The Accelerator’s public engagement efforts continued to connect community members with opportunities to take meaningful climate action across the Genesee-Finger Lakes region. Regularly active volunteers increased 17% from 2023–2024, with 41 non-CYCG/CAN volunteers contributing repeatedly throughout the year. In total, 265 individuals volunteered across Accelerator programs, including Color Your Community Green, the Climate Advocacy Network, AMPED, community outreach, research, Board, and Committee work. Volunteers remain the foundation of the local climate movement, and the Accelerator deeply appreciates their time, energy, and expertise.

The Rochester Climate March on September 27, 2024, mobilized 150 participants through downtown Rochester to call for stronger action on climate change and ending fossil fuel use. Youth leaders, including members of Rochester Youth Climate Leaders, Sunrise Movement, and Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Rochester, played central roles in organizing the march. More than twenty organizations participated, and many also supported an organizational resource fair at the conclusion of the event. Two New York State Senators, one Assemblymember, and one Monroe County Legislator spoke, and the event received expanded media coverage across print, online, radio, and TV, amplifying its regional impact.

The 2025 Climate Solutions Summit, held April 4–5 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, brought together 240 attendees, including organizational leaders, business owners, government representatives, and community members. Attendance increased slightly over the prior year. Sixty sponsors supported the Summit, and 26 vendors participated in the Better Futures Fair on Day Two. Thirty-two scholarships were provided to increase accessibility for community members. Aligned with the theme “Co-Creating Our Future,” the Summit featured workshops, panels, and activities led by experts across multiple fields, a performance by Garth Fagan Dance directed by Natalie Rogers-Cropper, and a keynote discussion with Kit Miller, Director Emeritus of the MK Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Attendees built skills, knowledge, and relationships to collaboratively envision and advance a healthier, more equitable, and regenerative future for the region.

Looking ahead, planning is already underway for the 2026 Climate Solutions Summit, scheduled for April 24–25 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. The Accelerator will continue to grow volunteer engagement, strengthen community participation in public events, and provide inclusive opportunities for residents to contribute to climate solutions in the region.