This Week in Policy & Public Interest News: 12 Stories You Need to See

A roundup of the week's most newsworthy policy and public interest press releases from PR Newswire, including PSAs regarding school violence and mental health.

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the policy and public interest industries stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

1. US Consumer Confidence Fell Again in September
   "Write-in responses showed that consumers continued to be preoccupied with rising prices in general, and for groceries and gasoline in particular. Consumers also expressed concerns about the political situation and higher interest rates," said Dana Peterson, Chief Economist at The Conference Board.
2. Ballotpedia Report Shows Highest Number of State Legislative Races Without Major Party Competition in 2023
   Out of the 336 uncontested races, Democrats are guaranteed to win 137 (24%), while Republicans are guaranteed 199 (34%). This is the highest number of guaranteed Republican seats in an odd year since at least 2011.
3. Scholastic Announces 2023-2024 Kid Reporters
   Fifteen new and thirteen returning Kid Reporters, ages 10-14, will interview newsmakers and cover the topics that interest them and their peers most.
4. Billy Eichner, Wanda Sykes and Margaret Cho Aren't "Just Joking" in Chilling New PSA by Sandy Hook Promise
   The PSA features a lineup of renowned comedians – including Billy Eichner, Wanda Sykes, Margaret Cho, Jay Pharoah, Roy Wood Jr., Caitlin Reilly, David Cross, Iliza Shlesinger and Rachel Bloom – who lend their wit to deliver a sobering message: Threats are not jokes. If you see a warning sign of violence, always say something.
5. UN Women's HeForShe Alliance Calls to Respectfully Disrupt the Patriarchical Structures and Status Quo
   With a growing pushback against women's rights, institutions and individuals have an increasing role and responsibility to play in the pursuit of gender equality.
6. Megan Thee Stallion Says "Check In On Your Friends" in New PSA with Seize the Awkward
   "I'm proud to team up with Seize the Awkward and use my platform to help normalize conversations around mental health," Megan said. "It's important that we regularly check in on our friends and family and make sure to show empathy, encouragement, and love when they're struggling."
7. Meals on Wheels America Rallies the Nation to Call on Congress to #SaveLunch for Seniors as Federal Funding is Being Threatened
   Funding has neither kept pace with inflation nor the rapid growth in America's senior population. In fact, one in three programs has a waiting list with seniors spending an average of three months waiting for vital meals. Funding levels provided by the Older Americans Act would need to increase by $32 million this year just to keep pace with inflation.
8. Neighbor.com Reveals 2023 Rankings of the Most Neighborly Cities in America
   Based on factors such as charitable donations, volunteer work, and crime, this year's list reflects the core values of unity and neighborliness that make a city truly great.
9. Dutch Bros donates more than $960K to help fund brighter futures
   Nonprofit partners were selected locally by each shop's operator. Benefitted partners include local chapters of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs, Ronald McDonald House and more.
10. Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation Announces Historic Public Input Campaign "Help Design History"
    As part of this campaign, Americans have an opportunity to design history by providing their thoughts, inspiration, and dreams for the Memorial that will honor all those impacted by the Global War on Terrorism, including uniformed and non-uniformed military personnel, civilians, their families, as well as everyday men and women who have sacrificed to protect our freedom.
11. France Announces €40 Million in New Funding to Education Cannot Wait at Global Citizen Festival
    Education Cannot Wait (ECW) has now mobilized US$870 million toward its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan to reach 20 million crisis-impacted children with the safety, hope and opportunity of a quality education.
12. Mars Commits Over $100,000 to Cover Cat and Dog Adoption Fees in 15 Cities Across the Country for its Biggest Adoption Event Ever
    "The sad fact is more pets entered shelters than left them in the first half of 2023. That's a heartbreaking trend we want to help change in the second half," says Lisa Campbell, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Mars Petcare.

Read more of the latest policy-related releases from PR Newswire and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @PRNpolicy and @prnedu on Twitter.

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