Iowa State University Extension promotes welfare
by
Dan Wright
August 27, 2008
|
Mid-Iowa News
|
Boone, Iowa
Iowa State University Extension wants Iowans to live better, and its exhibition displays at the 2008 Farm Progress Show in Boone aim to promote that idea.
The ISU Extension displays are part of a promotional effort by the Horizons Community Leadership Program to Reduce Poverty. In one display, five Iowa communities showcase projects aimed at eliminating poverty in rural Iowa.
"It's a process where we promote leadership in poverty-stricken communities throughout the state to try to eliminate poverty," Horizons' program director Ruth Freeman said.
To qualify for the program, communities need to have a population of 500 to 5,000 residents and at least a 10 percent or higher poverty rate. There are 86 towns in Iowa that qualify for the program. Iowa is one of nine Midwest states involved in the program.
The display also included information on Iowa poverty and a poverty pop quiz created by Freeman and JaneAnn Stout, director of Extension to Families and associate dean in the College of Human Sciences.
According to the state data center of Iowa, as of 2006, 7.3 percent of Iowa families were living below the poverty line.
Stout said a community's procession through the program takes 18 months, and 20 Iowa communities completed phase two of the program on June 30. An additional 15 communities are being considered for inclusion in the program's next phase.
"We're looking at all these small communities and trying to do what we can to help them get out of poverty," Stout said. "It's a collaborative effort of the eight states, faculty and staff of the Northwest Area Foundation, and Everyday Democracy," she said. "They've all worked together. It's a wonderful program."
Stout has been involved with ISU Extension for more than two decades and said she has been involved with the poverty outreach program for six years.
The Horizons' display was one of a handful of exhibits by ISU Extension. Others included hunger issues, workplace essentials and helping businesses learn the skill set for new employees. There also was a display that provided farmers and their families an opportunity to see a technologically advanced bathroom capable of helping elderly or disabled people live in their own house longer.
"Often, being able to use the toilet is the difference on whether you can stay in your home for a long period of time," said Mary Yearns, a professor and housing specialist for ISU's Department of Human Development and Family Studies and the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs. "This could be a big help to caregivers who've had a stroke or are disabled in any way."
The bathroom is full of adjustable lifts, a slip-proof floor and wheelchair-accessible shower. It includes an adjustable sink that can be adjusted for height and a toilet lift that can lift and lower the person down.
"A lot of times, having a bathroom like this helps bring relatives or friends to social events they might otherwise skip because they don't want to be a burden," Yearns said. "It might be embarrassing to have to be carried to the bathroom. This would help eliminate some of that and help people live in their houses longer."
The program is funded by the Northwest Area Foundation and Iowa State University Extension.
Dan Wright can be reached at 232-2161, Ext. 361, or .
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