Ohio Environmental Outreach Partnership
An education, training, networking, research, and resource development project that joins the efforts of the Ohio Council of Churches (OCC) and The Ohio State University (OSU) to support the growing work of environmental justice and stewardship in Ohio faith communities.

Background: In what has been called the last best hope for environmental progress in the United States, religious communities are increasingly applying their social and moral traditions to address local and global environmental concerns.  To empower this work, partnerships between scientific, religious, and environmental communities are being established nationwide.  In Ohio, much work has already been accomplished through OCC’s participation in the Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign, and through the broader work of OCC’s Environmental Justice and Earth Stewardship Task Force.  In other states, stand-alone Creation Care organizations are mobilizing to supply resources and support for a broad range of environmental ministries.  This project of Environmental Outreach to Ohio Faith Communities aims to build on these precedents; it is the first project in the nation to link a Land Grant University’s Extension networks with those of the state Ecumenical Council to provide environmental outreach and support.

Project Elements: In order to empower the environmental work of Ohio faith communities, this project will develop several new programs to complement existing efforts.  First, it will develop a web-based clearinghouse of online resources, to make the growing body of faith-based and other environmental resources more accessible.  This will include education and advocacy materials from across the nation, and links to the full body of existing resources and programs developed in Ohio by OSU Extension and its partners.  Second, it will sponsor needs assessment and outcomes research to more accurately identify what resources can best assist Ohio faith communities in their environmental work.  Third, it will provide direct outreach and consultation to churches and other faith-based groups seeking help in developing their environmental ministries, through workshops, talks, conferences, and networking assistance. Success stories from communities around the state will be compiled on the web site.  Finally, it will provide training workshops to Extension and other environmental professionals in Ohio to help them work more effectively with communities of faith.