How we got started...
In December 2006, the Food Bank of South Central Michigan partnered with the Battle Creek Community Foundation to bring country singer 
Kathy Mattea to Battle Creek to present the global warming slide show "An Inconvenient Truth." Over 200 community residents attended the event. After the presentation, the Battle Creek Community Foundation, through its strategic focus area "Livable Community," invited interested residents to an organizational meeting to help determine what Battle Creek area residents could do to address the climate change issue.
This group adopted the name Climate Change Coalition (CCC), and as a Community Project Fund of the Battle Creek Community Foundation developed preliminary steps and strategies to bring awareness and action to the community.
On April 14th, 2007, the CCC participated in the National Day of Climate Action by holding an event at Lakeview Square Mall. Vendors and displays provided information on how to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. The CCC gave away CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) to anyone willing to commit to saving energy. Mayor John Godfrey signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, giving the city of Battle Creek a starting point for reducing carbon emissions.
In May 2007, the Climate Change Coalition officially organized, wrote bylaws, and elected officers and standing committee chairs. They adopted the mission "to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by raising awareness in the Battle Creek area of the issues surrounding climate change."
