Building Community Resilience

Resilience is about more than responding to disasters—it’s about strengthening communities so they can prepare, adapt and recover together. Our work focuses on trusted, community-based approaches that center local leadership, relationships and shared resources. Through the activities below, we support communities in building practical skills, stronger networks and long-term resilience.

At Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO), we work alongside our faith partners to prepare for disasters and address climate resiliency in ways that better support our neighbors and broader community. We collaborate with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community members to build on existing efforts, support one another, and fill gaps in preparedness and response. We believe resilience work happens locally, rooted in relationships and shared responsibility.

Plan for Resilient Oregon (PRO)

The Office of Governor Kotek is developing the Plan for a Resilient Oregon (PRO)—a people-centered resilience strategy to help communities around Oregon adapt and thrive in the face of increasingly severe disasters. EMO is partnering with the State of Oregon to ensure that the needs and perspectives of our community are reflected in the PRO.

As part of this effort, PRO developers are gathering input from across Oregon to better understand how natural hazards affect communities and what resilience looks like in different regions. Oregonians are invited to share their experiences, priorities and ideas by completing a short online survey. Whether you live in a coastal town, a rural fire district or an urban neighborhood, your voice matters.

Resilience Hubs

Resilience Hubs are trusted, community-centered spaces that support community members before, during and after disasters. EMO partners with places of worship to explore how their existing space, staff and services can serve as a hub for resilience. This includes identifying community strengths, assessing needs and supporting planning toward becoming a Resilience Hub. By building on the trusted role that faith institutions already play, these hubs help ensure communities have access to support, information and resources when they are needed most.

Be 2 Weeks Ready

Be 2 Weeks Ready (B2WR) is a statewide preparedness program that empowers community members to prepare for disasters through an eight-unit, comprehensive preparedness toolkit. EMO supports this effort by training Community Hosts—trusted individuals who bring preparedness education directly into their neighborhoods, congregations and networks. Through peer-to-peer learning and culturally relevant outreach, B2WR helps people take practical steps to prepare, strengthening resilience at both the household and community levels.

Resilience Roadshow

In 2025, EMO developed the Resilience Roadshow—an interactive, hands-on display that was displayed at community events and places of worship. Featuring engaging tools and accessible resources, the Roadshow helped people understand how to prepare themselves and their families for climate impacts and disasters. It also highlighted the critical role that faith and community organizations play in building local resilience, sparking conversations and connections that extend beyond each event.

Community Resilience