With the giving season reminding us to be selfless and 12.3 percent of our fellow Americans in poverty and half a million homeless, the personal-finance website WalletHub followed up on its report on the Most Charitable States with an in-depth look at 2018's Neediest Cities as well as accompanying videos.

Hoping to inspire goodwill toward the less fortunate, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 27 key metrics to determine where Americans are most economically disadvantaged. The data set ranges from child poverty rate to food-insecurity rate to uninsured rate.
 

Neediest Cities

1

Detroit, MI

11

Atlanta, GA

2

Cleveland, OH

12

Brownsville, TX

3

Newark, NJ

13

Fresno, CA

4

Memphis, TN

14

Indianapolis, IN

5

Los Angeles, CA

15

Baltimore, MD

6

Jackson, MS

16

Birmingham, AL

7

Little Rock, AR

17

Toledo, OH

8

Philadelphia, PA

18

Miami, FL

9

St. Louis, MO

19

Richmond, VA

10

New Orleans, LA

20

Gulfport, MS

Key Stats

• Fremont, California, has the lowest child poverty rate, 3.90 percent, which is 14 times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest at 54.50 percent.
   
• Pearl City, Hawaii, has the lowest adult poverty rate, 4.03 percent, which is eight times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest at 32.30 percent.
   
• Overland Park, Kansas, has the fewest homeless persons (per 1,000 residents), 0.22, which is 64.3 times fewer than in Honolulu, the city with the most at 14.14.
   
• South Burlington, Vermont, has the lowest unemployment rate, 1.90 percent, which is 4.8 times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest at 9.20 percent.
   
• Pearl City, Hawaii, has the lowest share of uninsured residents, 2.80 percent, which is 11.4 times lower than in Brownsville, Texas, the city with the highest at 31.90 percent.

To view the full report and your city’s rank, please visit: 
https://wallethub.com/edu/cities-with-the-highest-and-lowest-population-in-need/8795/

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Perdue to announce rural e-connectivity initiative

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Media Advisory

(Washington, D.C., December 12, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will deliver remarks announcing a Rural Development initiative for broadband and e-connectivity.

*NOTE: Media interested in attending must RSVP to press@oc.usda.gov by TODAY, December 12th at 5:00 p.m. ET.

RSVP Now

Secretary Perdue to Announce Initiative for Rural e-Connectivity and Host a Press Conference

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will deliver remarks announcing a USDA initiative in rural e-connectivity. Following, Secretary Perdue will host a press conference at 2:20 pm ET in room 108A.

WHEN: TOMORROW, December 13th beginning at 2:00 pm ET, Press Conference beginning at 2:20pm ET

WHERE: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Press Briefing Room 107A, 1400 Jefferson Dr. SW, Washington, D.C.

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We all know our southern border is dangerous and broken. That’s why we need President Trump’s border wall!

But our elected leaders in Congress don’t want to give President Trump the money he needs to build the wall outright. They’re trying to use the President’s wall as a bargaining chip to grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants.

Do you want to see this reckless action by Congress? Of course not!

That’s why I am writing to you today to make an emergency contribution to stop the liberal Democrats and Washington Establishment from blocking President Trump's ability to secure the border, build the wall, and protect the country.

Your gift today will pressure Congress to stop playing politics with our broken immigration system.  With your support, you will add fuel to the fight to build President Trump’s border wall and make our country safer.

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Utah Colleges Now Required to Inform Students of Preventable Disease Risks 

Utah Nurse Practitioners strongly support Utah Board of Regents revised Policy 714

SALT LAKE CITY—Dec. XX, 2018—Statewide nurse practitioners share unified support of The Utah Board of Regents (UBOR) steps toward improving the health of college students by revising Policy 714, meaning that institutions with on-campus housing must provide new students with information regarding symptoms and risks of immunization-preventable diseases. Additionally, colleges and universities are now required to educate students on the current immunization recommendations for college-age students, including the benefits and risks of vaccination. Organizations coming together in support include Utah Nurse Practitioners, Utah Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, and Utah Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners.

The high-stress life of a college student combined with the close quarters associated with dormitory living make college campuses a ripe breeding ground for viruses and bacteria, spurring them to rapidly spread. According to the CDC, mumps outbreaks have been on the rise over the past three years and meningococcal meningitis outbreaks have occurred, carrying several different strains of the bacteria.

