Days are growing warmer and as the temperature rises so does the level of eagerness with local Edison High School students that are preparing for graduation. Through a recent installation experience with GRID Alternatives, Yanessa Gonzalez’s excitement caught the attention of GRID staff members.

GRID Alternatives Central Valley is pleased to announce the acceptance of a $10,000 grant through Bank of America’s Charitable Foundation that works to connect communities in order to help improve economic futures by addressing issues relating to jobs, housing and basic human services. Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s focus on workforce development fits with GRID Alternatives’ mission to make renewable energy technology and job training accessible to underserved communities. “We are truly grateful for being the recipients of this grant and we look forward to continuing to impact local families with the funds given” stated Regional Director Tom Esqueda.

When you think of college spring break, you may think of adventurous road trips with friends, parties by the beach, or just catching up on sleep from the previous week of late nights studying for midterms. Instead, a group of 13 students participating in the Alternative Spring Break program from California State University, Fresno partnered with GRID Alternatives to lend a helping hand installing solar panels for two individuals in Fresno’s downtown Lowell District. The Alternative Spring Break program gives opportunity for students to give back and empower local neighborhoods. Fresno State ASB students discussed their motivation to participate on the installs.

On a chilly November morning in 2014, GRID completed its first multi-family installation in Fresno, California at the Viking Village Apartments. As one of the volunteers on this project, Cynthia Mancillas discovered her passion for solar installation. “It was a great feeling knowing my family and the rest of community would benefit from the install.

Last month, GRID Alternatives joined representatives of housing organizations, foundations, finance companies and solar companies from around the country for a White House summit on solar for multifamily affordable housing. Solar has a lot of benefits for housing authorities and other affordable housing owners, and as part of his 2013 Climate Action Plan, President Obama called for 100 MW of solar on Federally-assisted housing.

It’s not every day when opportunity walks through the door and slaps you in the face. But….it happened at GRID Alternatives Central Valley when Irene Morales walked through our doors one wintery day looking to volunteer with us. As luck would have it, through her volunteer efforts and sheer dedication to helping families, Irene became our Development Assistant in December 2013.

What a way to start the year! On January 10, 2015, GRID Alternatives completed its 801st installation in the City of Porterville. GRID Solar Installation Supervisors, a host of volunteers, and members of the Diaz family were on hand to celebrate this installation milestone while enduring winter’s cold chill so common this time of year. Tom Esqueda, GRID’s Regional Director stated that, “we are very proud of the positive economic impact GRID Alternatives has had on families served in this region,

On behalf of everyone at GRID Alternatives Central Valley, we want to take time to thank those who made 2014 one of our most successful years to date.

November 3rd through 7th, 2014 proved to be quite the challenging week for 86 volunteers and staff that braved the fog and cool weather to complete 8 installations for GRID Alternatives’ Central Valley Solarthon 2014. The event was held at the Parksdale Subdivision of Self-Help Enterprises in Madera, California. GRID was once again fortunate to have earned the support from partners throughout the region that included

Good things happen when good things come together. So was the case last Saturday, October 25th, 2014 as GRID Alternatives teamed with Fresno State and Rabobank to complete the third and final installation of Humanics at Fresno State and Rabobank funded solar installations in Reedley, California.