Rockefeller Foundation [to 11 July 2015]
http://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/newsroom

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The Rockefeller Foundation Announces Joint Initiative with Obama Administration to Create New Resilience AmeriCorps Program
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NEW YORK—Today, The Rockefeller Foundation announced their latest commitment to building resilience in communities across the country through the launch of Resilience AmeriCorps. The pilot program will be dedicated to recruiting, training, and embedding VISTA members in up to 12 communities nationwide, including some of those in the 100 Resilient Cities network. AmeriCorps VISTA members will support the development of resilience strategies to help communities better manage the unavoidable and avoid the unmanageable. The multi-agency initiative includes the Department of Energy (DOE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), and Cities of Service.

The two-year pilot launches later this year, through anticipated support of $1 million, and on July 15, the White House will hold a live-streamed discussion on the important role community service can play in helping vulnerable communities become more resilient to climate change impacts. The event will feature speakers from the Administration, The Rockefeller Foundation, and local communities already working on building resilience. VISTA – Volunteers In Service To America – was founded in 1965 as a national service program to fight poverty in America and in 1993 VISTA was incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs.

“Crisis is increasingly part of the 21st century, which is why it is imperative that communities – large and small – place a premium on building resilience. With collaborative efforts across all sectors we can ensure our country is prepared for the inevitable shocks and gnawing stresses so that disruptions no longer become disasters,” said Dr. Judith Rodin, President of the Rockefeller Foundation. “The new Resilience AmeriCorps program will create a new generation of talented individuals who are committed to building resilience, and who can support cities today while deepening the bench for innovative leadership in years to come. Resilience is a journey, not a destination, and the time to embark on it is now.”…