Milk Stork: New service helps business traveling moms

Milk Stork today launched a groundbreaking service, currently in beta, that provides safe and easy, overnight, refrigerated shipping of breast milk from business traveling moms to their babies back home.

With delivery now available within the continental United States, Milk Stork is the first service of its kind, helping working moms maintain their commitment to breastfeeding while on the road and providing companies with an easy-to-implement, family-friendly benefit.

Through Milk Stork's mobile enabled website,www.milkstork.com, a mom can plan her breast milk delivery months in advance by indicating her travel dates and destination. Once she arrives at her hotel, a Milk Stork package will be waiting for her containing breast milk storage bags and postage-paid, pre-addressed, pharmaceutical-grade shipping coolers for each day that she is away. The coolers are easy to activate and hold up to 34 fluid ounces, providing safe, refrigerated, overnight shipping for approximately a day's supply of breast milk.

"Until now, breastfeeding moms have endured business trips by increasing their pumping sessions to create extra stashes of milk; pumping and dumping while away; and supplementing with formula — not to mention lugging heavy carry-ons filled with breast milk and trying to keep it cold while in transit," saidKate Torgersen, Milk Stork founder and CEO. "By sending milk home daily, breastfeeding moms can protect their milk supply, work and travel with ease, and enjoy peace of mind knowing their babies will continue to receive the benefits of breast milk even while they're gone."

As a working mom of three children under five years old, Torgersen created the idea for Milk Stork onMother's Day, 2014, as she prepared for a business trip. Committed to providing her newborn twins with breast milk while she was away, she realized there was no easy way to send her milk home.

Torgersen's challenges as a working, breastfeeding mom are not unique. There is a growing demand to improve the compatibility of breastfeeding and working. Breastfeeding rates in the U.S. continue to climb and the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that babies breastfeed until they are at least one year old. Today, 62 percent of women who have given birth in the last 12 months are in the labor force, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Milk Stork is committed to improving conditions for all breastfeeding moms. To celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Month, Milk Stork will donate$5toLa Leche League U.S.A.for every order placed throughAug. 31.

AARP: State budget impasse affecting seniors

The current budget impasse in Springfield is already hurting older Illinoisans in other parts of the state, according to the AARP Illinois.

While Governor Bruce Rauner and the General Assembly seem unable to come to a budget agreement, senior centers in at least five communities had to shut down, cutting thousands of older residents from critical services, from meals on wheels to energy assistance, to doctor's appointments.

Senior centers in Columbia, Waterloo, Red Bud, Chester and East St. Louis in the Metro East area, have shut down partially or altogether, laying off staff and cancelling services as the support they received from the state has stopped, due to the budget impasse currently affecting services like the Community Care Program (CCP) or the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Other centers in three northern Illinois counties – Putnam, LaSalle and Bureau – are projected to shut down by Sept. 1, if nothing changes.

"Thousands of older Illinoisans who relied on critical services are now at a loss and without anywhere else to go, in situations that endanger their lives," said Ryan Gruenenfelder, AARP Illinois Advocacy and Outreach Manager. "AARP urges Gov. Rauner and the legislative leadership to lay differences aside and agree on a budget that provides the programs and services countless Illinoisans rely on and cannot do without."

In the absence of a budget agreement, the Illinois Senate on Tuesday passed legislation – Senate Bill 2042 with Senate Amendment 1 – which provides appropriations for remaining federal funds. The amendment, introduced by State Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, appropriates federal pass-through dollars for a wide scope of programs: LIHEAP, domestic violence programs, WIC, homeless veterans program, home delivered meals, elder abuse prevention and ombudsman training. 

The Senate approved the bill and amendment 57-0 to spend the $4.8 billion. The House is expected to take up the measure when it returns next week. Gov. Rauner supports the bill.

"AARP supports SB 2042, Senate Amendment 1, as it will allow for critical programs to receive federal funds, and help keep local organizations open to fulfill their missions. But it is imperative that the governor and legislators come to an agreement that provides the state with the FY16 budget it urgently needs," Gruenenfelder added.

