CADRE - Coalition for Awareness, Development, Resources & Education

09/04/2026

🔴 R.E.D. FRIDAY | REMEMBER EVERYONE DEPLOYED 🇺🇸

Today, CADRE joins communities across the country in wearing red to Remember Everyone Deployed.

For us, RED Friday is more than a tradition. It is a visible reminder that while many of us are home with our families, serving our communities, and moving through our daily lives, thousands of American service members remain deployed around the world.

Behind every deployment is a family waiting at home. A spouse carrying more of the load. A child counting the days. A Veteran who remembers exactly what it felt like to be on the other side of that distance.

At CADRE, our mission is built around connection, coordination, and community. RED Friday reflects that same principle: we remember, we support, and we make sure those who serve know they have not been forgotten.

Wear red today.

Remember those still serving far from home.

Support the families standing behind them.

And when they return, make sure there is a community ready to stand beside them.

Strength Through Unity.

07/04/2026

Today we celebrate the birth of a nation founded on the enduring ideals of liberty, courage, and the belief that freedom is worth defending.

At CADRE, we know that service doesn't end when the uniform comes off. Every day, Veterans, first responders, community leaders, and dedicated citizens continue strengthening our nation by serving those around them. That's the spirit that drives our mission and reminds us that our communities are strongest when we stand together.

As you gather with family and friends, take a moment to remember those who have sacrificed to protect the freedoms we enjoy and those who continue to carry that responsibility today.

From all of us at CADRE, we wish you and your family a safe, meaningful, and Happy Independence Day.

Strength Through Unity. 🇺🇸

06/29/2026

CADRE founder Chad Walker sat down with Gary Wise for the Words From the Wise Podcast. Here’s just a small piece discussing what inspired the Battle Buddies Initiative. To watch the entire episode check out Wise Leadership Solutions page or here:

https://youtu.be/MICiH5Rc4io?is=lg6zr6AzvTR7rq15

06/06/2026

Today we remember one of the most consequential days in modern history.

On June 6, 1944, more than 156,000 Allied troops crossed the English Channel and stormed the beaches of Normandy. Many never came home. They faced impossible odds, relentless enemy fire, and uncertainty beyond imagination, yet they pressed forward because freedom demanded it.

As we reflect on D-Day, let's remember that the liberties we enjoy today were secured through extraordinary sacrifice by ordinary men who answered their nation's call.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower addressed the invasion force with these words:
"The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you."

Eighty-two years later, those words still resonate.

Today we honor the courage of those who landed at Normandy, the families who bore the burden of war, and the generations who have continued to defend freedom since.

May we never take their sacrifice for granted.

🇺🇸 Remember. Honor. Never Forget. 🇺🇸

06/01/2026

Thank you to WCJB TV20 News for sharing the CADRE - Housing & Finance Summit.

Participants will be connected with resources like housing, homeownership, financial wellness, credit, estate planning, VA home loans, and more.

05/28/2026

🚨 LESS THAN 24 HOURS AWAY 🚨

Tomorrow night, Veterans, families, and community partners from across our region will come together for the CADRE - Housing & Finance Summit hosted in partnership with VetNet Ocala.

This summit is about connection, opportunity, and putting real resources directly in front of the people who need them most. From VA disability and financial planning to homeownership, budgeting, estate planning, and local support services, attendees will walk away with valuable information and meaningful community connections.

We’ve brought together an incredible lineup of local professionals and organizations that are committed to helping Veterans move from uncertainty to stability and from service to success.

✅ Veteran-focused resources

✅ Local experts and speakers

✅ Actionable information

✅ Networking opportunities

✅ FREE meal provided for attendees

📍 Elliot Center

📅 Thursday, May 28

⏰ 6PM – 9PM (Doors open at 5:30PM)

If you haven’t reserved your seat yet, there’s still time.

