Non-profit Community Equity Collaborative participates in talk about how climate impacts young children

Emails Dayna Chung, co-founder of Menlo Park-based Community Equity Collaborative that held an event earlier this month:

“The Community Equity Collaborative (CEC), joined with Build Up San Mateo County to present at Stanford’s Planting Hope Symposium, hosted by Canopy. Our panel, “Equity in Urban Forestry: Expanding the Circle,” was facilitated by JP Renaud, Canopy’s Executive Director and co-host of the symposium.

“At the symposium, I spoke about why child care must be recognized as essential infrastructure and why young children, who are among the most vulnerable to climate impacts, need to be centered in equity and resilience efforts. I was joined by Christine Padilla, Director of Build Up, who underscored the importance of investing in climate-resilient child care facilities.

“These priorities are at the core of the Early Childhood Climate Action Plan (ECCAP), launched this summer by Build Up with support from CEC. The first plan of its kind in the nation, the ECCAP makes the case that protecting child care is also protecting public health, economic stability, and environmental justice.

“In San Mateo County, one in three providers has reported climate-related disruptions —wildfire smoke, extreme heat, or flooding — in just the past two years. These events affect children’s health, learning, and emotional well-being while also threatening the financial stability of programs and the working families who rely on them. The costs add up quickly: in California, environment-related childhood illnesses are estimated at $254 million each year.

“Some of the plan’s early strategies are already being piloted. With Measure K funding and community partnerships, two initiatives launched this year: the Build Up Green Spaces (BUGS) grant program, which awarded micro-grants to providers for climate resilience projects, and a Community Tree Planting Day at three child care centers in East Palo Alto, organized with Canopy. Families, educators, and volunteers came together to plant trees and create cooler, healthier outdoor environments for children.

“For more information, we invite folks to check out the Early Childhood Climate Action report or the library of one pagers that capture some of the key ideas and solutions.”

Dayna is pictured far right with CEC and Build Up leaders