Dear [firstname],

As the saying goes: there’s no place like home! I spent last week back in our community, and I loved the chance to catch up with some familiar faces and meet a lot of new ones! If you follow me on social media (where you can find daily updates), you may have noticed that I met with a ton of local groups. I had the opportunity to be at home in Pennsylvania because last week was a District Work Week. I’ll go into more detail about the congressional calendar in a future newsletter, but it’s essentially a time when Members of Congress are able to return home to their communities because Congress is out of session in Washington D.C. and not voting on legislation. 

During this District Work Week, I covered a lot of ground – figuratively and literally. Addressing the issues our office hears about most often, I zig-zagged across Berks and Chester Counties to listen to Pennsylvanians like you who are working to make our home a better place for families and businesses. For my latest update, I wanted to summarize the many events we had. Take a look!

Chrissy (👋) in Our Community! 

Keeping Chester County safe

I met (some of) the heroes keeping Chester County safe! During my visit to Chester County Department of Emergency Services' 9-1-1 Communication Center, I learned more about the new emergency call infrastructure, Next Generation 9-1-1, which gives 9-1-1 telecommunicators crucial details about the caller. 

This new system allows the center to work faster, be more accurate, and smoothly transition if the call needs to be transferred to another PA 9-1-1 center or another help center such as 9-8-8 that focuses on mental health. The new system will support the 5,000-plus first responders in our community, 500,000 dispatch calls they receive every year, and get help to where it is needed the most! 

Early in the week, I also met with the Uwchlan Ambulance Corps, where we discussed their implementation of their Mobile Integrated Health program. We talked about the challenges they face with Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement laws, which are essential for the program's success. As always, I am happy to support our healthcare providers, and I appreciate the Uwchlan Ambulance Corps for sharing information about their innovative program with me! 

Feeding those in need in our community

I toured West Chester Food Cupboard's newly expanded express pantry and warehouse — let me just say what a welcoming environment it was! The food cupboard is dedicated to providing a variety of dairy, meats, produce, and personal care items to those who need assistance. Thank you to the President of the Board of Directors, Rob Necarsulmer, and others for showing me around the facility. I can truly say that some of the best of our community volunteer here. West Chester Food Cupboard is an important resource in our community, and I'm grateful for their dedication to helping everyone who walks in their door. Watch a short video I recorded with Rob about their work here. 

Coatesville Area School District student success

I next visited Coatesville Area Senior High School to recognize two exceptional groups of students: the robotics teams and the participants of the SIFMA Capitol Hill Challenge. A few weeks ago, Coatesville's robotics teams secured a place in the state championship competition. It was inspiring to speak with these bright students who are passionate about STEM, and they even let me try out one of their robots! I'm proud of both teams for their success in the competition, and I encourage them to keep up the excellent work.  

While speaking with students who are part of the SIFMA Capitol Hill Challenge, I was asked about financial literacy and my entrepreneurial background. I wish them all the best of luck as their “Stock Market” competition continues for another few weeks. Parents and educators of these students should be proud of their achievements — I'm always amazed by the young people in our community. For more on my day at Coatesville Area Senior High School, read my full press release here. 

Engaging with our local universities

At West Chester University, I participated in a panel discussion on supply chains and globalization. I shared my insight on our ever-growing global supply chains and answered students' thought-provoking questions. During the discussion, I highlighted my work in Congress to support our supply chains, such as voting for the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act. I want to thank Dr. Julie Dietrich, the Executive Director of External Relations at WCU, for inviting me to speak on this panel. Thanks so much to my fellow panelists from Johnson & Johnson, Siemens Healthineers, and IKEA! 

I also met with more students in our community at Alvernia University! Professor Victoria Williams invited me to address the students in her political science class and the class asked me about my experience in Congress, the importance of public service, and my role as an elected official in our community. I am grateful to Professor Williams and her students for the opportunity to engage in such an excellent conversation. 

Businesses are investing in our region 

I also was able to congratulate AkzoNobel, a global paints and coatings company with a manufacturing plant right here in Reading, on their recent $30 million investment. This money will upgrade equipment and processing while utilizing clean energy. I was delighted to be asked to speak at their event and tour the plant. I look forward to seeing how this investment will positively impact our community! 

Celebrating students who wish to serve our nation in uniform 

One of my favorite events of every year happened again on Thursday when I celebrated the 29 students my office nominated to our military service academies!

My office has the privilege of nominating and appointing prospective students to four service academies every year. These students undergo a rigorous application process, and if appointed, they receive a four-year scholarship to the academy of their choice. After four years of training, they will serve in their respective branch for five years. As a veteran, I am extremely proud of these young leaders and commend them for their dedication to serving our country. In case you missed it, check out my last newsletter where I went into detail about our office’s process and how to apply. 

Federal dollars coming to PA-06 

Last month, I was very excited to announce the 14 recipients of a combined $11.7 million in Community Project Funding grants! In honor of those federal grants, I visited two of our recipients and had the opportunity to discuss how these grants will make a difference within their organizations. 

I visited Ann's Heart of Phoenixville, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing human services, such as emergency shelter and mental health services, to the residents of Phoenixville. With the $977,573 grant I secured for them, they will finally be able to purchase the campus they've been renting to offer a variety of services to people who are in need of help. Thank you, Ann's Heart, for the incredible tour and for being a fantastic resource to our community. 

Then, I visited the Phoenixville Police to learn more about their 21st Century Policing Initiative. The $107,000 grant I secured for them will go toward purchasing new equipment, such as body cameras, a handheld drug identification device, and a portable safety camera for events. I was thrilled to visit them and personally thank them for their service in keeping the community safe. Thank you, Phoenixville PD! 

Those are just some highlights. I also met with a representative from Frazer Mennonite Church in Malvern, representatives from Amtrak, Nemours Children's Health Specialty Care and Surgery Center in Malvern, hosted a Black Maternal Health Collaborative Roundtable, and met with the Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce.  

.  .  . 

Serving as our community's representative is the honor of my lifetime, and I hope to hear from you soon about any issue that concerns you.  

As always, please contact my office if you need assistance. 

Be well and see you soon! 

Chrissy Houlahan 

U.S. Member of Congress