Survive & Thrive SERIES
Prepared families survive.
Prepared communities thrive.
MAY
JUNE
JULY
Nature & Farm
Resilience also means knowing how to source food, work with the land, and build sustainable systems.
This immersive experience will introduce families to:
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Container gardening & seasonal growing
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Basic animal husbandry
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Beekeeping fundamentals
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Food preservation basics
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Understanding local ecosystems
We reconnect to the land and to skills our grandparents once relied on.
Day Skills Festival (Half Day)
A high-energy, hands-on skills lab for families.
Expect rotating stations covering:
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Knot-tying & shelter basics
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Self-defense fundamentals
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Financial quick-start labs
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Fishing & outdoor basics
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Practical household repair skills
Family Wilderness Challenge Tournament
Our culminating experience.
Families will:
- Face off against each other in a "March Madness" style survival skills tournament
- Demonstrate skills learned throughout the series
- Receive completion certificates, trophies, prizes
Foundations Workshop Recap | Saturday, March 14, 2026 | North Birmingham Public Library
Families stepped into the role of Resilience Rangers, tackling:
- Disaster simulations
- Preparedness challenges
- Hands-on emergency games
Crowd Favorite
Emergency Match-Up Challenge
Teams raced to match disasters with the safest responses, while competing teams tried to throw them off.
Final Scoreboard
Team Survival Ladies
Team Calm
Team Sugar
Team Clarence & Clarence
Real Results
Families left with practical, life-saving skills:
- 72-hour emergency plan
- Emergency kit built and ready
- Financial preparedness strategy
Average preparedness score: 80%
Why Survive & Thrive?
Because resilience is not just about surviving disasters.
It’s about:
Protecting your family
Protecting your finances
Protecting your peace
Building community before crisis hits
We don’t prepare in fear.
We prepare in strength.
Our Mission
Our Vision
Beanstalk equips communities with practical skills, infrastructure, and networks to survive, adapt, and thrive in the face of climate, economic, and systemic challenges.
Beanstalk envisions resilient, self-organized communities where individuals have the skills, resources, and collective power to respond to crises and build sustainable futures without dependency on failing systems.
THRIVING, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Be the spark. Join us in scaling rapid response efforts, activating community resilience projects, and growing a network of climate action hubs that transform our State.
Four Pillars of Community Resilience
BEAN GOOD
BEAN GREEN
BEAN STRONG
BEAN WELL
climate resilience ecosystem
Alabama community climate observatory | BEAN PODS | Climate action leadership academy
Thank you AARP for awarding beanstalk this incredible 2025 Community Challenge grant!
climb the beanstalk!
We are building a statewide network of vibrant community hubs led by passionate frontline community members who are driving climate action where it matters most. Through hands-on workshops, immersive activities, and targeted training, we are equipping local pod members to become the leaders of transformative resilience efforts in their own neighborhoods.
Over the next three to five years, we aim to establish fully operational climate resilience centers across Alabama and the broader South. These hubs will anchor community preparedness, accelerate grassroots climate solutions, and strengthen economic and environmental stability for frontline families.
This is not just programming; it is the foundation of a long-term, community-powered resilience ecosystem. Each pod will mobilize residents to #ClimbTheBeanstalk with us, advancing a safer, stronger, more resilient future for every community we serve.
