Donate
Menu
News & Media
2023 Mid-Year Impact: CivicSpark
CivicSpark
CivicWell
Article
July 29, 2023
Topic
CivicSpark Fellow Olivia Williams has supported the City of Monterey Park’s Going Green initiative to engage the community in climate change mitigation efforts and to create the Citywide Sustainability Plan. This is the first year that Monterey Park has hosted a Fellow from CivicWell’s CivicSpark AmeriCorps program.
Since September 2022, Olivia has served over 1200 hours building capacity for the City of Monterey Park by leading an interdepartmental Green Team to increase staff knowledge of climate change issues and implement the Going Green community outreach program.
Monterey Park is a city in the San Gabriel Valley with rich Asian history and culture. The Going Green Sustainability Survey was available in three languages and made accessible in multiple formats to ensure all community members had the opportunity for their ideas to be represented in the City’s plan. Additionally, Ms. Williams partnered with the City’s Economic Development department to provide survey incentives through its Shop Local rewards program.
Ms. Williams hosted booths at seven City events, held five community workshops, and coordinated the City’s Earth Day celebration. She analyzed input from over 500 Monterey Park residents on their priorities to create a more sustainable community.
The City of Monterey Park is using this community input to help create its Citywide Sustainability Plan, which uses a holistic framework to mitigate climate change while promoting environmental equity and community resilience.