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<br />Page 13 of 24 <br /> <br />were engaged in the <br />creation of this project <br />proposal. <br />engaged with individuals, including: <br />• Patrick Florence, OCS Director of Facilities & Construction <br />• Amy Eckberg, Orange County Sustainability Manager <br />• Lisa Pope, Orange County Soil & Water Education Specialist <br />• John Richardson, Chapel Hill Community Sustainability Manager <br />• Brennan Bouma, Chapel Hill Sustainability Program Analyst <br />• Elizabeth Houghton, Chapel Hill Sustainability Outreach Coordinator <br />• Shauna Farmer, Community volunteer at Orange County schools & <br />Extension Master Gardener for Orange County <br />• Anita Punj, DOC NC Program Director <br /> <br />These consultations informed our understanding of the environmental and <br />social challenges faced by marginalized populations and schools in Orange <br />County. Moving forward, we are committed to actively engaging students, <br />faculty, staff, PTAs, school club leaders, and community members as <br />participating schools are selected. This engagement will include <br />collaborative decision-making on tree species selection, maintenance <br />considerations, and project implementation to ensure that the voices of <br />those most affected are heard and respected. <br />8. Please describe any <br />potential negative side <br />effects of the project and <br />describe the steps you are <br />taking/will take to <br />eliminate or minimize <br />these impacts to any low- <br />income or marginalized <br />communities/households. <br />There are no known negative effects of this project. <br />9. Are the impacted <br />residents already aware of <br />the potential positive and <br />negative impacts of your <br />project and the steps you <br />are taking? If not, please <br />describe your plan to <br />engage with them and <br />how you will act based on <br />their input. <br />Currently, the impacted residents are not yet fully aware of the Shade for <br />Schools - Orange County project, though we plan to engage with the schools <br />and surrounding communities to ensure transparency, inclusion, and <br />responsiveness. Our engagement strategy includes hosting informational <br />sessions at selected schools to introduce the project, explain its benefits, <br />and discuss any potential concerns residents may have. We will provide <br />materials in multiple languages and schedule events at various times to <br />accommodate different schedules and ensure broad participation. <br /> <br />We will also establish a feedback mechanism, such as surveys and focus <br />groups, to gather input from student groups. We are committed to acting on <br />the input received, making adjustments to address concerns and enhance <br />positive outcomes. By fostering an open dialogue and prioritizing community <br />involvement, we aim to create a project that genuinely benefits and reflects <br />the values of the communities we will serve. <br />10. During and after the <br />project, what will your <br />continued engagement <br />with the impacted <br />community be? <br />During the project, TftT will maintain close collaboration with the impacted <br />community throughout every stage, from site and species selection to <br />planting and ongoing maintenance. We are committed to ensuring that <br />these activities are not only conducted with the community but are also <br />guided by their input and needs. TftT will partner with DOC NC to actively <br />engage with students and educators both in the classroom and in the field, <br />providing educational activities and materials that reinforce the importance <br />Docusign Envelope ID: D22675F9-86C0-429B-8CAD-74E02C6C68FC