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Planting Seeds of Hope.
Me. We. Hope. These three words capture the heart of Climate Hope Affiliates. Alone, we can only do so much, but together we can experience the hope that comes from taking action with others. In communities across the country, our chapters are making hope tangible. We started in 2025 with a clear focus on advancing solutions to the interconnected crises of climate change and societal injustice. For us, this is a calling, and we fulfill this calling by utilizing an often overlooked and underutilized form of "people power." We successfully affect change by utilizing the power of sustained relationships of influence with members of Congress, the local media, and the larger community.
What does this look like in practice? It looks like regular meetings with your congressional office. It looks like published letters to the editor and op-eds that mention your member of Congress by name in connection to the legislation we are advancing. It looks like engaging your community by screening a powerful video about an environmental injustice and then inviting the audience to write postcards that will be hand-delivered to their congressional office. Exercising power through relationships takes time and commitment. The truth about democracy is that it's the long game. And the long game takes faith. Faith that showing up and taking action matters. Fortunately, we've already seen our efforts pay off. In January, sustained pressure led to Congress rejecting the Trump administration’s proposal to cut EPA funding by 55%. Now we're taking on pollution from data centers by championing two bills in Congress. None of this happens without local leaders. When we start a chapter, we have a motto: we are looking for the people who are looking for us. Our local leaders are connectors of people who come together to accomplish amazing things none of us can accomplish alone. |
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Join us. Start a chapter. Build a bigger "we."
If you are interested in starting an affiliate in your area, let us know!
We have now launched our first eighteen affiliates in Lehigh Valley (PA), Framingham (MA), the East Bay of Northern California (CA), Concord (NH), Carlisle (PA), Lancaster (PA), Atlanta (GA), Cleveland (OH), the eastern suburbs of the Cleveland area (OH), Shasta (CA), Collegeville (PA), East Lansing (MI), Glen Ellyn (IL), Downers Grove (IL), Worcester (MA), Canal Winchester (OH), Silver Spring (MD), and Billings (MT). If you live near one of these affiliates, we can connect you!p
If you live near one of these affiliates, we can connect you!
Partnerships That Connect Us to a Broader Movement for Justice
Climate Hope Affiliates is a joint initiative of the United Church of Christ and Creation Justice Ministries, which represents 36 different denominations. Our vision aligns with the Equitable & Just National Climate Platform that centers economic and racial justice.
With core leadership from leaders in the environmental justice movement, 346 organizations have signed onto the platform.
If you are interested in starting an affiliate in your area, let us know!
We have now launched our first eighteen affiliates in Lehigh Valley (PA), Framingham (MA), the East Bay of Northern California (CA), Concord (NH), Carlisle (PA), Lancaster (PA), Atlanta (GA), Cleveland (OH), the eastern suburbs of the Cleveland area (OH), Shasta (CA), Collegeville (PA), East Lansing (MI), Glen Ellyn (IL), Downers Grove (IL), Worcester (MA), Canal Winchester (OH), Silver Spring (MD), and Billings (MT). If you live near one of these affiliates, we can connect you!p
If you live near one of these affiliates, we can connect you!
Partnerships That Connect Us to a Broader Movement for Justice
Climate Hope Affiliates is a joint initiative of the United Church of Christ and Creation Justice Ministries, which represents 36 different denominations. Our vision aligns with the Equitable & Just National Climate Platform that centers economic and racial justice.
With core leadership from leaders in the environmental justice movement, 346 organizations have signed onto the platform.
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Annual Earth Summit
In April, the Atlanta Chapter of Climate Hope Affiliates joined with First Congregational Church of Atlanta to host our annual Earth Summit. The gathering featured the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Samuel as keynote speaker, along with a panel of energy justice champions: Dr. Shalanda Baker, former head of the Office of Energy Justice and Equity at the Department of Energy under the Biden administration; Chandra Farley, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Atlanta; and Brionté McCorkle, Executive Director of Georgia Conservation Voters. |
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At the Earth Summit, we also announced the winner of our fourth annual Climate Hope Art Contest for Children and Youth. Winning art by Leah, Age 12 from First Church in Belfast UCC, Belfast, Maine
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Why We Are Called to do Justice
One could argue that all of us have a self-interest in doing everything we can to address the climate crisis. As Christians, however, we are called beyond our individual lives to love our neighbor and to care for all of God’s creation. To be in right relationship with our neighbors and God’s creation is ultimately at the heart of being in right relationship with God. Another word for being in right relationship is justice. As people of faith, we are called to put justice into action. As Micah 6:8 says, “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?”
Our government plays a central role in how we as a society either further or hinder justice. The Jesuit ethicist William O’Neill once wrote of applying “the church’s moral squint” to how we think of public policy. Such a moral squint evokes scriptures such as Isaiah 10:1-2 which speaks of “unjust laws” that harm the poor and the oppressed, the widow and the orphan.
Today, justice takes many different and interconnected forms. We see this especially in the climate crisis. The burdens of pollution do not fall on everyone equally. Climate-related disasters do not affect everyone the same. Race, poverty, and other societal inequities all play a role in who currently suffers the most and who faces the greatest impending dangers. Often those who have contributed the least to climate change are those who are impacted the most.
One could argue that all of us have a self-interest in doing everything we can to address the climate crisis. As Christians, however, we are called beyond our individual lives to love our neighbor and to care for all of God’s creation. To be in right relationship with our neighbors and God’s creation is ultimately at the heart of being in right relationship with God. Another word for being in right relationship is justice. As people of faith, we are called to put justice into action. As Micah 6:8 says, “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?”
Our government plays a central role in how we as a society either further or hinder justice. The Jesuit ethicist William O’Neill once wrote of applying “the church’s moral squint” to how we think of public policy. Such a moral squint evokes scriptures such as Isaiah 10:1-2 which speaks of “unjust laws” that harm the poor and the oppressed, the widow and the orphan.
Today, justice takes many different and interconnected forms. We see this especially in the climate crisis. The burdens of pollution do not fall on everyone equally. Climate-related disasters do not affect everyone the same. Race, poverty, and other societal inequities all play a role in who currently suffers the most and who faces the greatest impending dangers. Often those who have contributed the least to climate change are those who are impacted the most.
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