick</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2655. ]]></description>
  2656. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07226-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2657. <p class="has-drop-cap">With only three walls and no roof, some might mistake the Pecos Mission Church for a ruin. But the three hundred year old adobe structure is alive with cultural and spiritual significance, according to those who are working to preserve it.&nbsp;</p>
  2658.  
  2659.  
  2660.  
  2661. <p>“The church is a monument, a testament to the people that once lived there,” said Christopher Toya, an archeologist and tribal historic preservation officer of the Jemez Pueblo. “These are our ancestors, and they didn’t disappear. We’re still here, the descendants of the Pecos people living in Jemez Pueblo.”</p>
  2662.  
  2663.  
  2664.  
  2665. <p>Completed in 1717, the historic church was built by the people of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/peco/learn/historyculture/pecospueblo.htm">Pecos Pueblo</a> and overseen by Spanish missionaries in what is now San Miguel County in northern New Mexico. The church and the pueblo were left empty in 1838, when the remaining inhabitants <a href="https://www.jemezpueblo.org/about/pecos-pueblo/">joined the Jemez Pueblo</a>, around 100 miles to the west.&nbsp;</p>
  2666.  
  2667.  
  2668.  
  2669. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233357" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07159-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>The church fell into disuse in 1838. Excavation and preservation of the site began in 1915. (Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder).&nbsp;</em></figcaption></figure>
  2670.  
  2671.  
  2672.  
  2673. <p>Today, the pueblo and church are both part of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/peco/index.htm">Pecos National Historic Park</a>, administered by the national park service. Visitors can follow interpretive trails through the park, and see the remnants of the pueblo which was once home to over 2,000 people.&nbsp;</p>
  2674.  
  2675.  
  2676.  
  2677. <p>But though the church no longer has clergy or a congregation, it remains an important spiritual center for the people of the Jemez Pueblo, according to Toya.&nbsp;</p>
  2678.  
  2679.  
  2680.  
  2681. <p>“We practice two forms of faith,” he told the Daily Yonder. “One is the traditional beliefs that had been taught to us by our ancestors. And the second is Catholicism. Our grandmas and grandpas from way back when accepted that faith, and we try our best to continue that as well.” </p>
  2682.  
  2683.  
  2684.  
  2685. <div class="wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery alignwide is-style-rectangular"><div class=""><div class="tiled-gallery__gallery"><div class="tiled-gallery__row"><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:69.19300%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07211-1296x864.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07211-1296x864.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07211-1296x864.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07211-1296x864.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07211-1296x864.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07211-1296x864.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w" alt="" data-height="1707" data-id="233359" data-link="https://dailyyonder.com/?attachment_id=233359" data-url="https://dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07211-1296x864.jpg" data-width="2560" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07211-1296x864.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive"/></figure></div><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:30.80700%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07213-864x1296.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07213-864x1296.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07213-864x1296.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07213-864x1296.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07213-864x1296.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1707&#038;ssl=1 1707w" alt="" data-height="2560" data-id="233360" data-link="https://dailyyonder.com/?attachment_id=233360" data-url="https://dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07213-864x1296.jpg" data-width="1707" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07213-864x1296.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive"/></figure></div></div></div></div></div>
  2686.  
  2687.  
  2688.  
  2689. <p>In addition to the Catholic mission church, the historic park maintains two kivas, ceremonial pits where Puebloan peoples conduct religious rituals. The kivas, in close proximity to the church, represent the religious syncretism found across New Mexico.</p>
  2690.  
  2691.  
  2692.  
  2693. <p>Archeologists and leaders from Jemez Pueblo work with the Pecos National Historic Park to plan future archeological projects and design educational materials available to park visitors. Toya says the pueblo appreciates the preservation efforts led by the park, which enable them to return annually to the site for a feast day that includes a Catholic mass and traditional dancing.</p>
  2694.  
  2695.  
  2696.  
  2697. <p>“It takes a lot of time and money and effort to do the work that they do, keeping the place stabilized and presentable to the public,” he said. “It’s a great effort to show the people that the place is still there, and it’s still alive.”</p>
  2698.  
  2699.  
  2700.  
  2701. <p>Each year from May through October, small crews of seasonal workers are hired by the National Park Service to maintain the adobe and stone structures of the church and pueblo. The teams work with archeologists to open up walls and replace crumbling adobe bricks, with an emphasis on preserving what remains of the original structure.&nbsp;</p>
  2702.  
  2703.  
  2704.  
  2705. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-233362" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07003-1-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>National Park employees preserve an adobe buttress on the historic Pecos Mission Church. The buttress was added in the 1930s to support the walls of the church, originally built in 1717. (Credit: Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</em></figcaption></figure>
  2706.  
  2707.  
  2708.  
  2709. <p>Tyler Walters leads the masonry preservation crew at Pecos National Historic park. He works year-round to plan and carry out site preservation and maintenance of the adobe structure. Though adobe is well-suited for New Mexico’s arid climate and frequent fluctuations in temperature, the material requires constant upkeep, according to Walters.&nbsp;</p>
  2710.  
  2711.  
  2712.  
  2713. <p>“Adobe, exposed to the elements, will eventually just melt into the ground,” he said in an interview with the Daily Yonder.&nbsp;</p>
  2714.  
  2715.  
  2716.  
  2717. <p>Adobe has been used as a building material for millenia in New Mexico. Clay and sand are mixed with straw, and then hardened in the sun. Spanish colonizers adapted indigenous methods to produce large bricks, often weighing up to forty pounds, which were used to build massive structures.</p>
  2718.  