Without a state budget, nearly 39,000 older Illinoisans who receive CCP services in their own homes and communities are at great risk of losing those services and have no alternative other than costly and often unnecessary institutional care. An additional 150,000 low-income households depend on LIHEAP for cooling and heating assistance.

The cuts affect not just the individuals receiving the programs and services – the community agencies providing those services will also be gravely hit, as agencies lay workers off or shut down, creating a negative ripple effect in countless local economies across Illinois.

Additionally, those individuals who are caregivers for CCP clients will also be hurt – many will have to cut hours from work or leave their jobs altogether to care for Mom and Dad, further compounding the drastic effect on local economies.

Concerns about economy drive home selling attitudes lower

Consumer attitudes toward the home selling environment stumbled last month despite positive home price change expectations, according to results from Fannie Mae's July 2015 National Housing Survey™ (NHS).

Among those surveyed, the share of consumers who believe now is a good time to sell a home fell 7 percentage points to 45 percent, while those who believe it is a good time to buy dropped to 61 percent -- an all-time survey low.

The dip comes as more consumers reported a negative outlook regarding personal finances and the direction of the economy. The share of consumers saying the economy is on the wrong track rose by 3 percentage points to 54 percent in July. Additionally, those who expect their personal financial situation to improve over the next year fell to 44 percent, while those reporting a significantly lower income compared to 12 months ago increased to 15 percent -- marking the first change in this indicator in three months.

"Consumer attitudes toward housing slid back this month," said Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae. "The share of consumers who think it's a good time to sell a home posted a sizable decrease from a record high in the prior month, even as home price change expectations strengthened. Deteriorating consumer assessments of income growth over the past year as well as increased caution around the direction of the economy and personal financial expectations may be contributing to the pullback in sentiment. Still, it is premature to read too much into this month's results as the survey was taken around the time of increased global turmoil, including Greece's potential default and China's stock market plunge, which has receded somewhat. Most of our key indicators are as strong or stronger than they were at this time last year, which is indicative of an improving housing market this year."

Some highlights from the July survey:

Homeownership and Renting

• The average 12-month home price change expectation rose to 3 percent.
• The share of respondents who say home prices will go up in the next 12 months rose to 49 percent, while the share who say home prices will go down rose to 8 percent.
• The share of respondents who say mortgage rates will go up in the next 12 months rose 1 percentage point to 51 percent.
• Those who say it is a good time to buy a house fell to 61 percent -- an all-time survey low, while those who say it is a good time to sell fell to 45 percent.
• The average 12-month rental price change expectation rose to 4.5 percent.
• The percentage of respondents who expect home rental prices to go up fell 5 percentage points to 54 percent.
• Those who think it would be easy to get a mortgage fell to 48 percent, while those who think it would be difficult rose to 49 percent, the first time that more think it would be difficult since October.
• The share who say they would buy if they were going to move rose 1 percentage point to 65 percent, while the share who would rent decreased to 28 percent.

The Economy and Household Finances

• The share of respondents who say the economy is on the right track decreased by 2 percentage points to 37 percent, while those who say the economy is on the wrong track rose by 3 percentage points to 54 percent.
• The percentage of respondents who expect their personal financial situation to get better over the next 12 months fell to 44 percent, ending its rising trend.
• The share of respondents who say their household income is significantly lower than it was 12 months ago rose to 15 percent, the first change in this statistic since April.
• The percentage of respondents who say their household expenses are significantly higher than they were 12 months ago remained at 31 percent.

The most detailed consumer attitudinal survey of its kind, Fannie Mae's National Housing Survey™ polled 1,000 Americans via live telephone interview to assess their attitudes toward owning and renting a home, home and rental price changes, homeownership distress, the economy, household finances, and overall consumer confidence.

Homeowners and renters are asked more than 100 questions used to track attitudinal shifts (findings are compared to the same survey conducted monthly beginning June 2010). To reflect the growing share of households with a cell phone but no landline, the National Housing Survey has increased its cell phone dialing rate to 60 percent as of October 2014. Fannie Mae conducts this survey and shares monthly and quarterly results so that we may help industry partners and market participants target our collective efforts to stabilize the housing market in the near-term, and provide support in the future.

