Give Solar, a new local project, has launched in Harrisonburg. This effort grew out of the successful Gift & Thrift “solar barn raising” (video here) in November of 2016. Community support from crowdfunding and volunteer labor for the solar installation made the solarizing of Gift & Thrift possible. Three additional solar barn raisings, two in Harrisonburg and one in Ephrata, PA, have since been completed.
Give Solar helps local nonprofits go solar with no out-of-pocket expenses for the organizations. This works through a combination of grant funding (Merck Foundation), affinity group funding, and crowd-sourced funding.
Harrisonburg nonprofit organizations will own the solar system outright from the day it is turned on. Reducing overhead expenses allows these local organizations to better carry out their missions. These projects also contribute to the long-term resilience and sustainability of our community. Helping nonprofits go solar requires our community’s financial and volunteer support.
In the next year, Give Solar will install solar electric systems at two local nonprofit organizations. Our Community Place was selected for the first installation. In November, Green Hill Solar will coordinate a solar barn raising on the roof of OCP. The 17.4 kW solar system will eliminate 75% of OCP’s electric bill, saving them over $3000 each year. These savings will help OCP to better carry out their outreach to people who are experiencing homelessness and other adverse life circumstances.
Please partner with Give Solar to provide OCP its solar electric system. With your individual donation of $20-30, we can raise $10,000 to insure 100% of the costs are covered without any financial burden to OCP.
Give Solar strives to get community members involved through:
- direct participation – either donating your time or money (or a little of both!)
- raising awareness about renewable energy
- by informing the community about the mission of the partner nonprofits.
Please tell your friends & family and share our website, Give.Solar on social networks.
To contribute to the project, click here: PayPal. Donations are being directed through New Community Project, better known in Harrisonburg as Vine and Fig. The Give Solar project is operating under the nonprofit umbrella of Vine and Fig. All PayPal contributions go directly to the Our Community Place solar project. All donations, either by check or through PayPal, are tax deductible.
Lastly, please consider joining the Thousand Forward campaign. Give Solar is building a critical mass of 1000 solar advocates in the Harrisonburg area. Please join us in advocating for renewable energy in our community by joining a Thousand Forward!
Thank you for your support!
Jeff Heie, October 2018
Give Solar Project Coordinator
PS: There are opportunities to become a sponsor of this effort through a larger contribution. Sponsorship will give your business, civic group, or foundation a prominent display of your logo on the Give Solar website as well as the Give Solar promotional documents. Current sponsors can be found at the bottom of the Give Solar homepage.
November 9, 2018 – Megan Williams of the Daily News-Record covered Give Solar’s “solar barn raising” on Our Community Place that took place the day before:
Going Green – Give Solar Installs $25,000 In Panels At Our Community Place
All about GiveSolar’s Solar Seed Fund and news items covering this effort here: https://climateactionallianceofthevalley.org/2021/03/25/give-solar-launches-solar-seed-fund/
Climate Action Alliance of the Valley 