Building Resilient Communities is a public benefit 501(c)3 corporation organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes. Our disaster preparedness and economic resilience education and training programs help community and faith based organizations be more resilient so they can help the families and communities they serve become more resilient. We are committed to the national framework of shared responsibility (Whole Community). We serve as a conduit to bring individuals/families, community organizations, business, faith based organizations and all levels of government together for an integrated approach to making a difference in our communities. Disaster Preparedness education and training includes our Ark of Safety program which helps community and faith based organizations get prepared for a disaster and, encourages the families and communities they serve to do the same. Our Community and Faith Based Coalition is a network of organizations willing to act as central points of safety, refuge, and support for their communities during and after a disaster. Building Resilient Communities is partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross, and the Department of Education to promote youth preparedness and build a more resilient nation. Our Ark of Safety Youth (A.S.Y.) program is designed to educate Kindergarten thru high school age youth across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties on disaster preparedness. By participating in the A.S.Y. program, children are empowered to become leaders at home, in their schools, houses of worship and communities. Our economic resilience education and training program provides youth and young adults opportunities to gain valuable skills and work experience thru our internship program and strategic projects. Business Start up education and training is accomplished through the Business Training School (BTS) program. This faith based leading edge small business training curriculum allows houses of worship to positively impact the economic resilience of their community. The BTS curriculum provides a path to entrepreneurship for members of the congregation and those in the surrounding community. It has been designed, and is taught, by subject matter experts in their particular fields (organization, tax, marketing, finance, legal, etc.) of small business development. These teachings have been captured on DVDs to ensure consistency and to provide a modular format. The DVD lessons are augmented with live facilitators from the house of worship who lead discussions of the material presented. This format makes it possible for any house of worship to become a central point for helping to start businesses in their communities.