🔗 www.cadreveterans.org⁠/summits

Strength Through Unity 🇺🇸

05/26/2026

Only TWO MORE DAYS until the CADRE - Housing & Finance Summit! 🇺🇸🏠💰

Veterans, families, and those who serve the Veteran community, this is your reminder to grab your seat.

This summit is bringing together local resources that can help with housing, VA disability, credit, budgeting, VA loans, homeownership, estate planning, and long-term financial stability.

And yes, there’s a FREE meal provided.

📅 Thursday, May 28th
⏰ Doors open at 5:30 PM
🎤 Program runs 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 The Elliott Center

Hosted by CADRE and VetNet Ocala
Strength Through Unity 🇺🇸

Reserve your seat here:
🔗 www.cadreveterans.org/summits

05/22/2026

🏠🇺🇸 THIS is why the CADRE - Housing & Finance Summit matters.

Too many Veterans are out here trying to figure this stuff out alone. VA benefits. Credit issues. Budgeting. Housing assistance. Home loans. Estate planning. Half the time people don’t even know what resources exist locally, and the other half they get bounced between agencies like a pinball machine!

This summit brings MULTIPLE local organizations and professionals together in one room so Veterans and families can actually leave with real direction and real connections. Not another stack of brochures destined to live in the passenger seat of your truck for six months.

Here’s just a small piece of what’s being brought to the table:

💰 VA disability guidance that can help create financial stability and increase household income

📊 Extension services helping with budgeting, financial management, and credit repair

🏦 Once your credit is where it needs to be, Joe Irimescu can help navigate the VA home loan process

🤝 Community organizations that may assist with down payment support and other housing-related needs

🏠 Habitat for Humanity sharing pathways to affordable homeownership

📜 Elaine Middleton helping families protect what they build through estate planning and preparation

And that’s only part of it.

One conversation at the right time can completely change the trajectory of a Veteran family. One connection can be the difference between staying stuck and finally moving forward.

If you’ve been thinking about attending, this is your sign to stop putting it off. Bring your spouse. Bring your adult kids. Bring questions. Bring a notebook.
Because stable housing and financial security don’t happen by accident. They happen when people finally get connected to the right resources and actually know how to use them.

🍽 FREE meal included
📍 The Elliot Center – Ocala
📅 Thursday, May 28
⏰ 6 PM – 9 PM

RSVP:
www.cadreveterans.org⁠/summits

05/19/2026

🏠 Affordable homeownership may be closer than you think.

This is exactly why the CADRE Housing & Finance Summit matters.

Marion County has local programs that can help eligible buyers with things like down payment and closing cost assistance, including support up to $100,000 through the County’s Homebuyer Purchase Assistance Program.

And this is just one of the many local resources that will have representatives in the room! Not a website, not pamphlet, but a real person that can give you real guidance on how to use these resources.

Whether you’re just starting to think about buying a home, working on your credit, planning for your family’s future, or looking for the right local support, this summit is designed to give Veterans and their families practical information they can actually use.

✅ Housing resources
✅ VA home loan information
✅ Credit repair guidance
✅ Estate planning
✅ Financial readiness
✅ Local Veteran support connections

📅 Thursday May 28th
⏰ 6pm - 9pm
📍 The Elliot Center
🍽️ Free meal included

Seats are limited.

🔗 RSVP today: www.cadreveterans.org/summits

Strength Through Unity 🇺🇸

05/18/2026

No matter where you are in your financial or home-buying journey, there’s going to be something valuable for you at the CADRE Housing & Finance Summit. 🏠💰

Whether you’re trying to understand VA home loans, rebuild credit, protect your family through estate planning, or just figure out what steps to take next, this summit is designed to connect Veterans and their families with real, actionable information.

Not theory. Not sales pitches. Not a pile of brochures destined for the junk drawer of good intentions.

Just practical guidance, local resources, and people who actually want to help.

📅 May 28
📍 The Elliot Center
🍽️ Catered meal included
🎖️ Veterans, families, caregivers, and community partners are welcome

🔗 RSVP: www.cadreveterans.org/summits

Strength Through Unity 🇺🇸