Guest blog post by Department of Washington Education Committee Chair Chelse Callahan and National Education Committee Chair Barb Washburn
 
A sometimes forgotten sector of the education world revolves around homeschooling, and how to reach homeschooled students to inform them about ALA scholarships and other programs in which they could participate. Chelse Callahan, Department of Washington Education Committee chair, provided some helpful strategies for connecting with local homeschool groups. This is especially important as we seek to engage more families in our American Legion Auxiliary programs and scholarship opportunities. 
 
Online tools are a great place to start:

• Search engines: Try phrases like “homeschool co-op [your city]” or “homeschool support group near me.”
• Social media: Facebook and Instagram often host active local homeschool communities. You can search by region and even post in groups asking for contacts or recommendations.
• State and local associations: Many states have homeschool associations with directories of local groups.
• Dedicated websites: TheHomeSchoolMom.com and homeschool-life.com both offer searchable databases of homeschool groups and co-ops.
• Home School Legal Defense Association’s (hslda.org) website contains a wealth of content focused on homeschooling, as well as a group finder to help locate homeschool groups. Go here and enter a ZIP code to start a search. 

• Ask around — many families know of local homeschoolers through church, 4-H, or youth sports.
• Visit community hubs like libraries, churches, and parks where homeschoolers often gather.

• Attend local homeschool events or curriculum fairs — these are great places to meet group leaders and share Auxiliary resources.