NYC Faith Sector Climate Adaptation Working Group

Faith communities are often the first responders in emergencies. The anchor institutions that keep communities together are vital for the planning of the future; however, they often do not have the resources or capacity to support this work. To address this gap, Rebuild by Design and New York Disaster & Interfaith Services (NYDIS) convened a faith sector working group on long-term climate adaptation planning. Together, the group looked at climate risks in NYC, making space for current and new neighbors, building climate resilience through interfaith networks, accessing funding for planning ahead, embedding values about how one’s faith compels to climate action, and long term planning for climate migration, in day to day conversations.

THE PROGRAM

Through a 7-month process between April and October 2025, a cohort of NYC faith sector leaders worked together, alongside climate specialists, to build their capacity to communicate with their constituencies about climate hazards, disaster preparedness, and long-term climate adaptation planning. The goals of the program were to: 

  • LEARN: Visit with faith communities and climate specialists to learn first-hand about the needs and challenges related to climate hazards facing local communities.
  • COLLABORATE: Exchange knowledge to catalyze faith sector collaboration around climate adaptation & disaster preparedness.
  • COMMUNICATE: Inform the creation of a faith sector toolkit to communicate climate risk and solutions to diverse faith communities.

BUILDING HOPE AND SAFETY IN A CHANGING CLIMATE

On November 5th, 2025, Rebuild by Design, NYDIS, and the NYC Faith Sector Climate Adaptation Working Group co-hosted a citywide forum on how faith leaders can work together to help communities prepare for and respond to the next climate shock or stressor. 

The event featured:

  • A keynote address by NYS DEC Chief Resilience Officer, Suzanna Randall
  • The launch of the Working Group’s Faith Sector Toolkit
  • Panel discussions with faith sector and community-based organization leaders
  • Resources from NYCEM, Center for New York City Neighborhoods, City Sponge, and Rainproof NYC

Thank you to all who joined the event, shared resources, and invaluable insights!

Faith ready: The climate Adaptation Toolkit

Developed through Working Group site visits, shared meals, and conversations in every borough, the toolkit offers practical resources to strengthen preparedness, communication, and advocacy within the faith sector. Designed with New York City religious leaders in mind, it is a flexible tool that can be used by faith leaders of all traditions and communities to:

  • Learn about severe weather impacts and identify future risks in their communities
  • Easily access resources from governments and nonprofits to prepare for extreme weather events
  • Identify language and information to use when calling for action from government or their community
  • Equip each other with the knowledge and tools to plan ahead 
CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE THE TOOLKIT

THANK YOU WORKING GROUP MEMBERS!

Thank you to all the members of the Working Group and those who contributed to this process: 

Rev. Everett B. Samuel, Director of Adventiist Community Services, Greater New York Conference of SDA

Imam Adnan Rokadia, Imam/Executive Director, Moslem Mosque/Nafahat

Alisha Madkins, Student, Union Theological Seminary; Founder, Faith and Grace Ministry

Elyse Morris, Senior Program Manager, Community Preparedness Program, NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene

Erum Hanif, Founding Member and CEO, APNA Brooklyn Community Center

Elder Louis D. Rodriguez, Justice Advocate, The Church of Gethsemane (PCUSA)

Rev. Dr. Wenton Fyne, Senior Pastor, Brooklyn Beulah Nazarene Church

Allegra Lovejoy, Project Manager, Center for Earth Ethics

Amy Chester, Director, Rebuild by Design

Rev. Gawain de Leeuw, Trustee of the Episcopal Diocese of NY and Church Pension Group, Holy Trinity Church

Dr. Jonathan Oliver, Deputy Executive Director, NYDIS

Dr. Lucy Cummings, Director, Faith Sector Resilience, NYDIS

Rev. Micah Bucey, Senior Minister, Judson Memorial Church

Pastor David T. Cockfield, Senior Pastor, Battalion Pentecostal Assembly

Rev. Dr. James Lynch, Dharma Master, Rissho Kosei Kai 

Rev. Phillip Falayi, Senior Pastor, Hosanna City of Refuge Church

Johanna Lawton, Deputy Director, Rebuild by Design

Rashid Ahmed, Communications Manager, NYDIS

Austin Chu, Emergency Response Coordinator/ Certified Faith Corps, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

Pastor Demetrius Carolina, Pastor, First Central Baptist Church

Peter Gudaitis, Executive Director, NYDIS

Rev. Terry Troia, Executive Director, Project Hospitality

Evangelist Carol Johnson, Community Outreach, Healing Touch Outreach Ministries

Rev. Esteban Rivera, Executive Director, LPAC / Latino Pastoral Action Center

Kadjahtou Balde, Founder & Executive Director/ Member, Faithfully Sustainable / Aljaned Islamic Center

Nini Dong, Deputy Director, Emergency Services, The Salvation Army

 

Translate