The scale and pace of disasters impacting communities across California is increasing, in part due to human-caused climate change. The University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) received funding from USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture for a project called ‘Disasters Happen' to catalog disaster resources available across UC ANR programs and initiatives. One outcome of this project is a new guide for the UC ANR community called Disasters Happen, We Can and Will Be Prepared: Disaster Preparation and Response Guide for the UC ANR Community. The guide was made available online in January 2021 on the UC ANR Disasters Happen project website. The guide provides information on the increasing need for disaster preparedness, the importance of preparing for disasters ahead of time, UC ANR's involvement in disaster readiness, response and recovery, relevant organizations, disaster resources within UC ANR, disaster preparedness requirements for UC ANR, and more. The guide also features a case-study of how the Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) rapidly adjusted existing projects and joined forces with partners to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic to support food security for low-income families and children.
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