Montgomery County to Host Free ‘Resilience Hub Workshop’ to Address Climate-Related Risks for County, Nonprofit, and Faith-based Partners on Tuesday, May 21, in Silver Spring

The impact of climate change is already being felt in our community, with more frequent heat emergencies, severe storms, flash floods, and droughts posing the greatest threats. Those threats can disproportionately impact some of our highest-risk communities, those with a reduced capacity to adapt because of historical disinvestment and the marginalization of people of color, immigrants, refugees, and low-income residents. These communities can experience more exposure and risk from climate hazards with limited resources to mitigate the impacts. Resilience hubs can help.

Montgomery County continues its work to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and address climate-related risks through the Climate Action Plan. They will offer a free workshop on Tuesday, May 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building at 1 Veterans Place in Silver Spring on the role resilience hubs can play in helping our community adapt and thrive.

Resilience hubs are trusted gathering spaces that are enhanced with solar microgrids and energy efficiency improvements to ensure they stay operational during interruptions to the power grid. They support and engage residents, distribute resources, and reduce carbon pollution while enhancing the quality of life and assisting communities before, during, and after emergencies to minimize impacts and recover quickly. A resilience hub may be located at a recreation center, faith-based or nonprofit facility, or multi-family housing building. They are designed to help communities not just adapt to a changing climate but thrive.

The County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security in partnership with the Maryland-National Capital Region Emergency Response System and with guidance from the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, will host the Resilience Hub Workshop.

The workshop will be a dynamic, participatory training to learn more about the underlying concepts and framework for building out effective resilience hubs. It will feature discussions with experts about what a great resilience hub looks like, and what is already happening locally. Panels will also focus on how to forge partnerships and maneuver logistical and financial hurdles in the development of resilience hubs. Participants from County agencies, as well as local nonprofit and faith-based partner organizations, are encouraged to attend.