The rose foundation for communities and the environment will use american rescue plan funds to implement the new voices are rising for resilience project

The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment was awarded a $75,000 Project Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 under the Environmental Justice Small Grant Program to implement the New Voices Are Rising for Resilience project. The project aims to increase collaboration across communities in the San Francisco Bay Area to strengthen resilience to health threats from COVID-19, climate change, and toxic pollution in low-income communities of color. Key deliverables include recruiting and training high school student fellows and interns through paid positions to implement community projects around food justice, reducing indoor wildfire smoke exposure and toxic pollution, increasing electricity access during extreme weather, and establishing resilience hubs. Subawards totaling $25,000 will be issued to Communities for a Better Environment and Greenaction for Environmental Justice to supervise fellows and interns conducting public outreach. Anticipated outcomes include increased public awareness of air quality, climate change impacts, and vaccine access while improving cross-community collaboration on environmental justice issues and community resilience.

The purpose of this project is to increase collaboration across communities to strengthen resilience in the face of the triple threats to community health posed by the covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and toxic pollution in low-income BAY area communities of color. Direct beneficiaries include the communities of bayview hunters point, oakland, richmond/SAN pablo, and antioch/pittsburg, with a focus on youth. Clean air act (CAA) section 103(b)(3): people with moderate-to-severe or uncontrolled asthma are more likely to be hospitalized from covid-19. Air pollution may contribute to asthma. By addressing air pollution in CAA 103(b)(3) projects, the chances of severe illness from covid-19 are reduced. This agreement provides full federal funding in the amount of $75,000. Pre-award costs are approved back to march 1, 2022. Activities:project activities include: recruiting, training, and supporting collaboration among high school students to build community leadership skills through paid fellowships and internships; supporting students in implementing projects to advance food justice, reduce indoor exposure to wildfire smoke, reduce community exposure to toxic pollution, increase electricity access in extreme weather and wildfire conditions, or advance creation of resilience hubs; and promoting awareness on vaccine safety and availability.subrecipient:subawards would be issued to communities for a better environment and greenaction for environmental justice. Subaward activities include supervising and mentoring fellows and interns to conduct public education and community outreach.outcomes:expected outcomes include: increased knowledge of air quality issues and climate change impacts, reduced vaccine hesitancy, improved cross-community collaboration on environmental justice issues, improved air quality, increased resiliency to climate change impacts, and increased community participation in air quality and climate change planning.