The Warren Health Equity Zone (HEZ) recently announced that it has been awarded a $19,769 grant from the Earth Rising Foundation under their Sustainable Visions program.

The “Writing Climate, Writing Community” project pairs the East Bay Community Action Program’s Warren Health Equity Zone, with local climate change writers and educators Kate Schapira and Elizabeth Rush, and their students from Brown University. In collaboration with a neighbor-led Safety & Climate Resilience Work Group, they will host activities to support residents as they cope with the impact of increased flooding, confront their climate anxieties, and transform their concerns into a future vision that includes a changing environment.

This project begins with the collecting and publishing of questions heard from Warren residents and information around the current state of climate change adaptation in Warren, and it culminates with a series of co-created tools and archives that attest to the community’s ongoing adaptation to the climate crisis.

In response to rising sea level, the Town of Warren has developed the “Market to Metacom” an ambitious plan to address flood risk, which includes the possibility of managed retreat. The Town and residents recognize the need for strong resident participation in this transformational process. This proposal supports outreach, communication, and engagement to residents, and the development of a Safety and Climate Resilience Work Group.

“Over the spring of 2023, Kate and Elizabeth were instrumental in the rollout of the series of workshops ‘Where Warren Meets the Water,’ exploring how residents could safely share their anxieties about Climate Change and take action,” said Kristin Read, Director of Warren HEZ. “With the support of this grant, we are growing outlets for residents to engage, build connections in the community, and have an active voice in how to prepare for the impact of Climate Change. Success for this project hinges on an active working group of residents. In the Fall of 2023, the group presented learning topics around tools and tips to move utilities out of basements and replace inefficient appliances, explored ways we can prepare for emergencies, and practiced how to have tough conversations with neighbors. In February and March, the learning topics will include the Palmer River floodplain and strategies for stress management.”

If this sounds interesting, join the Health Equity Zone (HEZ) collaborative by reaching out and asking questions, participating in events or joining a monthly Work Group meeting. Email: warrenhez@ebcap.org or call: (401) 431-9870 ext. 1635.

For more information regarding services and to learn how you too can support the CAP which supports the East Bay Community, please visit ebcap.org.