On September 24, Voices for Children in Nebraska will honor those who have made an exceptional impact in ensuring Nebraska is the best place to be a kid. Over the next several weeks, Voices has highlighted the 2016 Spotlight Gala honorees. We conclude our Spotlight Series today with our 2016 Nonprofit…...
Spotlight Series: Gil Green III
On September 24, Voices for Children in Nebraska will honor those who have made an exceptional impact in ensuring Nebraska is the best place to be a kid. Over the next several weeks, Voices will highlight the 2016 Spotlight Gala honorees. We continue our Spotlight Series today with our 2016 Youth Award…...
Nebraska’s Summer Lunch Program Troubles
According to a report released earlier this summer by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), Nebraska has fallen to 46th nationally in its participation in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). In 2014, nearly 125,000 children in Nebraska under the age of 18 qualify for free and reduced lunch, but only around 8.5% (11,000)…...
Signing Off: A Volunteer’s Look Back on a Meaningful Year
Throughout my Lutheran Volunteer Corps service year in Omaha with Voices for Children in Nebraska, I have found meaning in joining Voices for Children’s work to make the state a better place for children and families through policy advocacy. Here, my main focus has been on economic stability issues, centered on the idea that…...
Scottsbluff Juvenile Detention Center Closing Temporarily
Last week, Voices for Children staff members traversed the state to get a clear picture of what it looks like to grow up in different parts of Nebraska. Though we greatly enjoyed meeting community members, discussing Kids Count data, visiting facilities, and sharing the work that we do, one aspect…...
Voices Releases “Juvenile Injustice” Issue Brief
When children get in trouble with the law, our system should ensure they are held accountable for their actions in an age-appropriate, fair and just way. No one should face trial and punishment without understanding their rights, the possible consequences, and the reasons why; this is particularly true for young…...
Legislative Session Wrap-Up: 5 Victories for Kids
Wednesday will mark the final day of this year’s legislative session. Voices for Children will post our full legislative sine die in the next couple weeks, but for now, we’d like to take a moment and highlight five victories for Nebraska’s kids: Schools in high-poverty neighborhoods can take advantage of…...
Juvenile Justice Reform Signed Into Law!
This week, Governor Ricketts signed into law a package of legislation aimed at improving our statewide system of response to children and youth who commit crimes. LB 894 is a set of positive reforms that will ensure children’s needs are met and rights protected in age-appropriate and evidence-based ways, and…...
The Next Step in Sensible Juvenile Justice Reform
We do well by our society when we do well by our youth, especially those who’ve gotten in trouble. Nebraska is heading down the right path when it comes to juvenile justice. Reforms of recent years are beginning to bear fruit in an increased array of close-to-home alternatives, decreased numbers of…...
