Building a Culture of Resilience
Updated: Sep 8
Partnerships Drive Strength: What North Brunswick Built
By Michael Moriarty
Sometimes the most important result of a disaster recovery project is more than what gets rebuilt. It is what a community builds for what comes next.
After Tropical Storm Ida brought damaging flooding to North Brunswick, New Jersey, in 2021, recovery involved local, state, and federal resources, technical expertise, and partners working toward a longer-term goal.
In the summer of 2026, one result of that work became visible when North Brunswick officially opened its new Community Resiliency Center. The center was designed to serve residents year-round and during emergencies. Flood-resilient improvements include enhanced stormwater systems, elevated floodwalls, additional building protections, and raised mechanical equipment. During major events and disruptions, the center can support emergency response, recovery coordination, and residents. During everyday life, it provides space for education, community engagement, and services. That last part matters.
Resilience Between Disasters
A resiliency center has an obvious purpose when something goes wrong. North Brunswick designed this one to have a purpose when things are going right, too. The North Brunswick Food Bank has returned to the Municipal Building, where the center is located, serving residents twice each week. The center has also already hosted community activities. The building, in other words, has become part of the community it may someday be called upon to support during another emergency.
Meridian's Role in a Larger Partnership
Meridian Strategic Services supported North Brunswick as one partner in its recovery and resiliency work. Michael Moriarty, MPA, JD, Senior Emergency Management Consultant with Meridian, served as Meridian's project manager and primary point of contact to the township. Meridian's contracted work included disaster recovery support, coordination with township staff and project partners, FEMA documentation, insurance reconciliation, and grant closeout services. The project itself involved many more hands, organizations, and resources. And that is precisely Michael's Lesson 5 message.
Partnerships drive strength.
Complex recovery and resilience projects rarely belong to a single person or organization. They move forward when people bring different authorities, expertise, resources, and perspectives to a shared goal.
Look at Your Own Partnership Map
Here is this week's leadership challenge: Think about one capability your organization would need in the event of a major disruption. Now ask:
Who would you need beside you to make it work?
And perhaps the more important question:
Have you built that relationship yet?
Lesson 5 is part of Meridian Strategic Services' 10-part Building a Culture of Resilience™ series.
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