This Week in Policy & Public Interest News: 14 Stories You Need to See

A roundup of the week's most newsworthy policy and public interest press releases from PR Newswire, including a campaign to promote sober rides on game day.

NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 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. Anheuser-Busch, MADD, and Uber Launch 'Decide To Ride' Campaign on College Campuses to Encourage 21+ Fans to Plan Ahead for Sober Rides on Game Days
   Expanding the campaign to college campuses reflects the coalition's unwavering and strategic approach to combatting drunk driving amongst at-risk demographics. Consumers who are aware of the campaign are 40 percent more likely to avoid drunk driving by using a ridesharing app to get safely to and from their destinations, according to internal campaign research developed by the coalition.
2. Red Cross takes urgent action to help communities devastated by the climate crisis
   Right now, the Red Cross is readying volunteers and supplies along the Gulf Coast in advance of Idalia, even as it remains on the ground helping communities recover from the deadliest wildfires of the last century in Hawaii, a powerful typhoon in the U.S. territory of Guam, and 1-in-100-year flooding in the Northeast, among others.
3. ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Employment Increased by 177,000 Jobs in August; Annual Pay was Up 5.9%
   "This month's numbers are consistent with the pace of job creation before the pandemic," said Nela Richardson, chief economist, ADP. "After two years of exceptional gains tied to the recovery, we're moving toward more sustainable growth in pay and employment as the economic effects of the pandemic recede."
4. New PRI Poll: As New School Year Begins, Voters See Room for Improvement with Local Schools
   When asked how they rated their local public schools, 45% rated them as being excellent or good, compared to 47% who rated them as being fair, poor, or very poor. Just 36% gave their local school board an excellent/good rating, compared to 49% who rated them as being fair/poor/very poor.
5. National Safety Council Calls for All Road Users to Be Safe Over Labor Day
   "Safety is a choice, and every road user must practice safe behavior each time they venture out," said Mark Chung, executive vice president of roadway practice at NSC. "For example, if you're driving, slow down, look out for other road users including pedestrians and bicyclists, drive free of distraction and impairment, and wear a seat belt. Taking these actions can save a life."
6. The Home Depot Foundation Invests $6 Million in Skilled Trades Training, Announces New Scholarship and Entrepreneurship Partnerships
   With these philanthropic grants, the Foundation's Path to Pro program launched a brand new entrepreneurship program and will provide free, skilled trades training and scholarships for more veterans, military families, high school students and separating service members.
7. U.S. News Reveals 2023-2024 Best High Schools Rankings
   "Having access to a strong high school program is paramount for students as they face an ever-changing world," says Liana Loewus, managing editor of education at U.S. News. "Making data on our high schools available helps parents ensure their child is in the educational environment that best sets them up to thrive."
8. CVS Health supporting customers, patients, members and colleagues as Hurricane Idalia approaches
   The company's priority is the health and safety of its customers, members and colleagues, and it is committed to providing its communities with access to the products and services they need to plan for the storm.
9. SourceAmerica announces 2023 Grassroots Advocacy Conference in Washington D.C.
   This annual event brings employees with disabilities ("self-advocates"), their families, and employers from SourceAmerica's nationwide network of nonprofit agencies to Capitol Hill, where they share their employment journeys with members of Congress and discuss how public policy shapes the employment choices and opportunities for people with disabilities across the nation.
10. Learn More About Food Safety This National Food Safety Education Month
    This September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emphasizes the importance of food safety, particularly for groups at high-risk of getting sick due to foodborne illness (also known as food poisoning).
11. United Partners with Sesame Workshop During National Preparedness Month to Reach Children in Need
    Donated miles will help Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, travel around the world to deliver early learning and nurturing care to children and caregivers impacted by conflict and crisis – including children and families in Ukraine, the Middle East, South Asia, Latin America, East Africa, and other affected regions.
12. Online Image Abuse and Exploitation Impacts More than 1 in 5 Americans According to Groundbreaking Report
    Addressing the issue of image abuse calls for increased education and awareness-raising efforts, better resources and support for victims, and better technology and policies to detect and prevent the spread of manipulated or unauthorized images or videos online.
13. Campbell's® Chunky® Sacks Hunger™ Teams up with Haason Reddick to Unveil National Donation Program
    Campbell's^® Chunky^® is teaming up with NFL defensive stars to encourage fans to help sack food insecurity this upcoming season and donate more than two million meals. For every Chunky Bowl sold during the regular NFL season, Chunky Sacks Hunger will donate one meal to Feeding America.
14. NHA Educators Help Students Curb Back-to-School Anxiety
    It's natural for students to have a mix of back-to-school jitters and excitement when a new school year begins. The root cause: fear of the unknown, according to Julie Breakiron, a special education supervisor for National Heritage Academies partner-schools.

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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