23 SunPower employee volunteers were on site in March to help bring solar to Marcus Garvey Commons--a 22-unit multifamily development in West Oakland.

On a cool Saturday morning in the Ocean View neighborhood, Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco held an emotional celebration dedicating 28 new affordable homes for low-income families, with a solar system - installed by GRID Alternatives - on every roof. The development, called Habitat Terrace, arose from what was once a vacant lot to become beautiful three story homes for families in need.

Welcome to our new Staff Spotlight feature, where we share a brief interview to introduce you to some of our amazing staff members here at GRID Bay Area! This month we’d like to introduce you to our newest Solar Installation Supervisor Andrew Hayes. He’s the type of guy who fixes up old VWs and rides a purple BMW motorcycle named Barney. Quick to smile and patient while teaching, he’s a great person to meet and learn from when you’re out in the field. Keep checking back to meet more fabulous GRID Bay Area staffers!

Juan Soto, a political refugee from Chile, and his family went solar -- and got a whole new roof -- through a new partnership with GRID and the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Housing.

Nine Mendocino College students installed a 20-panel PV solar system for a member of Pinoleville Pomo Nation residing in a culturally-inspired and sustainability-minded prototype home.

“I know that one day, people will tell your story and say that you have changed the world” – Beatrice Sonfack at TechWomen

The first day I ever spent on the roof with GRID Alternatives, I happened to look across the freeway and see a few tall houses with all black solar arrays in a row. I realized the GRID customer community - low-income families with access to solar - is small compared to the relatively more privileged community with easy access. GRID’s mission started to resonate, make solar practical and accessible to the people who could truly use it. It’s the reason I became a GRID Team Leader, finishing 14 installs in the last 12 months.

I would like to say thank you to the strong group of volunteers and job trainees that I have met this past year as the Workforce and Volunteer Fellow at GRID Alternatives Bay Area. I am continuously humbled by your heart and passion for the communities we serve and the hope of a cleaner environment. Since I was hired a year ago, together in the Bay Area you have volunteered 3,123 hours, helping us install 134 systems that will save over $3.6 million for the families while preventing nearly 7,519 tons of carbon emissions. This is the carbon offset is the equivalent of planting over 174,906 trees.

After working 20 years in the food service business, Doug Hackett felt unenthused and discontent with the lack of upward mobility in the industry. So when he saw a posting on Craigslist about Rising Sun Energy Center, a leading green training, employment, and residential efficiency organization based out of Berkeley, he jumped at the chance to turn his career in a new direction with Rising Sun and, ultimately, with GRID Alternatives Bay Area.