Bridging The Gap Inc

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO BRIDGING THE GAP (BTG). THE RECIPIENT'S COMMUNITY RESILIENCY PROJECT WILL ADDRESS HIGH CARBON EMISSIONS INSIDE THE HOMES OF UNDERSERVED RESIDENTS IN EAST KANSAS CITY, MO AND URBAN HEAT ISLAND IMPACTS, WHICH BOTH CONTRIBUTE TO POOR AIR QUALITY. THE KEY ELEMENTS INCLUDE CONDUCTING PUBLIC EDUCATION, DOING ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND HOUSEHOLD CARBON FOOTPRINT OBSERVATIONS, CREATING A LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL TO WORK WITH RESIDENTS, AND PARTNERING WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO IMPLEMENT LEARNED PRACTICES FROM THE EDUCATION AND ASSESSMENT OBSERVATIONS. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: GOAL 1) CREATING AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL (EJAC) TO SERVE AS ADVISORS WHO WILL HELP DEVELOP OPERATING GUIDELINES, COMMUNITY RESILIENCY REPORTS AND PROCESSES, AND DRIVE THE CONVERSATION TO LOCAL DECISION MAKERS AND PARTNERS ABOUT IMPROVING RESIDENTIAL RESILIENCY FROM NEGATIVE CLIMATE IMPACTS. THE EJAC WILL ALSO HOST A TOWN HALL MEETING WITH BRIDGING THE GAP, THEIR PROJECT PARTNERS, AND KANSAS CITY RESIDENTS LIVING IN IMPACTED AREAS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCY INVESTMENT PROJECT (AND WAYS TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS AND LOWER UTILITY BILLS). GOAL 2) IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING A UTILITY BURDEN REDUCTION PROGRAM WITHIN THE RESILIENCY PROJECT TO ANALYZE RESIDENT AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANT UTILITY BILL TRENDS, CREATING A COMMUNITY ENERGY BENEFIT AGREEMENT (CEBA) WITH LOCAL UTILITY COMPANIES TO REDUCE THE ENERGY BURDEN, ONGOING COMMUNICATION OF THE ISSUES, AND INCREASING COMMUNITY ACCESS TO RENEWABLE ENERGY BY CREATING AN ENERGY RESOURCE HUB. GOAL 3) CONDUCTING THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE INVESTMENT PROGRAM FOR HOUSEHOLDS IN LOW LIFE EXPECTANCY ZIP CODES, WHICH INCLUDES ENERGY EFFICIENCY, CARBON FOOTPRINT (USING EPA'S ONLINE CARBON FOOTPRINT TOOL) AND HEALTH ASSESSMENTS, FOLLOWED BY IMPLEMENTING LEARNED PRACTICES AND ENCOURAGING ADAPTATION SKILLS SUCH AS CLIMATE RESILIENCE. GOAL 4) DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY EDUCATION WHICH WILL CONSIST OF SOCIAL MEDIA EDUCATION, ONLINE COMMUNITY FORUMS, AND POST PARTICIPANT YARDS SIGNS ALL TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION, UNDERSTANDING, COLLABORATION AND AWARENESS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCY INVESTMENT PROGRAM. SUBRECIPIENT:BTG'S SUBAWARDEE WILL BE THE BLACK HEALTH CARE COALITION WHICH IS A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION WITH STRONG COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE AFFECTED AREAS AND A SOLID TRACK RECORD OF RALLYING FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR IN KANSAS CITY. THE FOCUS OF BLACK HEALTH CARE COALITION, THE SUBAWARDEE, WILL BE TO SUPPORT BTG IN EXPANDING TARGETED RESIDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND OUTDOOR AIR BY HELPING EDUCATE THEM ABOUT CLIMATE RESILIENCY AND THE IMPACT CARBON EMISSIONS AND UTILITY BURDENS HAVE ON THEIR FAMILIES. ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: HAVING A TRAINED COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER GO INTO RESIDENTS' HOMES WHO SIGN UP TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCY INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND COMPLETE A HEALTH ASSESSMENT AND OFFER ADDITIONAL HEALTH RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES HAVE A HOLISTIC APPROACH. THEY WILL ALSO SHOW RESIDENTS HOW TO USE EPA'S CARBON FOOTPRINT TOOL TO SEE HOW THEY CAN CREATE A HEALTHIER AND MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME. LASTLY, BHCC WILL SUPPORT BTG WITH RECRUITMENT FOR THE PROGRAM AND SUPPORT BTG'S TOWNHALL AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN AND ONLINE FORUM.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE RECRUITING RESIDENTS TO BE PART OF AN EJ ADVISORY COUNCIL WHO WILL HOST MEETINGS AND HELP PROMOTE THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCY INVESTMENT PROGRAM WITH BRIDGING THE GAP AND OTHER PARTNERS TO HOST A TOWNHALL MEETING, CREATING A UTILITY BURDEN REDUCTION PROGRAM. THEN IMPLEMENTING THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCY INVESTMENT PROGRAM THAT INCORPORATES ALL THE KEY COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING ELEMENTS TO DEMONSTRATE OUTCOMES RELATE TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RESIDENTIAL HEALTH. THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE EJAC ENCOURAGING UP TO 250 RESIDENTS TO COMPLETE THE

