Latest news with #communitysupport
CBS News
4 hours ago
- Health
- CBS News
Community baby shower in North Philadelphia provides resources for new moms, families
It takes a village to raise a child, and a community baby shower in North Philadelphia on Saturday looked to make the job of being a parent a little easier. Kanika Force-Carter attended the event at Temple University. As a mom of three, she knows the hardships of being a parent. Carter recently had her youngest child, Kingston, and says having the support from the community eases the pressure of being a mom. "It takes a lot of stress off of you by giving you the resources needed so you can accomplish your goal of being a good parent," she said. Carter joined hundreds of families on Temple's campus for the event, which is now in its fourth year. The event focuses on promoting maternal health and wellness for new mothers while also providing resources to help them be successful parents. "These days, even working two jobs and having a man, it's hard," Carter said. "Rent is triple what it was when I was able to stay home and breastfeed my last two, so just having things like this really helps." For parents like Carter, it's the small things at the event that make a huge difference. Items such as diapers, formula and clothes were given to the new moms and families free of charge. Pennsylvania State Representative Sharif Street teamed up with Temple and other community partners to bring this event to North Philadelphia. Street says the event is also hoping to tackle the issue of maternal mortality, and it's something that continues to disproportionately affect Black and Brown women. "Part of that is lack of connection to resources, so we want to connect. We were intentional being in a zip code where those disparities are high," said Street. Over 80 vendors took part in the event, including Vera Thompson-Jenkins with Breastfeeding Awareness and Empowerment. Jenkins was at the event to provide educational resources about breastfeeding to help new moms. "Because again, maternal health is our goal, to make sure our babies and our communities ... that we're growing, we're thriving, that we are getting the best maternal care as possible." And for parents like Carter, the support from the community goes a long way in helping her and her family. "Makes a huge difference," she said.
The Sun
13 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
All chains are BANNED in our posh English seaside village except for single high street giant – but under a strict rule
A PICTURESQUE seaside spot in Suffolk is championing independent brands and shops in an attempt to save small businesses. Southwold, which has earned itself the nickname Chelsea-On-Sea, has rejected high street giants like Costa Coffee and Burger King from stripping individuality from the town. 3 3 With the backing of local councils and strong community support, the town has resisted the encroachment of corporate franchises in favour of preserving it's small-town character. Waterstones was an exception to the rule and was given the green light to open, under one condition: it changed its name. The store agreed to run its business under the name of the former establishment, Southwold Books'. This commitment is more than aesthetic — it's economic and cultural. By discouraging chain stores from its high street, Southwold has created space for independent shops, cafés, and artisans to thrive. These local enterprises often source goods regionally, invest profits back into the community, and contribute to a slower, more personal style of commerce that's increasingly rare in modern retail environments. Guy Mitchell, Chair of the Southwold & District Chamber of Trade, told East Anglian Daily Times: 'We're very proud that 84 percent of shops in Southwold are independent. "It's very important that local people and visitors … continue to support those traders.' Pete Hart, who owns Chapmans Newsagents, also told the paper: "This town is loved for the way it is and if we are not careful our high street will look like any other and will lose its charm and appeal.' Across the UK, independent and family-run businesses are facing an increasingly steep uphill battle. One of the biggest issues is the soaring cost of doing business. Many small shops are grappling with inflated rents, surging energy bills, and increased supplier costs. Unlike larger retailers, they lack the scale to negotiate better deals or absorb financial shocks. On top of that, business rates remain disproportionately high for small operators, often penalising them for occupying high street locations that are vital for visibility but increasingly unaffordable. The shift in consumer behaviour also poses a significant threat. Online shopping, which boomed during the pandemic, has become the norm for many customers who are drawn to the convenience of internet browsing. James Scott, owner of Prandium Cafe told Suffolk Business: "Running an independent shop in Southwold is extremely hard. "The rental of that property is £2,500 a month. Day visitors don't always understand that overheads are too high and think that local shops are ripping them off.' RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024. Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020." 3
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nigerian woman buoyed by kindness of neighbours after racist attack
