On a cold November morning, just three days before Thanksgiving, volunteers gathered in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of Queens, NY to help install solar power on the home of Fred Cotton and Sallie Phelps. This was a special day, as just two years prior, Fred and Sallie’s holiday season was marred by Superstorm Sandy. "For more than 2 months, during the most joyous time of the year, the holidays, we were without power," Mr. Cotton recalled.
Thanks to the volunteers and support provided to GRID Alternatives NY Tri-State by Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation, Fred and Sallie are among many homeowners in their affordable housing community to go solar through GRID’s Solar Affordable Housing Program. "GRID Alternatives will have a huge impact here in Far Rockaway in benefitting the low-income homeowners who were given a series of bad breaks after the hurricane,” said Fred. “The financial savings that the solar system provides will be a welcomed relief for those hit hardest by Sandy."
Fred and Sally’s installation was one of five sponsored by Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation in 2014, and will generate 2.5kW of clean solar power, saving him $25,000 over the lifetime of the system. Environmentally, his system will prevent 59 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to planting nearly 1400 trees. Taken together, the five completed installations will generate over $158,000 worth of clean power for low-income families.
And the cheer doesn’t stop there. GRID Alternatives installs are also teaching opportunities for job trainees wanting to get experience in the solar industry. On Fred and Sallie’s roof were job trainees from Green City Force, a program that helps young adults living in New York public housing explore green careers and get the basic skills they need for college and/or employment; as well as trainees from Non-traditional Employment for Women, an organization that prepares, trains and places women in careers in the unionized building and construction trades. Janet Nash, an electrician, community garden advocate and solar student, started volunteering in 2013 to gain hands on installation experience and has already logged more than 120 hours volunteering with GRID Alternatives - hours that she can tout in her resume to help her find work.
Thank you to Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation for providing more than financial support -- for providing opportunity, relief and the spirit of hope to make this holiday season much brighter for the community.