For Immediate Release
September 25, 2020
Media Contact:
Rachel Davis, Office of Mayor Liccardo, rachel.davis@sanjoseca.gov 408.712.9149
SAN JOSÉ, CA. - Today Mayor Sam Liccardo was joined by Josh Fryday, California Volunteers Chief Service Officer, Rhonda Berry, CEO of Our City Forest, and members of the San Jose City Council to announce San Jose’s partnership with California Volunteers, Office of the Governor, for a first-of-its-kind Climate Action Corps program. The program, announced yesterday by Governor Gavin Newsom, will empower all Californians to help combat the growing climate crisis through volunteering, environmental work, and community engagement.
“The impacts of our climate crisis have become too real and too destructive--rampant wildfires, rising sea levels, and recurrent heatwaves--putting lives and livelihoods in peril,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. “San Jose has long taken a leadership role in the fight against climate change, and we're proud to partner with Governor Newsom on this unique initiative to leverage the energy and commitment of our young adults to take action."
As California faces ever-growing wildfires, record-breaking heatwaves, and corresponding power outages, its residents are tasked with doing all they can to combat the climate change causing these disasters. San Jose will partner with California Climate Action Corps to recruit volunteers and mobilize residents to participate in this call to action to embrace solutions and protect their homes for generations to come.
CCAC is finding fellows to serve with local governments, non-profits, and universities to focus on projects that utilize actions to protect our most vulnerable communities with initiatives like urban tree planting, food rescue programs, and hardening homes against wild-fires. These fellows will be given a stipend and educational award. Californians can apply to be a CCAC fellow or volunteer on their website.
“Governor Newsom is calling on all Californians to take action,” said Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday.“With the leadership of Mayor Liccardo and San Jose nonprofit organizations, we are going to be successful in activating the people of San Jose to fight climate change.”
Local non-profits already working to combat the climate crisis, such as Our City Forest, and have to volunteer opportunities can sign up through the State’s partnership with VolunteerMatch which serves as a tool to match volunteers. For more information about the California Climate Action Corps program, visit here.
To watch the press conference, visit here.
For more digital media, visit here.
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About the City of San José
With more than one million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States and is Northern California’s largest city and the 10th largest city in the nation. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world. In 2011, the City adopted Envision San José 2040, a long-term growth plan that sets forth a vision and a comprehensive road map to guide the City’s anticipated growth through the year 2040.
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