Donation to Reduce Energy Burden for Most Vulnerable
Decatur, GA— Solarize Decatur-DeKalb has been helping make it easier and more affordable for the residents of Decatur and DeKalb County to put solar on their roofs and now they’re giving back.
Due to the outstanding level of participation from Decatur and DeKalb County residents, the coalition will be installing solar arrays for seniors qualified through the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project. The solar energy systems will help reduce electricity bills, protect homeowners from future electric utility rate hikes, and enhance MLK Jr. Service Project’s mission of serving the community's most vulnerable citizens.
Solarize Decatur-DeKalb is a community-led initiative organized by a coalition ofpartners including the Decatur Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB), the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club, Environment Georgia, Georgia Interfaith Power & Light, Solar Crowdsource, and several individual local solar advocates.
“We recognize the impacts of climate change affect low-income and black and brown communities disproportionately,” said Michael Black, chair of the Decatur ESB, “These efforts are part of our continued efforts to help the City of Decatur and Dekalb County work towards environmental justice by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. The Solarize Campaign partnership with MLK Jr. Service Project amplifies the benefits of weatherization to make a more just transition to clean energy.”
Since 2003, the MLK Jr. Service Project has been helping fixed and low-income seniors remain in their homes safely, comfortably, and improving their quality of life. “The City of Decatur’s Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project is delighted that Solarize Decatur-DeKalb will be Solarizing homes of our older Decatur residents,” said Mark Sanders, MLK Service Project Interim Chair. “It has been increasingly difficult for these residents to afford to continue to live in the homes and neighborhoods that they love.”
Summit Solar is the selected contractor for Solarize Decatur-DeKalb and will be donating a portion of campaign revenues to the project. “Summit Solar is honored to be part of this donated project for MLK Jr. Service Project houses. We look forward to giving back to the community responsible for this program's great success,” said Jordan Clark, Regional Sales Manager for Summit Solar.
This is the second such donation from Solarize Decatur-DeKalb. “Each campaign seeks to donate one or more solar installations serving the wider community. Global Growers was the recipient of the first Solarize Decatur-DeKalb campaign in 2016,” said Don Moreland, founder of Solar Crowdsource. “With this donation, Solarize Decatur-DeKalb aims to prioritize the needs of vulnerable and marginalized members of the community.”
Over 400 Decatur and DeKalb County residents have signed up for the Solarize Decatur-DeKalb program so far, adding over 500kW of new solar energy, and leading to the lowest-cost pricing since Solarize programs came to Georgia in 2015. Residents must sign up at solarizedecatur-dekalb.com by September 30th to qualify for group discount pricing and get a free evaluation.
About the MLK Jr. Service Project: The Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project is a part of the Community Center for South Decatur (CCSD) and operates in partnership with the City of Decatur and is supported through grants and private donations, both financial and in kind. CCSD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
About Solarize Decatur-DeKalb: Solarize Decatur-DeKalb is the second community-based group-purchasing program for solar energy, battery storage, and other clean energy technologies that helps homeowners, businesses and nonprofits become more resilient, reduce energy expenses, and save on the cost of renewable energy.
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