From Initiative to Impact: Food Access in Nodaway County

From Initiative to Impact: Food Access in Nodaway County

This episode, host Luke Dietterle speaks with Kim Mildward, project partner in Nodaway County for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative and Missouri Rural Food Access Partnership, and Bill McKelvey, Program and Project Support Coordinator with MU Extension, to discuss Nodaway County's efforts to increase access to healthy, local food. Kim shares how the community has mobilized around food access and the progress Nodaway County has made in connecting residents with healthy, local food options. Bill describes how MU Extension has supported that work and what the Healthy Food Financing Initiative and Missouri Rural Food Access Partnership are doing to strengthen rural food systems across the state. Together, they explore what community-driven food access work looks like in practice, the partnerships and persistence it takes to move the needle, and what Nodaway County's journey offers as a model for other rural communities working to build a more resilient and equitable local food system.

Building Stronger Child Care Systems for Missouri Families

This episode, host Luke Dietterle speaks with Kaylee Paffrath, President and CEO of the Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation (MAEDC), and Sarah Kennedy, an MU Extension Community Development Field Specialist who works with the Missouri Supporting Early Childhood Administrators (MO-SECA) program, about efforts to improve access to child care in Moberly, Missouri. Together, they explore what it looks like when economic development and early childhood leadership align around a shared goal, and what their work in Moberly could mean for communities across the state facing similar childcare challenges.

Meeting Missouri’s Child Care Challenge

This episode, host Luke Dietterle speaks with Dr. Toni Sturdivant, Director of Early Learning at Mid America Regional Council, JeT'aime Taylor, Executive Director of Starting Early in Kansas City, and Elizabeth Ireland, Program Manager for RISE-MO at the Center for Family & Policy Research at the University of Missouri, to discuss child care needs across Missouri and the broader Midwest. Describing the landscape of early learning programs  across the region and what it takes to ensure educators have the tools and support they need to deliver quality experiences for young children. Shared stories about building coalitions and developing apprenticeship pathways that equip early childhood educators across Missouri and Kansas to step into leadership and advocate within their communities. Explaing the statewide work underway through RISE-MO to strengthen and grow Missouri's early childhood workforce, and what that effort means for families and providers navigating a system under pressure. Together, they explore what meaningful action looks like at the local, regional, and state level as communities work to meet the child care needs of today and tomorrow.   MU Extension podcasts: https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/podcasts [https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/podcasts]

Neighborhood Leadership Fellows

This episode, host Luke Dietterle speaks with Taylor Clark, Field Specialist in Community Development with MU Extension, and Jamarcus Williams, Superintendent of the Charleston, Missouri School District, to discuss the Neighborhood Leadership Fellows (NLF) program. Taylor Clark describes NLF as an applied civic leadership program designed for those already leading within their organizations who are ready to take the next step, whether that means joining a board, influencing policy, or making a larger community impact. JaMarcus Williams shares how the program expanded his perspective beyond the school district and helped him connect with like-minded leaders across Mississippi and Scott counties. Together, they explore how NLF's first Boot Heel cohort tackled real community challenges, including childcare access, affordable housing, and youth development, and how the relationships built during the program continue to drive positive change across Southeast Missouri.

Assets in your Neighborhood

In this episode, the host, Luke Dietterle, sits down for a chat with Laura Mize, a code enforcer and Neighborhood Specialist with Excelsior Springs Community Development, and David Burton, an MU Extension Field Specialist. This episode explores how Neighboring 101 isn't just for new homeowners. Laura leveraged her connection with her community as a code enforcer to figure out who might benefit from a little help, and then used the assets around her to help her neighborhood. David Burton sheds light on how to identify those assets and how Neighboring 101 can be a next step if you're interested in engaging further with those around you.