Introduction
In the past decade, the City of Gilroy has experienced record high temperatures and more intense flooding and wildfires. As climate change continues to impact Gilroy, and is projected to increase in frequency and intensity, it is more important than ever for residents, families, and neighborhoods to leverage local resources, educate themselves, build local safety networks, and advocate for local elected officials to prioritize policies and investments that work to increase community resilience.
To address these concerns and equip the community with actionable resources, the Be Prepared Gilroy toolkit aims to provide Gilroy residents with key local disaster preparedness resources in one place and propose a roadmap to community disaster resilience. Click below to download your copy for free:
Download the toolkit in english
Descarga el kit de herramientas en español
Presented by Greenbelt Alliance and Community Agency for Resources, Agency, and Services (CARAS), a Gilroy-based non-profit committed to community empowerment and the betterment of Latino families through leadership development, advocacy, and cultural awareness, this toolkit delivers actionable information and resources for communities tackling growing climate impacts. It was developed by Mariah Padilla, resilience fellow, as part of her academic research and advocacy work with Greenbelt Alliance.
This toolkit is a direct response to Gilroy community member’s desire for more disaster preparedness resources and opportunities to learn about climate impacts in a way that reflects their everyday lives and culture. It stems from extensive research, community and stakeholder engagement, multiple conversations, surveys, events. Learn more about the collaboration and engagement work we lead in Gilroy.
As an organization committed to climate justice, we recognize that this is a starting point, but more long-term, sustainable, and transformative change will require collaboration between local government, community members, and other key stakeholders to implement plans and policies to make a more resilient Gilroy possible for all.
Resilience refers to the ability of communities to prepare for, adapt to, and recover from the impacts of climate change before disaster occurs.
Resilience Hotspots
This toolkit is part of Greenbelt Alliance’s Bay Area Resilient Hotspots Initiative. The Resilience Hotspots Initiative is a data-driven, community-informed program that aims to collaboratively work with trusted community partners to help foster community resilience and climate change awareness in places throughout the Bay Area where the climate threat to people and nature is the highest.
Gilroy was identified as a hotspot due to its significant climate risks including fire, flooding, and extreme heat. Severe flooding and wildfires have historically and recently caused serious property damage and economic challenges for local residents—a community that is also grappling with health issues caused by rising temperatures. Resilient Hotspots efforts in Gilroy are focused on increasing community resilience to wildfire, extreme heat, and flooding by engaging with residents to understand community priorities and promoting climate change and disaster preparedness resources.
WHAT'S IN THE TOOLKIT
The Be Prepared Gilroy toolkit is a direct response to Gilroy’s desire for more disaster preparedness resources and opportunities to learn about climate impacts in a way that reflects their everyday lives and culture. Here are the main features you can explore:
INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE HAZARDS
Learn about the most common climate hazards—such as wildfires, floods, and extreme heat—through brief and accessible explainers.
HOW TO BUILD GRAB-AND-GO KITS
- Use our guidance to create your own list of supplies and grab-and-go kits to make your family and pets safer in an emergency.
PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES
- Check the extensive list or organizations, agencies, apps, and groups that can offer alerts, information, and shelter if disaster hits.
GLOSSARY OF USEFUL TERMS
- Explore the list of the most common names and expressions used by local agencies.
