(Feature Impact) The joy of being a kid on summer vacation offers a time to explore with your friends, discover new things about the world and yourself and recharge for a few months before heading back to school in the fall. However, for millions of families, the end of the school year also marks the beginning of a stressful season filled with tough choices, as children can fall behind in the months away from the classroom.

The summer gap begins when the school doors close and many children lose access to the daily routines, educational support and dependable nutrition that help them thrive. For families already juggling tight budgets and demanding schedules, summer can quickly become a season of added pressure and stress.

Summer learning loss – or the decline in academic skills and learning during the school break – can have a lasting impact on academic outcomes. Studies show over the summer, students can forget 20-30% of what they learned during the school year. Without the right support, students often start the new school year playing catchup, which can cause them to fall further behind.

Summer can also intensify food insecurity. Of the more than 22 million kids who rely on free or reduced-priced school meals, many lose access to these vital programs over the summer. When those meals disappear, families must stretch already limited budgets to cover up to 10 additional meals a week per child. In fact, recent United Way Worldwide data from 211 – the free 24/7 helpline that connects people with local resources – identified food access as one of the most pressing needs facing millions of families nationwide.

These overlapping pressures fall especially hard on millions of working families living paycheck to paycheck, including ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households. They earn above the federal poverty level but still struggle to afford basic expenses like housing, medicine, food and transportation.

Addressing the summer gap requires a community-wide approach and solutions that meet hardworking families where they are. For example, United Way Community Schools are community-based hubs that bring together schools, social services agencies, volunteers and other community partners to provide students and families with essential support like tutoring, food access and health and wellness resources.

Families also need easy, practical, daily tips and local resources to make ends meet and help their kids stay on track.

Learning that Fits Your Day

For busy families, low- or no-cost learning moments that fit into packed schedules can make a real difference. Many communities and nonprofits offer dedicated programs to keep children active and learning during the summer, such as:

• Summer art classes, creative writing workshops and digital literacy tutoring at local libraries
• Free monthly book deliveries and reading challenges through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – a United Way partner – or book exchanges at Little Free Libraries in high-traffic areas
• Gardening classes, nature appreciation classes and swim lessons through local parks and recreation departments
• Free weekly youth workshops offered by many public museums, zoos and botanical gardens
• Free virtual museum field trips through institutions like the Smithsonian and NASA Glenn Research Center
• Free online courses in topics ranging from coding to art or language learning

Accessing Your Community’s Food Network

Families shouldn’t have to choose between nutritious food and other essentials. Help is available to ensure kids have the nutrition needed to thrive over the summer. While resources vary by community, examples include:

• Youth-serving organizations serving as open summer meal sites, offering free breakfast and lunch to kids and teens
• City parks departments offering daily meal stations
• School districts offering summer meal programs; food delivery may be an option
• Local places of worship hosting open-door meal programs or distributing weekend grocery bags for families

For those looking to make a difference this summer, consider lending a hand to help children and families. Volunteering is a rewarding way to give back to your community. Whether it’s mentoring, serving meals, reading with students or supporting local programs, even a small time investment can make a lasting impact. After all, when families thrive, communities thrive.

To learn more about childhood summer learning programs, food initiatives and ways to support your community, visit unitedway.org.

SOURCE:

United Way Worldwide

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(Tiffany Miller) Kids have more ways to connect than ever. They can text, scroll, game, comment and chat all before they even leave the house. Yet for many young people, all that connection does not necessarily translate into feeling known, useful or part of something larger than themselves.

The World Health Organization (WHO) calls loneliness a global health threat, and the numbers explain why. With 1 in 6 people affected worldwide, loneliness hits the hardest among teens and young adults ages 13 to 29, where between 17% and 21% report feeling lonely. Young people experiencing chronic loneliness are twice as likely to develop depression and 22% more likely to earn lower grades, according to the WHO. If screens are now built into childhood, what actually helps kids build confidence, purpose and belonging?

New research from Harris Poll, commissioned by Scouting America, examined more than 3,000 U.S. adults, including those who earned the Eagle Scout rank, the program’s highest designation, and compared them with adults who never participated. Conducted for three months beginning October 10, 2025, the survey of 3,178 adults asked for feedback on well-being, civic engagement, leadership and character development. The findings reveal meaningful differences in how those groups describe their relationships, outlook, civic involvement, connection and sense of purpose.

The clearest difference may be loneliness. Just 11% of those who earned the Eagle Scout rank say they frequently feel lonely, compared with 23% of non-participants. Those who earned the rank are also more likely to report a strong sense of purpose, with 78% saying they feel one compared with 60% of those who were never in the program, and 95% describe themselves as happy versus 82% of adults who never took part.

The data does not reduce childhood connection to a single activity. It shows how structured, real-world experiences can give young people repeated chances to be active participants rather than passive ones, working alongside others, taking responsibility, solving problems, serving a community and building confidence over time.

That matters because belonging is not built in theory, it is built through repetition and lived experience. A young person shows up, learns a skill, helps with a project, gets trusted with responsibility and begins to see that their presence matters. From the outside these moments may look small, but over time, they can shape how a person sees themselves and how they relate to others.

