| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 81.96 |
| Liaison | Lindsey Lyons |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
Dickinson College
EN-10: Community Partnerships
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Lindsey
Lyons Assistant Director Center for Sustainability Education |
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Which of the following best describes the partnership?:
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? :
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability:
Acting to reduce risks in the climate crisis requires deep cuts in heat-trapping emissions of greenhouse gas pollutants. It also requires adapting and building resilience to the changing climate. Dickinson signed Second Nature’s Resilience Commitment in December 2022, acting on a resolution passed by the Dickinson faculty and joining over 100 colleges and universities nationwide that have pledged to make our campuses and communities resilient to climate change.
In signing Second Nature’s Resilience Commitment, we are stepping forward as a partner and leader for climate resilience in Carlisle, Cumberland County, and the world. The resilience initiative complements and will be integrated with Dickinson’s continuing commitment to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and support emission reductions in Carlisle, Cumberland County, and elsewhere.
Dickinson’s recent climate resilience work includes an assessment of resilience in Carlisle and an ensuing dialogue that served as the foundation for changes to the borough’s 2019 comprehensive plan update. In 2021, Dickinson’s Baird Sustainability Fellows conducted a comprehensive study of climate risks and resilience in Cumberland County that informed the county’s recently adopted climate action plan. Student research led by the Center for Sustainability Education, and research and analyses by Dickinson faculty and staff, were also important sources of information for Carlisle's climate action plan.
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (2nd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
The annual Northside Ride (since 2017) is a community bike ride around Carlisle, PA’s Northside neighborhood that is open to all riders of all skill levels. It aims to share resources, demo safe riding, and build community. The ride provides helmets, lights and locks to neighborhood riders who do not have them while promoting bicycles as a safe, affordable, and effective form of sustainable transportation within and beyond the Northside of Carlisle. The ride connects residents to each other and local resources and organizations while building inclusive communities.
Dickinson's Center for Sustainability Education (CSE) teams up with local community partners to host activities on their locations and show people how to safely bike to community resources like the local food back (Project SHARE), community bicycle cooperative (Lifecycle), community bike repair station (Carlisle Tool Library) and afterschool programs/services for youth (Hope Station and YWCA). These partners use existing membership and contact networks to recruit local families and youth to attend the event and receive the bike safety resources and even bikes.
2023 Partners: • Carlisle Tool Library • Carlisle Victory Circle • Carlisle West Side Neighbors • Dickinson College • Harrisburg Bicycle Club • Hope Station • LifeCycle Carlisle • New Life Community Church • Project SHARE • YWCA Carlisle & Cumberland County
Approximately 150 people participate in the ride annually.
Other funding sources are provided by the core partners of the event and Dickinson College. Dickinson covers outreach and marketing expenses, event supplies, first-aid supplies, fire police escorts, transportation, ice cream for social event after the ride, T-shirts etc. New Life Community Church/Lifecycle covers the parts and supplies for bicycle repair, tools, pancake breakfast for the community and support resource on the morning of.
https://www.dickinson.edu/northsideride
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=295831996035848
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (3rd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Each year Dickinson College students prevent abundant landfill waste by choosing to donate thousands of gently used items to United Way of Carlisle & Cumberland County’s U-Turn Community Yard Sale. It is our way to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, and the dollars raised all go back to help our community. Dickinson has partnered with United Way for this program for over 15 years, and collectively we raise over $15,000 annually for community organizations through the yard sale.
The massive U-Turn yard sale is held each June at the Carlisle Fairgrounds. Dickinson Eco-Rep volunteers collect donations across campus for the last two weeks in May. Then, two tractor-trailers of donations from Dickinson are sorted, folded, cleaned and organized by volunteers. Items include furniture, lamps, storage items, clothing, shoes, small appliances, dorm essentials, and more.
This community partnership is win/win. Dickinson diverts waste and the community benefits by having access to great items at yard sale prices. The funds then support the great nonprofit work happening in our county.
A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:
Website URL where information about the institution’s community partnerships to advance sustainability is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Local sustainability partnerships
https://www.dickinson.edu/info/20052/sustainability/2489/local_community
Statewide partnerhips
https://www.dickinson.edu/info/20052/sustainability/2491/statewide
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