Disaster Resilient Community Based Organizations

Oregon is experiencing increased frequency and severity of climate-related disasters, including wildfires, flooding, and smoke events. During and after these disasters, many community-based organizations (CBOs) divert from their typical workload to support impacted communities. There is an increasing need to understand how CBOs support their own workers, interact with other organizations and government agencies, and hold and create safe spaces for community members during disasters. Our team partnered with the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette (UWCW) and Trauma Informed Oregon (TIO) to provide specific recommendations to the Disaster Resilience Learning Network (DRLN)

At the organization level 

The mental health of workers, public health within communities, and the communication and engagement gaps between organizations and their communities were all identified as in-organization issues. 

At the community and organizational network level 

A need for BIPOC affinity spaces, a need to address the mental health impacts of disasters, and the strength that social connection can provide in the face of disasters were identified as pressing issues. 

At the policy/government level

On the policy level we identified a need to value and include Indigenous people and knowledge, increased avenues for community involvement, an investment in affordable and equitable infrastructure, a need for organized public health efforts, and that communication should be equitable, accessible, and coordinated.