Love City Strong : 2022 Outlook

In 2017, a group of volunteers came together that would become Love City Strong. I doubt any of us could imagine that day what the next four years would bring. Certainly pandemics were not on our horizon at that time!

Since then, LCS has worked with the public and private sector on projects relating to disaster response, recovery, and resilience. Resilience is a cross-sector exercise, including preparedness, sustainability, and health and wellness. Our projects are designed to increase the Territory’s capacity across all of these sectors.

In 2020 and 2021, LCS, like the rest of the world, had to adapt to new realities. Our COVID-19 related projects included:

• Outreach and education about COVID-19
• Food security
• COVID-19 vaccine outreach
• Logistical support

Notably, these public health projects often overlapped with the familiar rhythms of hurricane season. The past two years have reinforced the importance of an “all hazards” approach to disaster risk management, preparedness, and response. The disasters that affect us are becoming markedly more complex and layered. Therefore, we must be creative in our approach to addressing community needs, both before and after disaster impacts.

In 2022 our commitment to preparedness will remain a top priority. However, we will also look toward a resilient future by focusing on mitigation efforts in the community. These efforts aim to reduce harm or damage, particularly from potential future impacts.

Throughout the pandemic we have strengthened our ties with nonprofits across the USVI. Equally important, we have built upon strong foundations with our partners in the States. Training and planning exercises in the USVI have become more accessible, consequently increasing engagement among partners. These and other developments allow us to stretch our skills even further in service of the community. We look forward to a year full of fruitful partnership opportunities and ongoing community recovery.