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Resilient PHX

Phoenix is one of ten cities participating in a national Resilience AmeriCorps program funded by Cities of Service.  Resilient PHX is hosted in the Phoenix City Manager's Office to address problems associated with extreme weather and to build community resilience, self-reliance, and sustainability.

Projects include efforts to enhance and coordinate the City's participation in the county-wide Heat Relief Network, engage residents in preparedness training to foster personal and community resilience to natural hazards through the Resilience Workshops, and empower citizen volunteers to create shade in their communities.

Demonstration Projects 


Grandview Message Boards: Resilient PHX funded the installation of three message boards in the Grandview Neighborhood to bridge the communication gap with low-income and elderly residents, and renters in multi-family housing.  The goal of the message boards is to share information as democratically as possible, fostering a community culture of inclusiveness and resilience.  The message boards play the role of a community newsletter, and the Grandview Neighborhood Association has seen an increase in attendance and a more diverse group of attendees at meetings and neighborhood events.

Grand Avenue Curb Cut/ Raingarden: Resilient PHX is funding a green infrastructure project proposed by the Grand Avenue Merchants Association and a group of skilled volunteers.  The goals of the curb cut/ rain garden are to mitigate the issues caused by nuisance rainwater and street flooding, enhance the avenue's appearance and walkability, and create a green space and shade coverage.  This project addresses the priorities of the City's Master Tree and Shade Plan and the Complete Streets Plan. 

Triangle Tree Planting: In 2016, Resilient PHX funded a community-led tree planting project in the Triangle Neighborhood in central Phoenix.  The community leader conducted outreach to low-income residents in the neighborhood and organized a group of 30 residents to plant and maintain trees along streets that were previously without any shade coverage.  30 trees were planted, making the streets more walkable and mitigating the urban "heat island" effect.  This project addressed the goals of the City of Phoenix 2050 Sustainability Goals and the Tree and Shade Master Plan.

->Read the Community Tree Planting blueprint


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        Volunteer Impact


Community Resilience Workshops

Community leaders engaged in the Resilience Workshops will serve as "connectors" to other residents in their communities, helping them better access City services and support from non-profit organizations to address the program's goals of reducing the effects of extreme heat and flooding.  The workshops provide information to enhance individual and community resilience, self-reliance and sustainability. Volunteers will lead projects identified and supported by connections made through the workshops, such as a tree shade project.  Workshop participants are provided with a Community Leader Reference Book that will serve as a guide to the resources and services available to residents. 

->Read the Community Leader Reference Book



"We're Cool" Heat Relief Initiative

We’re Cool kicked off its 3rd annual volunteer outreach initiative due to the collaborative efforts of the City’s Love Your Block AmeriCorps VISTAs, Phoenix Fire CERT volunteers, Pilgrim’s Rest Baptist Church and Food for the Hungry. Over the span of 5 months, groups of 5-10 volunteers participate in bimonthly outreach events. Volunteers from the CERT program and others will engage residents in public spaces, offering maps to cooling and hydration stations, and information about being safe throughout the summer heat. Volunteers focus on public transit locations and neighborhoods identified as heat islands. In partnership with the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge,  volunteers and AmeriCorps VISTAs will dedicate their time to engage the community and collect data to create a safer, more HeatReady Phoenix.

->Learn more about heat safety