The Works, Inc. is helping redefine what community development looks like in Memphis, one of four focus cities where Kresge does long-term, place-based work. The Works’ comprehensive neighborhood revitalization and community development efforts in historically underserved Memphis neighborhoods strengthen pathways to stronger, safer communities for families. This looks like affordable housing programs, food security programs, social services, advocacy and community engagement.

Through its participation in Kresge’s Climate Change, Health & Equity (CCHE) initiative, the organization is deepening its integration of climate resilience, health equity, housing, food systems and environmental stewardship into a comprehensive strategy for neighborhood revitalization.

We spoke with Mike Larrivee, director of regenerative initiatives, and Eric Neimeyer, senior grants coordinator and project manager, about how CCHE is strengthening The Works’ efforts and why climate and health equity are fundamentally community issues.

Q: How do you expect participation in CCHE to influence or strengthen the work you’re doing?

Mike Larrivee: CCHE helps further solidify the role that climate and health equity play within The Works’ broader redevelopment strategy for Memphis. The initiative allows us to strengthen and expand the regenerative lens we’ve been applying across the organization. Whether we’re talking about food security, health, land activation, conservation, agriculture, policy or housing, CCHE creates an opportunity to reinforce how those efforts connect to one another. It gives us an opportunity to redouble our efforts, to focus that regenerative lens on all of our activities across the organization.

Eric Neimeyer: I agree with all of that. One of the most important aspects of CCHE is that it acknowledges something we’ve been learning for years: all of these issues are interconnected. Our organizational story began with affordable housing. But over time we realized that you can’t truly address housing without also addressing transportation, food access, health and other community conditions. CCHE reinforces that understanding. The regenerative initiatives we’re undertaking aren’t separate from our core work. They’re part of it.

Q: Why is it important to have spaces like CCHE that bring together people working at the intersection of environment and health?

Neimeyer: These spaces are more important than ever because there are fewer public resources dedicated to this work. We’ve worked with federal partners on projects like urban heat monitoring, and we’ve seen firsthand how support for climate-related initiatives can change. As a result, more responsibility is falling to organizations, communities and foundations. It’s really valuable seeing Kresge rise to the occasion and say, “We’re committed to this whether others are or not.” The reality is that solving climate and health challenges requires commitment from all sectors. Everyone needs to be committed to this if we’re going to stand a chance.

Larrivee: Another important contribution of CCHE is the national network it’s helping build. Connecting organizations that are addressing similar challenges in different cities creates opportunities to share knowledge, build relationships and strengthen collective impact.

We’ve already seen those benefits through visits and conversations with partners in places like New Orleans. What you’re hoping for, aiming for, strategically building toward is already starting to happen.

Q: What value comes from learning alongside organizations doing similar work in other communities?

Neimeyer: Environmental and climate work is still relatively new terrain for many community-based organizations. Many organizations recognize the importance of this work and want to be involved, but they don’t necessarily have decades of experience or access to technical expertise. Sometimes it can feel like everyone is trying to figure things out on their own. That’s why spaces like CCHE matter. They allow organizations to share lessons learned, discuss challenges and exchange ideas about what’s working and what isn’t. We don’t really have a set of best practices to lean on. Being able to learn from one another helps everyone move forward more effectively.

Larrivee: Passion is important, but expertise matters too. One thing that makes The Works unique is how we’ve built our team. We have specialists with expertise in geology, biology, conservation, GIS, environmental science and community development working alongside policy and community engagement professionals. Having the hard skill sets to create a plan that’s based in science and strategy and data is what’s going to bring that hammer down. We’re excited to share what we’ve learned with partners across the CCHE network and learn from them as well.

Q: What’s one thing you’d like people to understand about climate change and health equity work?

Neimeyer: The biggest thing I’d want people to understand is that climate and health equity work is community work. Yes, it can require specialized expertise. But it isn’t separate from the work community development organizations have been doing for decades. It’s people work. Climate challenges affect where people live, how they move, what they eat and how healthy they are. Addressing those challenges means working directly with communities.

Larrivee: For too long, people have viewed human activity and the environment as separate things. But they’re not. Human health and environmental health are the same thing. That’s one reason I appreciate the way CCHE has framed this work. The initiative explicitly recognizes the connection between environmental systems and community health.

Creating meaningful change requires people with many different skills and perspectives. It takes scientists, policy experts, community leaders, advocates and residents working together toward a shared goal. The aggregate of all that skill and drive and focus is the reason The Works is what The Works is.

Want more Memphis stories exploring the connection between health equity and community development? On Kresge’s PathBreakers podcast, Marlon Foster of Knowledge Quest discusses how his team is helping Memphis families build economic mobility. Listen or watch on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.