Recovery and Resiliency Project seeks greater diversity

Application date extended

— from Hillary Canty for Orcas Island Community Foundation —

Ten days ago, the Orcas Island Community Foundation and the Community Emergency Response Advisory team requested applications from individuals who wished to participate on the working group of the Orcas Island Economic Recovery and Resiliency Project. Many wonderful islanders applied, yet the diversity of our community is not yet represented well enough.

Generating powerful ideas for Orcas Island’s economic recovery and resiliency into the future will only be successful if the full diversity of islanders are involved in the process: younger and elder; low-income, middle-income and wealthy; white, black, brown and coast Salish leaders;
male, female and non-binary; representing non-profits and for-profits, part-time and full-time.

A fulsome recovery will consider how we can better respond in times of emergency, what type of economic activity enhances and sustains our community and environment, how we best meet islanders needs for economic well being, housing, food nutrition, mental health, and other
frontiers that we have not yet imagined. How do we move beyond surviving and into thriving as individuals and as a community?

With the hope of increasing the working group’s diversity, the due date for applications is extended until Thursday, June 11. In addition, stipends are now available with the hope that people who wish to participate do not have to choose between earning wages and being part of the working group.

Please consider joining this important community dialogue now. Fill out the brief application here and help define the future of your community.

Additional Background: Being in the working group will be just one of the ways to participate.

The role of working group members is to serve as a conduit and connector to other individuals and groups within our island community. The project will involve many opportunities for anyone who is interested to share their ideas and provide feedback. So even if you can not participate in the working group, there will be opportunities in the process to share your ideas.

To repeat from our last announcement: This will be a fast paced 8-week program to bring together representatives of diverse sectors of our community to create a common understanding of current conditions, challenges and opportunities facing this community. The work will be facilitated by the Pomegranate Center and will begin with a group of 25 islanders who will be selected to represent the diversity and demographics of the island residents.

Given the current situation, the meetings will all be virtual. The goal is to come out of the process with clear steps forward for our long term
recovery and resiliency.

If you are interested in participating, please read more about what is involved as a participant and to complete an application. The 25 participants will meet once or twice a week and each be tasked with outreach to the broader community sectors they represent with the goal to engage all who are interested. Working together, we can ensure that the Orcas of tomorrow is one where all are able to thrive.