8 Long Beach organizations awarded grants to support youth climate change mitigation projects - Long Beach Press Telegram

8 Long Beach organizations awarded grants to support youth climate change mitigation projects - Press Telegram

To further the city’s climate action goals, Long Beach recently launched its ClimateLB Youth Climate Action Fund Microgrant Program earlier this summer to provide funding to local organizations that could support young people complete climate change mitigation projects — and now, the city has announced the grant recipients.

Long Beach announced the eight awardees that will implement the sustainable projects — primarily focused on West Long Beach — on Wednesday, Aug. 21. The organizations will receive $5,000 each in funding to support their proposed youth-led reforestation and tree-planting projects, climate education efforts, climate ambassador programs, and public art and awareness campaigns.

“Through the ClimateLB Program, our city is investing directly in local, youth-led climate solutions,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “The organizations selected have proposed innovative, inclusive projects that will bring communities together to participate in climate action.”

The Office of Climate Action and Sustainability led the selection process and will coordinate the award distribution, according to a press release.

The program is intended to aid in fulfilling the city’s West Side Promise Program, a proposed 10-year community investment plan for West Long Beach, an area that has been historically under-resourced. It also aligns with the goals of the Long Beach Climate Action Plan, Strategic Plan for Youth and Emerging Adults, and Racial Equity and Reconciliation Plan, officials said.

“Investing in community-led climate solutions is crucial to achieving the goals outlined in the Long Beach Climate Action Plan,” Climate Manager Fern Nueno said in a statement. “It’s important to empower residents to make decisions about how resources are allocated. The ClimateLB Program accomplishes that by providing the opportunity for local youth to design and lead sustainable projects, and I’m excited to see what they are able to accomplish through the support of this grant.”

Funds for the Climate LB Youth Climate Action Fund Microgrant Program will be administered to the local organizations by Sept. 30, and the money must be spent by Dec. 31.

The selected organizations and their awarded projects include:

- Associated Mothers in Action: “Climate Change and Environment Art,” an art contest and event that will promote awareness of environmental conservation and climate change for youth ages 15-18, 19-21 and 22-24.
- California Youth Empowerment Services: “Sky Guardians: Youth Climate Patrol,” a two-day camp that teaches youth how to use drones and develop innovative projects to address climate issues.
- Earthlodge Center for Transformation: “We Fight with our Forest: A Special Environmental and Climate Justice Youth Project of Hands on the Land Program,” which will offer youth ages 15-24 a chance to participate in gardening, composting, permaculture and other work on the land.
- H.E.L.P. of Long Beach (Helping Environmentally Low-Income Properties): “Helping Environmentally Low-Income Properties,” which will allow local high school students to find heat islands – parts of an urbanized area that are warmer than other surrounding areas – then conduct educational outreach to the community about the importance of drought-tolerant native landscapes.
- Long Beach Bar Foundation and Shortstop Youth Projects: “Youth Climate Education,” an initiative designed to educate and empower youth who will conduct interactive presentations at local schools on climate issues.
- Poly High School: “Festival of Gardening and Butterflies Plants,” a garden club project that will teach students how to plant seeds, start seedlings and create terrariums. Plants will also be given out at a future Festival of Gardening and Butterflies event.
- The Jewel Box Children’s Theater: “West Long Beach Trashion,” a project during which youth will collect trash to create art projects that will be unveiled at a fashion show, or “Trashion Show,” with an educational twist.
- Youth Leadership Institute: “Voicewaves: Climate Edition,” which will educate youth on media production and climate issues through a community presentation and facilitated meetings. Participants will create and distribute a climate-focused journalism piece or zine.