Those patterns extend into adult life. The research does not establish that the program causes these outcomes, but the consistency across measures is striking. Some 74% of those who earned the Eagle Scout rank say they have held leadership positions at work, compared with 31% of non-participants. Another 57% say they have spoken up for a cause they believe in or on behalf of others, versus 33% of those who never took part.

The story inside the numbers is not that every child needs the same path. It is that young people need places where they are asked to show up, contribute and be counted on. They need adults who mentor them, peers to collaborate with them and real responsibilities that help them practice who they are becoming.

In a childhood increasingly shaped by digital life, those experiences can be easy to underestimate. But the research shows the long-term value of giving kids something to do, somewhere to belong and a reason to see themselves as capable. For families worried about loneliness, confidence or lack of meaningful connection alongside their digital lives, the takeaway is practical: Look for structured experiences that allow young people to participate, contribute and lead. Connection is not just something kids feel. It is something they get to practice.

Methodology

The research was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Scouting America among 3,178 U.S. adults ages 18-plus, including 1,549 who were never members of Scouting America (“non-Scouts”) and members of Scouting America (“Scouts”), including 1,067 who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout (“Eagle Scouts”) and 562 who did not achieve the rank of Eagle Scout (“non-Eagle Scouts”). The survey was conducted initially from Oct. 10 through Nov. 17, 2025, and relaunched from Dec. 16, 2025, through Jan. 9, 2026.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

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SOURCE:

Scouting America

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(Feature Impact) While you may have a wildfire emergency plan in place, there may be key elements missing that can make a meaningful difference during an evacuation. Real-world events continue to show small but critical gaps often create delays during evacuation and challenges in the hours and days that follow.

“Preparation isn’t just about having a bag by the door,” said Holly Sacks, director, Port UW and CAT Management at Mercury Insurance, a multiple-line insurance carrier offering personal auto, homeowners, renters and commercial insurance. “It’s about being able to move quickly and confidently when conditions change. We see time and again that the difference between a smooth evacuation and a stressful one often comes down to a few overlooked details.”

In fact, research from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) shows preparedness efforts are often uneven as many households focus on supplies while overlooking documentation, communication planning and other practical considerations that directly impact response time and recovery.

Wildfire behavior continues to evolve, with faster-moving fires and shorter evacuation windows becoming more common in many regions. IBHS research emphasizes that preparedness is not just about what households have, but how quickly and effectively they can act under pressure. Look beyond standard evacuation checklists with these commonly overlooked elements, backed by industry research and real-world claims experience, according to Mercury Insurance.

Medications and Health Information

Checklists of basic supplies often fail to account for prescription medications, dosage details and medical records. Even a short disruption can create health complications.

Pet Planning

Pets are frequently an afterthought in evacuation scenarios, but without carriers, food or a clear plan for transportation and shelter, evacuations can become delayed or complicated.

Backup Communication

Families relying on a single communication method may struggle to reconnect when wildfires disrupt cell service and internet access. Establish a secondary plan, including meeting points and out-of-area contacts.

Vehicle Readiness

Low fuel, unclear routes or unfamiliarity with alternate exits can slow evacuation during critical moments when plans overlook the basics of transportation.

Insurance Documentation

Homeowners and renters often assume they can retrieve policy information later, but access to policy numbers, coverage details and contact information can speed up claims and recovery. Digital backups or cloud access can help ensure this information is available when needed.

For more information and wildfire preparedness resources, visit MercuryInsurance.com/Resources/Fire.

Redefining Defensible Space with a Shift from Distance to Detail

As wildfire risks change, so does the playbook for protecting your home. Defensible space, long defined as a 100-foot buffer around a home, is being reshaped due to modern wildfire behavior driven by climate conditions and changing landscapes, increasing the speed, intensity and reach of fires.

Up to 90% of homes lost in wildfires are ignited by embers, not direct flame contact, which are travelling farther than expected – up to several miles – expanding risk beyond traditional fire zones. According to Sacks, as wildfire behaviors evolve, so should homeowners’ defense tactics.

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Fire experts are emphasizing a more granular, zone-based approach to defensible space with a heightened focus on the immediate area surrounding the home. Update your strategy with these modern, evidenced-based steps recommended by Mercury Insurance:

1. Prioritize “Zone 0:” The immediate perimeter 0-5 feet from your home is now considered the most critical line of defense. Remove anything combustible; even small items can ignite from embers and spread to the structure.
2. Replace Combustible Materials Near the Home: Swap wood fencing, bark mulch and flammable landscaping for noncombustible alternatives like gravel, stone or concrete.
3. Focus on Home Hardening: Previous guidance focused on vegetation clearing, but updated strategies encourage upgrading vents, roofing and gutters to reduce ember entry and accumulation, which is a leading cause of structure ignition.
4. Increase Space Between Structures and Fuels: Fires are increasingly spreading from structure to structure, making it important to maintain separation between homes, fences, sheds and vegetation to reduce chain reactions during wind-driven events.
5. Maintain Defensible Space Year-Round: Fire seasons are starting earlier and lasting longer, increasing the importance of ongoing maintenance rather than seasonal cleanup.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:

Mercury Insurance

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