The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES, suspended payments for all federally held student loans. Interest rates on all federal student loans also were reduced to zero. That pause in payments and interest rate was initially scheduled to expire on September 30, 2020, but it has been extended to January 31, 2022.

On a living room wall in Ron and Jane Brown's St. Cloud home, a decal bears witness to a sentiment the couple has been living out for more than four decades: 

"Children deepen the heart of a home."

And on the side of a Little Free Library in front of their home are the words "Every child is a story yet to be told."

Ron and Jane would know.

Camp Knutson’s beautiful 30-acre campus is nestled between the pristine waters of Lower Whitefish and Big Trout lakes. The very tip of the point where the channel connects the two lakes has a significant amount of erosion due to storms, ice, boat traffic, and wave action.

June is National Homeownership Month, an opportunity to learn about taking financial control and making owning a home a reality.

“Purchasing a home is a big commitment, and the preparation can seem daunting at first,” said Sandi Kleist, director of Homeownership Services for LSS Financial Counseling. “But with commitment and hard work, individuals can achieve their dream of home ownership by building a solid plan and sticking to it.”

Jobs in the health care field are among those in highest demand in the Twin Cities. Individuals wanting to begin or further their career in health care can receive support from LSS Financial Counseling’s Health Care Careers Program in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood.

The Health Care Careers Program meets individuals where they are on their employment journey.

Dawn Shykes, senior director of LSS Youth & Family Services for in Duluth, discussed the impact children’s health and well-being has on our communities in a recent column.

LSS Youth & Family Services has plans for a new facility in Duluth that will serve children more effectively and expand family services, including parent education and coaching, behavioral health, reunification support and other vital community services.