For detailed findings from the July 2015 survey, as well as technical notes on survey methodology and questions asked of respondents associated with each monthly indicator, please visit the Fannie Mae Monthly National Housing Survey page on fanniemae.com. Also available on the site are in-depth topic analyses, which provide a detailed assessment of combined data results from three monthly studies. The July 2015 National Housing Survey was conducted between July 1, 2015 and July 23, 2015. Most of the data collection occurred during the first two weeks of this period. Interviews were conducted by Penn Schoen Berland, in coordination with Fannie Mae.

IGNITE Peoria set for Saturday at Civic Center

A year ago artists throughout the Peoria region got together for a day at the Peoria Civic Center and lit a fire under each other and let it spread throughout the community. They’re ready to do it again.

IGNITE Peoria is scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., taking up almost every inch of the Civic Center because of growth in the exhibits that organizers believe will bring even more than the 6,300-plus that attended the inaugural event in August 2014.

“We are growing this year and we can’t wait to see where it takes us in the future,” said Megan Pedigo, director of marketing for the Civic Center and one of the chief architects of IGNITE Peoria.

Again the event will have all types of creative juices flowing, from traditional art to artistic endeavors most don’t even think about, including turning shoes and cars into canvases for painters.

And this year, River City Labs of Peoria will unveil its Midwest Makers Fest at IGNITE. Taking up Exhibit Hall D, River City Labs – a group of local inventors of electronic and digital devices such as drones and 3D printers – will show off many of their inventions throughout the day. There will be a drone obstacle course, robots, virtual sandbox and 3D printers displayed.

“What they have planned is just really cool. And it is exciting because it appeals to a totally different demographic but will be fascinating to everyone who attends, even those who come to see the more tradition arts being showcased,” Pedigo said.

The car show, where some vintage machines have been creatively transformed into works of art, has grown to the point the Civic Center decided to move it into Carver Arena, Pedigo said. Host Darius Donaldson calls it the All or Nothing Car Show and those displayed are there by his invitation.

Throughout the exhibit areas will be Creation Stations, where artists will show how they create their wares, how they put their visions on paper, ceramics, glass, fabric and many other media. There will be jewelry, clothing, glass blowing, weaving, music and magic. There are far too many to list here. Many of the Creations Stations will be interactive so the public can see firsthand how to create.

Once again there will be two performance stages where local theatre and dance organizations will show what they can do. Groups include the Nitsch Theatre Arts. Peoria Civic Chorale, the Rainbo Cloggers, Cornerstone Dance Academy and the Central Illinois Youth Symphony.

Returning this year will be Theatre Palooza, where local community theaters will join to teach a song-and-dance number that will be performed for the public in that same day. Directors, choreographers and music directors will do the teaching, the public the learning and the audiences the enjoying.

The theme for Theatre Palooza this year is Let The Sun Shine In, “so feel free to bring out your inner hippie” and wear bright clothes, organizers said.

Fashion Ignite Peoria will bring 35 professionals to the Civic Center for a free, live photo shoot of professional and non-professional models.

World Ignite Peoria will be a gathering of different cultures that are prevalent in Peoria. Booths featuring different foods, fashions and performing talents of those cultures will be set up in the Civic Center.

The day will end on the Sun Plaza at the Riverfront Museum, with a Party on the Plaza from 6 to 10 p.m. With music by the Brazilionaires, there will be food and drink for $20 a person.

Pedigo said having the post-event party at the museum is indicative of how IGNITE organizers want the even to evolve. “We want to use more of the downtown area and community for events. That gets more people walking around downtown and staying later than they otherwise would. That’s important for downtown,” she said.

There still is no final decision to expand IGNITE to two days, but it remains a goal, she added. “That way we believe more people will be able to come and enjoy it, people who can’t make it on Saturday. But it is asking a lot of some of our artists to do two days, so we want to see how it goes this year before we make a decision on taking it to two days,” Pedigo said.

IGNITE Peoria is free and open to the public. For more information, including a listing and descriptions of the participating artists and vendors click here or visit www.ignitepeoria.com.