Dear John

Whenever Congress isn’t taking votes, I use my time back home in Pennsylvania to meet with local businesses, community leaders, non-profit organizations and constituents. I do this to ensure I am bringing the values of our community to Washington, whether that be through advocacy, legislation, letters or otherwise. August has been no exception! 

If you have a moment, I hope you’ll take a look at the highlights of my time in our community of Berks and Chester Counties: 

• Hosting a Childhood Literacy Resource Fair and Town Hall in Reading 

• Visiting the Chester County Food Bank and discussing the Farm Bill 

• Touring Longwood Reimagined – the largest structural expansion in Longwood Garden’s history! 

• Meeting with Main Line Chamber of Commerce and more 

Reading (books) in Reading, PA! 

My father came to this country with his young mother as refugees. They had nothing. He and my mother instilled in me the belief that education is one of the greatest equalizers in our country and world - the one thing that no one can take away from you. 

When I became an educator later in life, the importance of a quality education was even further reinforced – especially for our youngest learners. Childhood literacy is a force multiplier for the individual and for our whole society because literacy is directly connected to positive lifelong outcomes. Particularly over the summer months when school is not in session, we must work together to ensure all families have the resources to support their children to foster curiosity and love of reading! 

I want to thank all of our incredible partners for participating in the event: 

• Sesame Workshop 

• Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU) 

• Opportunity House 

• Yocum Institute 

• Literacy Council of Reading 

• Centro Hispano 

• Reading Public Library 

• Olivet Boys and Girls Club 

• United Way of Berks County 

• Reading Area Community College (RACC) 

To read more about the event, access the handouts, or listen to the full audio recording of the town hall, click here. 

Supporting Neighbors in Need 

With the 2023 Farm Bill coming up for consideration in Congress, I’m making sure impacted organizations in our community are heard down in Washington. Chester County Food Bank does invaluable work to support our community, and I remain dedicated to advocating for the resources they need to thrive and maintain their high standard of services. I recently toured their facility in Exton! As an industrial engineer, I loved seeing how they deliver such a high number of fresh meals to those in need. Importantly, the majority of the recipients of their programming are children and seniors.  

We all know Southeastern Pennsylvania is a great place to start a family and grow a business, but the high cost of living can put a strain our neighbors when they are going through a difficult time. I want to thank the Chester County Food Bank and all food banks in our community for ensuring no one goes hungry.  

For more information on the Farm Bill priorities of Chester County Food Bank and like-minded organizations, click here. 

Updating you on Longwood Reimagined 

Many members of our community (me included!) enjoy visiting Longwood Gardens throughout the year. As the #1 visited paid cultural attraction in the Philadelphia region, Longwood Gardens has been a foundation in our local economy for generations. That’s especially true now as their expansion – Longwood Reimagined – is bringing thousands of jobs to Chester County! These new jobs are good-paying trade jobs (many in the skilled trades). 

I was fortunate enough to take a behind-the-scenes tour, and I can tell you this: you and your family will love it when it’s finished. Innovation, imagination, and creativity can already be seen in every detail.  

Check out Longwood Reimagined for yourself here. 

Hosting Q&A with Main Line Chamber of Commerce 

I hosted a Q&A with the Main Line Chamber of Commerce to share my legislative work with their members across SEPA! We covered a lot — the economy, inflation, paid leave and childcare and more. Specifically, I shared my recent Fox News Op-Ed titled: I’m a New Democrat and we have the key to a strong economy. In this piece, I talk about the Economic Opportunity Agenda – my updated plan to continue fighting inflation and growing the middle class. Read my plan here.  

As a former entrepreneur myself, I know the hopes, dreams, and challenges that come with running a small business. They are the backbone of Berks and Chester Counties, and I will always work to support them however I can. 

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That’s not all I’ve been up to. I visited farms, met with community service organizations, local businesses and more. Follow me on social media (linked under our office locations below) to see more! 

Be well and see you soon. 

Chrissy Houlahan

U.S. Member of Congress