LANDSCAPE SCALE RESTORATION - KANSAS CITYS ENERGY SAVING TREES

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT AIMS TO USE A COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO IDENTIFY WANTS AND NEEDS OF LOCAL UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY IN KANSAS CITY, MO THROUGH LITTER CLEAN-UPS, CONSERVING ECOSYSTEMS, WHILE EDUCATING COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON GREEN PRACTICES, PLACING RAIN BARRELS THROUGHOUT HOMES, AND ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND ACTIONS IN LEADING CHANGES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES:THE RECIPIENT WILL FIRST COORDINATE WITH PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS FOCUSING ON SERVING AND EMPOWERING KANSAS CITY COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY GREEN AND PRODUCTIVE TREES. RECIPIENT WILL PROVIDE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND WILLING WORKERS TO AN INDUSTRY RESPONSIBLE FOR QUALITY MAINTENANCE OF KANSAS CITY'S URBAN FOREST CANOPY WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF IMPROVED MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF KANSAS CITY'S URBAN FOREST CANOPY. THE RECIPIENT WILL EQUIP WORKERS FOR EMPLOYMENT IN AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS DEMAND FOR KNOWLEDGEABLE AND WILLING WORKERS. DEVELOP POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ATTITUDES IN PARTICIPANTS SUCH AS TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF URBAN FORESTS. THE RECIPIENT WILL WORK WITH AT PARTICIPANTS WHO WILL COMPLETE A SIX MONTH COURSE WITH GUEST SPEAKERS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN AREAS SUCH AS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER RETENTION, AND URBAN FOREST CANOPY. BUILD A VIABLE, REPLICABLE JOB TRAINING MODEL FOR URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS, TO IMPROVE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO CREATE A SUCCESSFUL LOCAL 'GREEN JOBS' WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THE DESIGN WILL FOCUS ON AMENITIES THAT CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND INCREASE RETENTION OF FOREST CANOPY TO REDUCE FLOODING IN THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT COMPLETION OF THESE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WILL YIELD THE FOLLOWING EXPECTED OUTCOMES: 1. WILL HIGHLY PUBLICIZE PROGRAM AVAILABILITY TO THE TARGET POPULATION SO THAT POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES ARE REASONABLY INFORMED OF THE PROGRAM. 2. LEARNED ABOUT ARBORICULTURE AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF TREES. PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN HOW TO LEAD A COMMUNITY PROJECT. 3. WORK DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITY ON 'RIGHT PLACE' PLANTING OF TREES AND HOW TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITY NAVIGATING ISSUES LIKE POOR AIR QUALITY, HEAT, AND NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY. 4. HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL HABITS AND ROLE THEY CAN PLAY IN THE INTERSECTION OF CARBON EMISSIONS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE UTILITY BURDEN. 5. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE EQUIPPED TO CONTINUE PRACTICES THEY LEARNED AS WELL AS SECURE EMPLOYMENT. MANAGING AND EDUCATING AT THREE COMMUNITY RECYCLING CENTERS; ORGANIZING LITTER CLEAN-UPS; PLANTING TREES THROUGH HEARTLAND TREE ALLIANCE; CONSERVING ECOSYSTEMS ON 400 ACRES OF KANSAS CITY WILD LANDS; EDUCATING MORE THAN 400 BUSINESSPEOPLE A YEAR ON 'GREEN' PRACTICES; HELPING TO PLACE 200+ RAIN BARRELS AT HOMES EACH YEAR; ENGAGING MORE THAN 1,800 VOLUNTEERS ANNUALLY THROUGH 100+ ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS THROUGHOUT KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, FOCUSING ON LOW LIFE EXPECTANCY ZIP CODES: 64109, 64126, 64127, 64128, 64130, AND 64132 AND LEAST IMPROVEMENT IN LIFE EXPECTANCY ZIP CODES: 64134, 64131, 64117, 64138, 64114, AND 64133 LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF KANSAS CITY, MO.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT A VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT A VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

COMMUNITY GARDEN FOR AT RISK COMMUNITY.