Neighborly Actions to Be Prepared
Training & learning opportunities to be ready for disaster, and a trail cleanup to get you out and about. Plus, updates on the PVD Comprehensive Plan and on this newsletter.
Hi, everyone.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
I want to thank everyone who pushed the Providence planners and City Council to make the Comprehensive Plan stronger in the areas of housing and environmental justice. While it is neither perfect nor certain, I believe it is better than it would have been, because of your efforts and the efforts of many other loud voices and lived experts throughout the city.
If you live in PVD, keep an eye on the next steps and get ready to hold the city to its word if (when, sorry) it tries to wriggle out of good commitments, and get connected with the work of the Providence Racial and Environmental Justice Committee who have been building knowledge and power around what people in Providence want and need. (Also, check out this article on trees, parks and neighborhood repair as life-saving infrastructure—including in some ways you might not expect.)
TRAINING AND PREPARING FOR DISASTERS
Hurricanes Helene and Milton coming so close together in time, combined with Mike Johnson’s trash refusal to allocate more money to FEMA, showcased the need for community disaster response until larger-scale aid can get through. Friend and neighbor Dara Benno has put together this list of ways to be prepared. See if you can take one of these that you haven’t already. Invite a friend to do it with you! Join forces to pay for a babysitter and takeout (if you have kids)! Carpool (if one of you drives and the other doesn’t)! Ask around to see who in your circles could pick up some of your other obligations so you can take one of these courses:
Naloxone training: https://preventoverdoseri.org/get-naloxone/
Free trauma training through Family Service of RI (Training catalog here)
Mental Health First Aid - 1st Friday of every month
The Trusted Standard in Research, Ethics, Compliance, and Safety Training
Community Emergency Response Training: CERT
ANOTHER THING TO DO WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS
Saturday, October 19, 12pm-sunset, RSVP for address: Wild bird rehabilitation and release organization Congress of the Birds (NOTE: FLASHING BANNER AT THE LINK) has received a donation of woodland in northwestern RI, and they are inviting people to contribute to building a rehab and release center there. This is a beautiful chance to be in the woods and give back to the land! Camping is an option! RSVP here for the address and details. This looks like an “only go if you’re cool with peeing in the woods” situation, but you can write to them (congressofthebirds@gmail.com) and ask.
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER & THE GENERAL NEED FOR BACKUP IN EVERYTHING
This past week, a family health scare, coming around the same time as the disasters mentioned above, has me thinking about brittleness and redundancy. I was pretty sure I’d need to pause this newsletter and ask for backup—or grace—on some of my ongoing community commitments. Things are looking better now. But the next big demand or disruption might last a while, and I would like someone else—or a couple of someone elses—to have the keys to this car. Please write to me at schapira.kate@gmail.com if you think that might be you, or are at least interested in what’s involved.
With love,
Kate