This Week in Policy & Public Interest News: 13 Stories You Need to See

A roundup of the week's most newsworthy policy and public interest press releases from PR Newswire, including Hawaii wildfire updates and relief efforts.

NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 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. President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden to Appear on Stand Up To Cancer Televised Special on August 19
   In an intimate moment with viewers, the President and First Lady will share a personal message that speaks to their continued support of cancer research through the Biden Cancer Moonshot and congratulates Stand Up To Cancer on its 15-year anniversary.
2. The Princeton Review's "Best Colleges for 2024" Ranking Lists Are Out
   Unlike college rankings that focus exclusively on academics and that are derived solely from institutional data and college administrator "peer" reviews, The Princeton Review rankings, tallied in multiple categories, are derived from student reports of their experiences at the schools in its annual "Best Colleges" guidebook.
3. NIAAA: Fall Semester--A Time for Parents To Discuss the Risks of College Drinking
   As college students arrive on campus this fall, it is typically a time of new experiences, new friendships, and making memories that will last a lifetime. Unfortunately for many, it is also a time of harmful and underage drinking and of dealing with its aftermath—from vandalism, sexual assault, and other forms of violence to injuries and death.
4. Communities In Schools Unveils Back-to-School Initiative in Nationwide Expansion to Support 130,000 More Students in 235 Schools Across the Country
   "Through the financial support of our generous donors and the leadership of school site coordinators, students can experience the profound difference a caring adult makes who will connect them to supplies, resources and help them make the transition from summer to a successful new school year start," said Rey Saldaña, national president and CEO of Communities In Schools.
5. Girl Scouts of the USA Celebrates Nearly 3,200 Girl Scouts Earning the Movement's Highest Honor: The Gold Award
   Earning the highest honor in Girl Scouting, these individuals identified issues in their communities and dedicated their time, energy, and resources to develop and implement forward-thinking solutions to help address them. These projects include tackling the stigma surrounding mental health, contributing to environmental solutions within cities and towns, closing the gender gap in the world of STEM, and so much more.
6. Truth Initiative announces results from first study to show relationship between anti-vaping campaign awareness and reduced e-cigarette use among young people
   The study found that the campaign, which connected the dots between vaping nicotine and increased feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress among young people, led to lower odds of youth both using and intentions to use e-cigarettes in the future.
7. Common Sense Education Releases New Digital Well-Being Lessons in Response to the Youth Mental Health Crisis
   The lessons, available for educators to kick off the new school year, are designed to help kids develop the skills they need to protect their mental health online. The initial set of eight lessons for grades 6–12 is informed by kids and teens, educators, researchers, and clinical psychologists.
8. 2023 Gerald Loeb Award Finalists, Lifetime Honorees and Awards Event in New York City Announced by UCLA Anderson
   The Gerald Loeb Awards were created to encourage and support reporting on business and finance that inform and protect the private investor and the general public. The awards are considered the highest honor in business journalism in the United States.
9. Eastern Michigan University appoints director of its first bachelor program benefiting incarcerated people this fall
   "According to The Bureau of Justice Statistics, there is a 43% reduction in recidivism rates for individuals who participate in prison education programs," said Decky Alexander, director of Engage@EMU and professor in Communications, Media and Theatre Arts.

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.

Hawaii Wildfire Updates

In recent weeks, dozens of press releases have crossed the wire related to companies' disaster relief efforts in response to the deadly wildfires in Maui, Hawaii.

Here are just a few of them:

1. Maui Wildfires Update
   On Aug. 15, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau released the latest updates surrounding the fires. In the weeks ahead, the collective resources and attention of the federal, state and county government, the West Maui community, and the travel industry must be focused on the recovery of residents who lost loved ones, homes, their belongings, and businesses.
2. The Home Depot Foundation Commits up to $500,000 to Support Communities Impacted by Deadly Wildfires in Maui
   "We are heartbroken by the loss of life and extreme devastation caused by wildfires on the island of Maui," said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. "As our experienced nonprofit partners assess the full extent of the destruction, we are standing ready to support the immediate needs of the community however possible."
3. Statement by the U.S. Conference of Mayors on the Maui Wildfires
   "The nation's mayors stand in solidarity with Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen and those impacted by the devastating wildfires in Lahaina. Small towns and cities are the heartbeat of our country, and America's mayors are committed to supporting the Lahaina community as it recovers and rebuilds."
4. Purina Donates $25,000 to Help Pets and People Impacted by Hawaii Wildfires
   Dozens of lives have been lost, hundreds of buildings have been destroyed and thousands of people and animals have been displaced in what's being called the state's worst natural disaster in 30 years. Purina's donation will aid Greater Good Charities in providing cash grants for rescue and medical care, pet food, and supplies to Hawaiian-based animals rescues and emergency shelters.

Read more of the latest severe weather-related releases from PR Newswire.

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