On Saturday, August 9, more than 850 people filled the Robert Crown Community Center for our 3rd Annual Evanston is Family Strong Back to School Family Fun Fest, and it was a day to remember!

From the minute doors opened, families were lining up for backpacks and books. By the end of the day, we had given away 1,000 backpacks and 500 books to make sure kids were ready to head back to school strong. The smiles on children’s faces (and the relief on parents’) said it all.

Parental engagement makes a powerful difference in a child's education. Research consistently shows that when parents get involved, students earn better grades, stay in school longer, and are more likely to pursue higher education.¹ When parents actively participate by attending school events, communicating with teachers, and supporting learning at home, students of all backgrounds benefit.

Recognizing this impact, Parent Universities and Be Strong Families have partnered to strengthen family engagement in three school districts in Illinois.

Parent Cafés, structured, peer-to-peer conversations that build protective factors in families, are beginning to emerge in Idaho thanks to a determined parent leader and committed community partners.

The power of the Parent Café model lies in its adaptability to diverse communities while maintaining the integrity of its evidence-based approach. When tailored to specific affinity groups – those with shared identities, experiences, or challenges – Café experiences create even stronger connections and more sustainable support networks.

While every part of a Parent Café is carefully designed, adjustments can be made while adhering to the evidence-based model. Thought-provoking questions or specific topics can be adapted to focus on the unique challenges of a particular group.

In South Carolina (as in the U.S.), guns are now the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, surpassing car crashes and cancer. South Carolina ranks 9^th in gun death rates in the country. With the help of Be Strong Families, the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is taking action to turn the tide. The peer-based, focused conversations that Cafés provide can be applied with great success to a variety of social challenges. A team from Be Strong Families got to work adapting the Café model to address gun safety and nonviolence.

When Be Strong Families emerged from Strengthening Families Illinois in 2012, we intentionally chose our name to embody the vibration we wanted to bring into the world. We saw ourselves as champions and cheerleaders of the inherent goodness in people, the wisdom and resilience of families—especially those who have been historically oppressed. Our mission was to encourage parents and family members to be strong—to recognize that they already possess the internal resources to thrive. To activate those resources. That’s the heart of Parent Cafés.