A Nigerian woman targeted in racist graffiti attack has decided not to leave her home after being "showered" in "love and care" by the local community. The words "immigrants out" were spray-painted on the gable wall of Uche Ukeje's home in Strabane, County Tyrone, last week. Ms Ukeje and her two daughters, aged 24 and 14, were left terrified by what police are describing as a racially-motivated hate crime. "The community have been wonderful," she told BBC News NI. Ms Ukeje said it was the first time she or her family had experienced any type of racism since they moved to Strabane two years ago. Security cameras have since been installed at the property. Ms Ukeje said her family remain "deeply unsettled" and had considered relocating away from Strabane but the overwhelming support from neighbours and wider community has persuaded her to change her mind. "A lot of people have been calling around, to see how I am feeling, and they care so much," she said, adding that Strabane is a "quiet, and peace-loving place". She told BBC News NI that the police have been doing extra patrols on her street to check on her. "The people of Strabane have showered me in love and care, it has been overwhelming," she added. Kamini Rao, from Strabane Ethnic Community Association, said people's shock turned to anger in the days following the incident. "The response from the community has been so overwhelming," she said. "Everybody has been 100% behind Uche and the girls, supporting them, because nobody wanted to see them leaving Strabane." She said she was glad that Ms Ukeje and her daughters have changed their minds and will remain in the place they now call home. Ms Rao said the outcome proved that whoever was behind the racist attack had not won. "We're going to be working on the ground to make sure nothing like this ever happens again in the community," she said. "She's loved round here and what happened to her was very intimidating, it was a disgrace what happened to her. "I'm glad her neighbours rallied round to show her that that's not the type of people here in Strabane." More on this story Mother terrified as home targeted in racist attack
BBC News
16 hours ago
- BBC News
Strabane: Nigerian woman targeted in racist attack buoyed by kindness of neighbours
A Nigerian woman targeted in racist graffiti attack has decided not to leave her home after being "showered" in "love and care" by the local words "immigrants out" were spray-painted on the gable wall of Uche Ukeje's home in Strabane, County Tyrone, last week. Ms Ukeje and her two daughters, aged 24 and 14, were left terrified by what police are describing as a racially-motivated hate crime."The community have been wonderful," she told BBC News NI. Ms Ukeje said it was the first time she or her family had experienced any type of racism since they moved to Strabane two years ago. Security cameras have since been installed at the Ukeje said her family remain "deeply unsettled" and had considered relocating away from Strabane but the overwhelming support from neighbours and wider community has persuaded her to change her mind."A lot of people have been calling around, to see how I am feeling, and they care so much," she said, adding that Strabane is a "quiet, and peace-loving place". She told BBC News NI that the police have been doing extra patrols on her street to check on her. "The people of Strabane have showered me in love and care, it has been overwhelming," she added. Kamini Rao, from Strabane Ethnic Community Association, said people's shock turned to anger in the days following the incident. "The response from the community has been so overwhelming," she said."Everybody has been 100% behind Uche and the girls, supporting them, because nobody wanted to see them leaving Strabane."She said she was glad that Ms Ukeje and her daughters have changed their minds and will remain in the place they now call home. Ms Rao said the outcome proved that whoever was behind the racist attack had not won. "We're going to be working on the ground to make sure nothing like this ever happens again in the community," she said."She's loved round here and what happened to her was very intimidating, it was a disgrace what happened to her."I'm glad her neighbours rallied round to show her that that's not the type of people here in Strabane."
New York Times
16 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
A Pro-Trump Community Reckons With Losing a Beloved Immigrant Neighbor
Voters here in Oregon's rural Yamhill County have backed Donald Trump for three presidential elections in a row, most recently by a six-point margin. His promises to crack down on immigration resonated in these working-class communities. Then last month ICE detained Moises Sotelo, a beloved but undocumented Mexican immigrant who has lived in the county for 31 years and owns a vineyard management company employing 10 people. Two of his children were born here and are American citizens, and Sotelo was a pillar of his church and won a wine industry award — yet he was detained for five weeks and on Friday was deported to Mexico, his family said. 'Moises's story just really shook our community,' Elise Yarnell Hollamon, the City Council president in Newberg, Sotelo's hometown, told me. 'Everyone knows him, and he has built a reputation within our community over the last few decades.' The result has been an outpouring of support for Sotelo, even in this conservative county (which is also my home). More than 2,200 people have donated to a GoFundMe for the family, raising more than $150,000 for legal and other expenses, and neighbors have been dropping off meals and offering vehicles and groceries. 'Oh, my God, it's been insane,' said Alondra Sotelo Garcia, his adult daughter, who was born in America. 'I knew he was well known, but I didn't know how big it would blow up to be.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
