Bancroft Resilience Hub
People are carrying a lot right now. Daily life feels more expensive, weather events are becoming more extreme and disruptive, and many of us feel increasingly disconnected from one another.
The Bancroft Resilience Hub is working to change that.
We are building a trusted space where people can come together to grow solutions and connections from the ground up—one relationship, one project, and one shared experience at a time.
A place to gather, learn, and support each other.
A Resilience Hub is a physical location in the community that serves people every day and becomes especially valuable during difficult times.
Most of the time, that means hosting activities that bring neighbors together- gardening, workshops, volunteer projects, community meals, and local events. The focus is on connecting to and taking care of the land, and making small positive changes in our lives that serve both people and the planet. These everyday experiences help people build trust, share knowledge, and create the kinds of relationships that make a community stronger.
During emergencies such as extreme heat, poor air quality, power outages, or other disruptions, the Hub can also provide practical support, including cooling space, clean indoor air, communication resources, food support, charging access, and community coordination.
The Hub’s central idea is that the connections we build here every day – and having a trusted space to turn to – will help us respond more effectively when emergencies arise. One of the clearest examples of the Hub in action is the community garden—it grows more than food, it grows relationships.
Watch our video! (password: garden)
Our Partnership with
Bethel Community
Bethel Community Presbyterian Church—or Bethel Community for short—has served the San Leandro community for many years. They have opened their campus for food distribution, community gatherings, social support services and neighborhood events, making them well known as a trusted and welcoming space.
The Bancroft Resilience Hub builds on that foundation through a partnership between Bethel Community and San Leandro 2050. While Bethel Community provides the physical space and brings deep community roots, San Leandro 2050 leads resilience planning, programming, technical project development, and long-term coordination.
Our organizations share a spirit of openness and a commitment to service, community and inclusiveness. Together, we are creating opportunities for neighbors from different backgrounds to connect through gardening, events, workshops, and other community activities while also strengthening long-term resilience.
Building for the Future
The Bancroft Resilience Hub will continue to grow over time in both visible and less visible ways and can ultimately serve as a model for others building similar spaces.
Physical improvements to the campus include upgrades to energy systems, cooling capacity during extreme heat, a community kitchen, and replacing old gas-powered systems with efficient electric equipment that can help the site remain functional during emergencies and power outages.
At the same time, the Hub is investing in people and community connections. As more neighbors join us and bring their own ideas and initiatives, we can expand on the events and activities offered and keep strengthening the social networks that make communities more resilient.
