Moving from Vision to Action in Communities

All infrastructure is local—and it’s our mayors, council members, township supervisors, and county commissioners who struggle first-hand with the devastating impact of catastrophic weather events, failing infrastructure, population loss, and shrinking tax bases that threaten the execution of vital public services. When communities suffer, local government bears the brunt of immediate response and on-the-ground accountability. At the same time, local elected officials are uniquely positioned to understand that economic, environmental, and public health challenges are bigger than municipal borders. This paper describes the process used to secure support for the ReImagine Appalachia Blueprint and provides toolkits for implementing action in local communities and in communities of faith.