In recent months, the economic downturn has strengthened the value that Nebraskans place on a hard day’s work. Now, more than ever, we recognize and appreciate the opportunity to earn a living to support our families. This is, in part, why we can celebrate the recent minimum wage increase from $6.55 to $7.25 which will […]
Valuing Work, Valuing Workers Read More »
On Wednesday night in Omaha, the members of the Nebraska Health Care for America Now coalition hosted a community conversation on health disparities among minorities. This was the third in a series of conversations about the health disparities that currently exist in our system and how and why those disparities should be addressed in national
The Need for Equity in Health Care Read More »
The recent death of a 12 year old boy in Omaha, allegedly at the hands of his mother, who had called HHS seeking information about placing him in foster care, has raised questions about the state’s investigation of child abuse reports. Not only had the boy’s mother called HHS, but family members reported that they
Child Death Case Underscores Need for Transparency and Accurate Investigations Read More »
Nebraska Appleseed, ACLU Nebraska, and NAACP Lincoln Branch have been hosting a series of conversations on racial justice, discussing life in Nebraska post-424, the ballot initiative that banned affirmative action in our state. The conversations are an opportunity for the community to gather together to learn about and discuss issues surrounding racial justice. We’ve used
The Color of Equality – Is there Justice for all? Read More »
Opportunity is a crucial word for Nebraska Appleseed. It is central to our mission for the Low-Income Self-Sufficiency Program. Part of our fundamental purpose is to grow the vision of opportunity for all in Nebraska and to work towards opening the doors to basic needs, education, and job opportunity in our state. This summer, we
Op`por*tu”ni*ty, noun; pl. Opportunities Read More »
Senator Reid announced this afternoon that the Senate would not be able to have a full vote on a health care bill before August. This is extremely disappointing. The delay means that our families must wait even longer for the health care they need, must struggle harder to afford their coverage, and more people will
Failure is Not An Option Read More »
Since the formation of the our Child Welfare System Accountability Program in 2003, Nebraska Appleseed has been dedicated to enforce constitutional, federal, and state statutory requirements for providing adequate child welfare services in the State of Nebraska, and using legal advocacy to support needed policy reform initiatives. In particular, we are committed to working on
Nebraska Immigrant Family Bonds Protected by State Supreme Court Read More »
In the next few months, it will be my job to tell people about a recent Nebraska Appleseed “win.” This year, Nebraska Appleseed, along with Senator Harms from Scottsbluff and numerous advocates and supporters, worked to pass LB 458, legislation that allows families that participate in the Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) program to pursue
“The arc of history is long, but it bends towards justice.” MLK Jr. Read More »
Congress took two big steps closer to health reform in the last two days. Tuesday, the House of Representatives released a health care reform bill which is the result of a joint effort between three committees: Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, and Education and Labor. Then on Wednesday, the Health, Education, Labor, and
Movement on Reform . . . We Must Not Wait Read More »
The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a federal and state law enacted in 1978 to curb the practice of state child welfare agencies removing Native American children from their homes and placing them in non-Indian foster and adoptive homes. This practice had become so widespread that, at the time of ICWA’s enactment, 25 to
The Enforcement of the Indian Child Welfare Act in Nebraska Read More »