City of San Antonio collaborates with local community groups to gather climate priorities
The City of San Antonio's Office of Sustainability met with 12 community-based organizations (CBOs) and business groups to hear how each is engaging their members around the City's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP).
The event, held at Plaza de Armas, included presentations from twelve organizations who shared their purposes and how their missions and activities relate to the CAAP. The organizations discussed a range of priorities like sustainable transportation, local food sourcing and emergency preparedness.
 Attendees from the twelve organizations network and listen to presentations at the Plaza de Armas. | The organizations utilized their established communications channels and trusted networks to foster a two-way dialogue about the priorities of local climate policy. The groups utilize climate outreach materials that have been translated into various languages, with a focus on cultural diversity and universal accessibility. Collectively, the groups reached thousands of San Antonians through social media, events, focus groups, and public service activities in the last quarter of 2022. |
"I want to thank our local organizations for their commitment to addressing climate change. Their partnership Through their organizations, we are reaching out and lifting the voices of our marginalized communities to better our city,” said Assistant City Manager David McCary.
More on each group can be found at their respective websites:
- Bike San Antonio
- Culturingua
- disABILITYsa
- Empower House SA
- Food Policy Council of San Antonio
- Gardopia Gardens
- San Antonio Nursing Consortium
- SanArte Healing & Cultura Clinic
- Yanawana Herbolarios
- Alamo Area Council of Governments
- African American Chamber of Commerce SA
- Ethical Network of San Antonio
"We are in our second year of funding direct microgrants, which help create stronger partnerships by supporting organizations that support many of our frontline communities who often receive the first and worst impacts of climate change," said Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer Julia Murphy. "At the end of the day, this is about community resiliency -- why it's important and how we can work together to improve our community for all residents."
This collaboration with local community organizations is the first of its kind. To better educate and empower residents who are most impacted by climate change, the City has purposefully directed funding directly to the group as well as offering resources through the City’s Sustainability Dashboard website at www.saclimateready.org.