Good morning. Sean Spence delivers today's Poverty Minute with headlines on household income growth in South Dakota amid rising living costs, a poverty simulation in La Crosse that highlighted daily struggles, and growing school meal debt nationwide.

Advocates in Pittsburgh are pushing to classify period supplies as essential school items, while federal budget cuts threaten low-income residents in Mississippi. Gun violence continues to disproportionately affect Black communities as prevention efforts face rollbacks.

On a hopeful note, five U.S. cities are quietly distributing monthly checks up to $1,200 to residents, providing direct financial relief to those in need.