LISC’s Local Advisory Committees (LACs) serve as guides and champions for the organization’s many local offices and rural program. Women leaders from the finance, philanthropy, government and community development worlds bring a special—and especially important—set of skills and insights to this critical, behind-the-scenes part of our work to strengthen communities.

A criminal record, no matter how old, still prevents people from securing employment, housing, and participating in their communities. But getting an outdated record cleared or expunged can be a financially and emotionally burdensome process. With support from LISC, Kansas City Digital Drive (KCDD) has been piloting the use of Clear My Record, an app designed to simplify the process of expunging criminal charges. And it’s already working, changing lives and paving the way for formerly justice system-involved Kansas City, Kansas residents to realize their goals. It’s also a promising new technology with potential to ramp up expungement efforts across the country.

By Holly Long, LISC Kansas City Commuity Development Officer

In the wake of the horrific shooting of Ralph Yarl, LISC's Holly Long asks readers of an opinion piece for The Kansas City Star to challenge the systemic issues that perpetuate violence that Black children and adults face every day. As a Black mother parenting children in the same city where the 16-year-old was shot, she poses the question: “When will a child’s innocent mistake no longer turn into a matter of life and death?”

The fundamental role of LISC AmeriCorps members is to serve essential community needs. With the onslaught of the coronavirus epidemic, our members are adapting and devising creative new ways to help the rural and urban residents they work with handle the seismic social, economic and public health shocks of the crisis. (Photo: Americorps members in Jackson, MS in 2019; Member Cynthia Renteria is third from left.)

by Maurice A. Jones, LISC CEO and President

LISC is taking swift action in response to the coronavirus pandemic, to mitigate economic impact on residents in the hundreds of communities where we work. We are launching the LISC Rapid Relief and Resiliency Fund to assemble and deploy resources to our local partners, small businesses and residents who are being hit hardest. The Fund will deliver operating capital, emergency subsidies and IT support, as well as technical assistance, to keep our partners and their communities strong and functioning through this unprecedented situation.

An investment of $2.5 million from Verizon is making it possible for LISC to begin offering critical relief and resiliency-building support to small businesses facing immediate financial threat because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The funding will go to make grants of up to $10,000, especially to entrepreneurs of color, women-owned businesses and other enterprises in historically under-served places who don’t have access to flexible, affordable capital. Verizon will highlight and bolster these efforts through their inaugural "Pay It Forward Live" online concert series.