On August 13, NCHEP hosted an Open House to welcome homeless liaisons to the 2026-2027 school year. Homeless liaisons and colleagues from across the state gathered at the SERVE Center to chat with the NCHEP staff, network with other homeless liaisons from around the state, and pick up homeless education resources and materials. It was a wonderful time connecting and building collaborations!

Diane Nilan, the founder and president of HEAR US, a nonprofit organization focused on bringing visibility to children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness across America, released a new book titled Making Bad A Little Better: The Least We Can Do to Ease Family Homelessness. This resource is a helpful, easy-read book (e-book and paperback) for school district homeless liaisons, agency staff, shelter workers, students, and anyone interested in family homelessness.

The book includes videos of families sharing their stories, links to valuable resources, and photos of the faces behind the stories. It is an inspiring resource for all working with students and families experiencing homelessness.

You can order the e-book, a paper copy, or bulk purchases of Making Bad A Little Better now.

In March 2026, NCHEP had the honor of presenting at the North Carolina Head Start Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. Program Administrator Beth Branagan, alongside homeless liaisons Cathy Waugh (Person County Schools) and Amanda Vernon (Rockingham County Schools), led a session titled “Stronger Together: Effective Cross-Program Collaboration to Support Young Students Experiencing Homelessness.”

The presentation highlighted key requirements of the McKinney-Vento Act, with a focus on identifying preschool-aged children experiencing homelessness, connecting them to high-quality early childhood programs, and strengthening collaboration with local homeless liaisons to better support young learners and their families.