“Hearing the personal story of a mother who lost her son to Meningitis B, and to hear the sadness and pain in her voice when it could’ve been prevented, left an immense impact on me,” said Beth Luthy from the Utah Nurse Practitioners. Luthy is an Associate Professor of nursing at Brigham Young University and family nurse practitioner in Utah County. “She is living out the worst-case scenario of not getting vaccinated. It’s just heartbreaking. These victims are sons, daughters, family and friends and we need people to know that even one death is too many.”

One of the first decisions a high school graduate can make as an adult is to get vaccinated. Not only to protect themselves, but to be a part of creating a healthier community. Students are encouraged to talk to their healthcare provider for further information on how they can protect themselves from such spreadable diseases.

“The horror of how swiftly this illness leads to death is eye opening. One minute they are fine and within 24 hours they can be gone,” said Gaye Ray of the Utah Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. “This is real, and we are grateful to see UBOR take this progressive lead in making college campuses healthier for everyone.”

“Families with college students should feel comfort in knowing their child is safe and educated on Meningitis B risks,” said Michael Thomas of the Utah Chapter of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. “We are hopeful that this required vaccine education will be the first step towards a larger movement in the fight against Meningitis B.”

Visit https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/adult.html for an excellent resource for college-age immunization recommendations.

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Beth Luthy is an Associate Professor of nursing at Brigham Young University and a family nurse practitioner in Utah County. In 2009, she received the Utah Nurse Practitioner of the Year Award from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and has led multiple intervention programs to improve immunization rates in the state and, as a result, improve the overall health of the community.

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TECH THE HALLS: NEARLY HALF OF AMERICANS HOPE TO RECEIVE AN ELECTRONIC GIFT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Big-ticket items such as laptops and smartphones top wish lists, yet over a quarter may end up damaged in the New Year

SAN FRANCISCO – December 12, 2018 – New electronics and gadget announcements have dominated the fall, and with the holiday season in full swing Americans are taking notice. In a new study out today, 35% of American adults received an electronic gift last holiday season, and 45% hope to receive one this upcoming holiday season. The Holiday Survey by SquareTrade, an Allstate company and highly rated protection plan provider, examined which electronics people most desire, who they trust to buy electronics for them, and how they care for the pricey gifts.

Electronics are a great gift choice, with 97% of those who received them last year reporting they were satisfied with their present. Overwhelmingly they are keepers, with 88% of people choosing to hold on to their devices instead of returning or re-gifting. SquareTrade also found:

• Expensive Tastes: Last year, headphones (13%) and tablets (13%) topped the list of gadgets received. This year, big-ticket items like laptops and computers (16%), smartphones (16%), tablets (12%) and TVs (10%) top the wish list of most-wanted electronics. Apple is the most-desired electronics brand by far this holiday season (35%) with Samsung coming in second (18%).
• Holiday Horrors: Although gadgets are at the top of many wish lists, it’s important to be careful with what you wish for: last year, 27% of those who received electronics during the holidays reported those gifts were subsequently damaged. A whopping 36% of those who reported damage said that it happened in the first week of ownership. The most common form of electronic gift accidents are drops (43%), with 29% caused by a child and 16% the result of a device being stepped on or crushed. Unfortunately, the broken devices tended to be more expensive ones like smartphones (26%), laptops (19%) and tablets (14%).
• Family Matters: When it comes to shopping for electronics, the most trusted family members for electronic gift shopping are spouses (46%), siblings (17%), and best friends (15%), while cousins (2%) and in-laws (1%) are near the bottom of the list.
• Alexa / Hey Google – Who Wants a Smart Device? With 29% of people hoping for a smart home device, it’s become a top electronics gifting category in 2018. Smart speakers (25%), smart cameras (18%) and robotic cleaners (17%) are the most popular choices, closely followed by connected thermostats and video doorbells (10%).

“Electronic gifts are once again a huge holiday favorite with expensive items like laptops and smartphones being the most desired this season. Here’s hoping everyone’s been good this year!” said Jason Siciliano, vice president and global creative director at SquareTrade. “Smart home products are also increasing in popularity, especially smart speakers. We expect Amazon Alexa to find its way down a ho-ho-whole lot of chimneys.”

Given that 27% of Americans reported accidentally damaging their holiday electronics last year, protection plans may be the gift that keeps on giving. Forty-three percent of those who decided to fix their electronic gift accidents spent more than $150 on repairs, making protection plans a smart addition to any wish list.

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