On a warm fall evening on October 2nd, 2025, Greenbelt Alliance supporters and partners gathered in the beautiful oasis garden of supporter Sandy Moll for our South Bay Happy Hour.
New and longtime friends came together for this annual event to learn about our work in the South Bay and celebrate the community that makes it all possible. To everyone who joined us—thank you for making the evening so inspiring. Together, we’re building a Bay Area where every community can thrive in the face of climate change.
Check out photos from the event
As communities face urgent challenges from extreme heat, floods, and wildfires, our South Bay Resilience Manager Victorina Arvelo shared the latest updates on initiatives that will help communities like Gilroy—one of our Bay Area Resilience Hostpots—and East San José prepare and adapt.
Thanks to our local partnerships and supporters, we’re already making an impact:
- On the ground in Gilroy and East San José, we’re helping launch plans for resilience hubs and cooling centers, safe spaces that will protect residents during climate emergencies. Last November, we launched an emergency preparedness toolkit as a resource to communities in Gilroy. Learn more.
- With the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative (SC4), we’re building a first-of-its-kind Resilience Hub Working Group, creating a countywide model and guidebook to help neighborhoods prepare for climate threats close to home.
Donations made at the event will:
- Help provide emergency supplies to community members, including first aid kits, water filters, and solar-powered chargers.
- Fund listening sessions or workshops where neighbors come together to share their needs and shape their community’s future.
- Provide stipends to community members, ensuring their voices guide resilience hub planning.
If you are interested in getting involved and supporting our work in the South Bay, please reach out to Victorina at varvelo@greenbelt.org.
This annual event aims to bring together both new and longtime South Bay supporters to receive updates about Greenbelt Alliance’s work and learn ways to plug in. Board members, staff, local government officials, and residents mingle over wine and hors d’oeuvres and discuss visions for a climate-resilient Bay Area. Revisit previous events here
