Climate Resilient Communities

Climate Resilient Communities (CRC) is a community-based organization dedicated to serving the underrepresented through empowering community voices to implement climate solutions that bring about unity and resilience. In the Bay Area, as throughout the world, under-resourced communities are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change impacts. Since 2016, CRC has been on the ground learning the specific needs of residents in diverse, under-resourced communities in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven (Menlo Park), and most recently North Fair Oaks. CRC's work is comprised of 3 core areas: Community-Based Adaptation Planning, building Resilient Homes and carrying out Climate Action Education. CRC community-based adaptation planning focuses on creating feasible programs that address community priorities to respond to climate change events (wildfire smoke, extreme heat, etc.) and sea-level rise. CRC is currently working with and managing the North Fair Oaks Climate Ready Team and the East Palo Alto Climate Change Community Team. With community-based adaptation the CRC takes a city-wide focus on adaptation and resilience planning. CRC’s Resilient Homes focuses on the individual rather than citywide action. Since 2016, CRC has been working with many organizations to enroll eligible low-income homeowners in EPA and Belle Haven in free solar, home repair, and weatherization programs funded by the State of California. In 2019, CRC, as an Acterra program, partnered with Oxford Day Academy, Green Ninja project, San Mateo County’s YESS program, Grassroots Ecology, and Stanford to pilot the Earthwise Kids program. The goal of the Climate Action Education program is to build on existing programs to provide more opportunities for youth engagement and training for youth and their families.