WHAT IS A CLIMATE RESILIENCE HUB?
Climate Resilience Hubs are community institutions — libraries, churches, schools, nonprofits, local businesses and others — that help educate residents about extreme weather preparedness and other impacts of climate change. If they choose, hubs can also help residents respond to extreme weather events through material assistance. For instance, hubs can provide phone charging during a power outage, provide air conditioning during a heatwave, organize welfare checks on vulnerable neighbors, or deliver other services.
WHY DO WE NEED THEM?
As climate change makes extreme weather worse and less predictable, emergency services are increasingly overstretched. Climate Resilience Hubs prepare residents before emergencies strike, so that residents are equipped and know what to do.
WHAT ARE HUBS EXPECTED TO DO?
All hubs are expected to display the Climate Resilience Hub window decal and have brochures about extreme weather preparedness available to their patrons (digital copies are provided by CREW). All hubs are also expected to organize at least one yearly educational event about emergency preparedness. Additional functions (e.g. filling out an annual survey, designating a contact person for CREW, adopting a lens of equity in climate resilience work) will be laid out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CREW.
If they choose, hubs are also encouraged to work with local emergency managers and community partners to determine what additional services they might provide to the community. During a heat wave, for example, a Hub might open its doors to non-customers to stay cool, stay open later than usual, and have weather forecast information readily available. Although the services that Hubs can provide are limited by Covid-19, there are still many options available. Talk with your local emergency managers to determine what services are best for your location, or contact CREW for assistance.
UNDER DEVELOPMENT: 3 Hub Category System
CREW is developing three types of hubs to recognize the different levels of emergency support provided by each hub to their communities. Currently, CREW can support hubs in providing outreach, education, and engagement to your community (Engagement Centers). Stay tuned for updates, or contact CREW for more information.
Engagement Center:
Serve as outreach, education, and engagement hub for your community:
- Put up a Climate Resilience Hub Decal on the main entrance of your building
- Permanently display literature around climate preparedness (digital copies provided by CREW)
- Host at least one educational event per year around climate preparedness
Relief Station (under development):
Fulfill the functions of an Engagement Center, PLUS:
- Provide direct support to your community during extreme weather events, during the day. Support could include heat, air conditioning, electricity, phone charging, first aid, a list of local resources, and more. Specific requirements coming soon!
- Communicate with local emergency managers about your plans.
Emergency Shelter (in the future):
Fulfill the functions of an Engagement Center and Relief Station, PLUS:
- Serve as an overnight, powered, supply-equipped emergency shelter during extreme weather events.
- Have a formal connection to municipal emergency managers.
WHAT SUPPORT DO HUBS RECEIVE?
CREW provides hubs with a window decal, as well as a digital Google Drive of resources, including emergency preparedness brochures, sample presentations, and activities related to extreme weather preparedness. Additionally, CREW facilitates inter-hub coordination and sharing of best practices, through optional bimonthly meetings, a listserv and Facebook page, and a Hub Advisor system. For a list of our current Hub Advisors, please see our Hub Advisors webpage.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
The Hubs program is free to join! Optionally, Hubs can make a contribution to the Hub Equity Fund, which will allow Hubs to apply for monetary support to host events, provide emergency resources, or otherwise prepare their communities for extreme weather. We are not yet accepting fund requests from Hubs, but will be doing so once we build up the Fund further. However, we are accepting contributions at this time. For more information, see the Hub Equity Fund webpage.
HOW WILL PEOPLE RECOGNIZE HUBS?
Hubs will be provided with a window decal recognizing the institution as a hub. Hubs will also be mapped online and on handouts distributed to other hubs in the community. A mockup decal is pictured below.
HOW CAN I BECOME A RESILIENCE HUB?
If you are interested in your organization becoming a hub, you can fill out our Interest Form and you will be added to the waiting list- we will reach out to find a time to talk about your organization and what joining the hub program might look like for you! You can also contact a Hub Advisor for more information, or message us below with any questions or comments!