  2719.  
  2720.  
  2721. <p>The church that stands today is built on the same footprint as a much larger mission, built in 1625 and destroyed in the <a href="https://indianpueblo.org/a-brief-history-of-the-pueblo-revolt/#:~:text=The%20Pueblo%20Revolt%20of%201680,colonizing%20power%20in%20North%20America.">Pueblo Revolt of 1680</a> that forced Spanish colonizers to retreat south for over a decade. The area surrounding the church also includes the excavated walls of the <em>convento, </em>which served as a storage area as well as living quarters for missionaries and converts.&nbsp;</p>
  2722.  
  2723.  
  2724.  
  2725. <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow" data-effect="slide" style="--aspect-ratio:calc(1296 / 864)"><div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper"><ul class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper"><li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"><figure><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-233363" data-id="233363" data-aspect-ratio="1296 / 864" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07201-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Tyler Walters points to different layers of adobe bricks in a preserved wall that is part of the mission church complex. (Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure></li><li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"><figure><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-233364" data-id="233364" data-aspect-ratio="1296 / 864" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06945-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Walters and his crew mixed clay, sand, and a modern chemical additive to make around 1,700 adobe bricks. (Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure></li></ul><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a aria-label="Pause Slideshow" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause" role="button"></a><div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white"></div></div></div>
  2726.  
  2727.  
  2728.  
  2729. <p>This year, Walters and his crew made around 1,700 adobe bricks and used over 900 of them to renovate one of the church buttresses and surrounding walls. Walters emphasized that their goal is stabilization and preservation – rather than rebuilding the church, they focus on maintaining its current form and preventing it from deteriorating further.</p>
  2730.  
  2731.  
  2732.  
  2733. <p>Community volunteers are invited to participate in the final step – the <em>enjarre, </em>or ‘re-mudding’ of the structure’s surface. In communities across New Mexico, it is traditional for people to gather annually to apply adobe to the walls of important buildings, to protect them from the elements for another year.&nbsp;</p>
  2734.  
  2735.  
  2736.  
  2737. <p>“It’s good to have the community coming together to maintain this structure, because that’s how it would have been in the past,” Walters said. “There would have been many hands on here.”&nbsp;</p>
  2738.  
  2739.  
  2740.  
  2741. <p>This year’s volunteers included Keith Westerberg and Kami St. John, a retired couple who also volunteer with the park’s interpretation department, leading tours and working at the visitor’s center.&nbsp;</p>
  2742.  
  2743.  
  2744.  
  2745. <p>Westerberg sees the church’s preservation as a duty.&nbsp;</p>
  2746.  
  2747.  
  2748.  
  2749. <p>“This is still the heart of the Pecos People that now live in the village of Jemez. So that is part of our responsibility to maintain this, because it’s not a ruin. It’s not an abandoned property. To them it is still a vibrant and living place,” he said.&nbsp;</p>
  2750.  
  2751.  
  2752.  
  2753. <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow" data-effect="slide" style="--aspect-ratio:calc(1296 / 864)"><div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper"><ul class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper"><li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"><figure><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-233367" data-id="233367" data-aspect-ratio="1296 / 864" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06931-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Park volunteer Keith Westerberg mixes adobe to be applied on the church walls. (Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure></li><li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"><figure><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-233366" data-id="233366" data-aspect-ratio="1296 / 864" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07107-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">A group of volunteers use their hands to apply a second coat of wet adobe to the outside of reconstructed walls. (Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure></li><li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"><figure><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-233365" data-id="233365" data-aspect-ratio="1296 / 864" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC07128-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">D’Ann Ross smears an adobe coat onto a section of a wall. Ross recently moved to Santa Fe, and was eager to volunteer at the park. “It’s a way to immerse yourself in the culture and the history,” she said. (Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure></li></ul><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a aria-label="Pause Slideshow" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause" role="button"></a><div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white"></div></div></div>
  2754.  
  2755.  
  2756.  
  2757. <p>For St. John, the church also offers a unique opportunity to connect with the past.&nbsp;</p>
  2758.  
  2759.  
  2760.  
  2761. <p>“It’s a connection to history that you can see and touch,” she said.&nbsp;</p>
  2762.  
  2763.  
  2764.  
  2765. <p>Walters has spent the last two years working on this site, which he says exemplifies the multicultural history of New Mexico and the southwest. The park is situated on the edge of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, an important crossroads for Puebloan, Spanish, and Anglo-American peoples. It was even the location of a <a href="https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/glorieta-battle-of">decisive Civil War battle</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  2766.  
  2767.  
  2768.  
  2769. <p>“It’s an honor to work on a place like this because it has so many stories to tell,” he said. “To understand how all these cultures intersected is pretty special.”</p>
  2770.  
  2771.  
  2772.  
  2773. <p>And thanks to the collaboration between the National Park Service and the Jemez Pueblo, the site still has a significant role to play.&nbsp;</p>
  2774.  
  2775.  
  2776.  
  2777. <p>“We as Native people believe that the spirits of our ancestors still reside there,” Toya explained. “Every time a ceremony or prayer is said, we believe our ancestors are there blessing the people. Anyone who visits Pecos is taking blessings from there to their own homes, their own communities.”</p>
  2778. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/community-built-brick-by-brick/2025/10/09/">Community Built Brick by Brick</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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