Food Deserts and Insecurity

Last month First Lady Michelle Obama announced a program with retailers to expand access to healthy, affordable food in “food deserts;” rural or urban areas where healthy, affordable food is difficult to obtain.  This is often a result of food insecurity.  A federal Office of Rural Health Policy report defined this: “the food intake of [...]

August 29, 2011 · KJacobson · No Comments
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Rural and Urban Health Differences

A reporter in the Wall St. Journal last week asked the question, who is healthier, rural or urban residents?  (You can read a recap in The Rural Blog)  Despite the image many of us have of a healthy rural environment (Produce all around you!  Fresh air! Lots of opportunities for outdoor exercise!) urban and suburban residents [...]

July 20, 2011 · KJacobson · No Comments
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Obama’s Rural Policies

President Obama recently created the White House Rural Council through an executive order.  The Council “will focus on job creation and economic development by increasing the flow of capital to rural areas, promoting innovation, expanding digital and physical networks, and celebrating opportunity through America’s natural resources.”  The Council will address a number of key issues [...]

July 6, 2011 · KJacobson · No Comments
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Office of Rural Health Community Grants, Part V: Driver Safety

Last month I met with the Juneau County Coalition for At-Risk Drivers at Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston.  The Coalition is another recipient of our rural community grants.  Their Safer Driver Initiative will plan and pilot a driver-screening program to assist the elderly and others with medical conditions that could lead to unsafe driving [...]

November 16, 2010 · KJacobson · No Comments
Tags: , , , , , , ,  · Posted in: Grant Advice, Program Updates, Reports and Studies

Rural Community Development-Let Your Voice Be Heard

I received this request today from the Rural Assistance Center to provide input on federal rural community development policy.  They’re looking for successful examples of community development that can serve as models.  The complete announcement is below.  Please share your success stories—you could influence federal policy!  BTW, if you haven’t looked at the Center’s website, [...]

October 13, 2010 · KJacobson · No Comments
Tags: ,  · Posted in: Program Updates

Rural Community Development Announcements

Congratulations to the Park Falls (WI) Area Community Development Corporation.  Last week USDA Rural Development announced that they will receive a $74,000 Rural Business Enterprise Grant to establish a revolving loan fund to provide gap financing at low interest rates and flexible terms for small businesses wishing to expand, start-up or relocate in southern Ashland [...]

September 13, 2010 · KJacobson · No Comments
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Building Community

Collaboration, especially in rural communities with limited resources, is a vital component of community development.  No one can do it on their own.  This report from last fall describes that importance and has a great example of a successful collaboration to develop a rural health network.  We believe that economic/community development and health care are [...]

June 17, 2010 · KJacobson · 2 Comments
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Fighting Obesity With Physical Activity Programs

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month  and it’s an excellent opportunity to promote physical activity in your community.  As anyone interested in health issues (or anyone, period) knows, obesity is an increasing problem and tends to be even more of a problem in rural areas.  The opportunities for physical activity are generally more [...]

May 7, 2010 · KJacobson · 5 Comments
Tags: , , , , ,  · Posted in: Grant Advice, Reports and Studies