This year, as part of CAHEC's Youth Leadership Initiative, we partnered with the YMCA of Richmond to offer a book fair to youth attending summer camp. Over the course of the summer, nearly 300 students attending the YMCA's camp program had the opportunity to select age-appropriate books for their at-home libraries, along with essential school supplies and learning games to help them prepare for the upcoming school year.

Thanks to generous support from our community partners - Bernard Robinson & Co., Center Street Capital Advisors, First Citizens, Harkins Foundation, Scott Insurance, Yardi, and Zeffert & Associates - we were able to provide these resources at absolutely no cost to families!

Why is this important? Research shows that students from low-income families can lose up to two months of reading achievement over the summer - this is known as the "summer learning gap." Access to books at home is one of the most effective ways to overcome this obstacle. By giving students books they're excited to read, we're not just filling their shelves at home, we're helping build literacy skills, confidence in reading, and setting them up for success for the upcoming school year.

Hurricanes are inevitable throughout our footprint, and it's important to be prepared in case one is expected to come your way. Here are a few tips to help your property and residents prepare for a hurricane:

1. Review your insurance policy annually, and especially before hurricane season.
2. Update the emergency contact information for staff and residents to ensure you can get in touch after a disaster occurs. A good time to update this for residents is during recertification.
3. Check with local emergency management services and provide contact information for your property for them to contact you, if necessary.
4. Download the local weather app to your phone to receive regular updates in case you lose power, or have a battery-operated radio on hand in case your phone dies.
5. Encourage staff and residents to obtain as much water, batteries, toiletries, etc. as possible to plan for a minimum of three days without power. (Don't forget your pet supplies!)
6. If there is damage after a hurricane, take pictures and write down any important details that may be helpful to describe damage. Notify your insurance company and CAHEC immediately.

For more information on our Disaster Relief Initiative, please visit our website.

Believe it or not, we're starting to plan the 2027 CAHEC Partners Conference, and we'd like your input! We pride ourselves on offering sessions with dynamic speakers that will highlight our industry while also providing relevant insight on current trends.

If you have an idea for a session, or if you know of an incredible speaker that could join us, please reach out to Stefanie Lee at slee@cahec.com. We look forward to making the 2027 CAHEC Partners Conference the best one yet!