Leonard Davenport was born in the unincorporated community of Bard, California located in Imperial County. He grew up in Duarte and moved to San Bernardino in 1942 when he was in the sixth grade. He joined the National Guard in 1949 and was called to active duty in 1950 during the Korean War. After serving in the war, he worked for Norton Airforce base. He was called back to active duty in 1981, until finally retiring in 1985 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Leonard first learned about GRID Alternatives through a phone call he received informing him about GRID’s Energy for All Program, that provides no cost solar to qualified homeowners. The outreach coordinator went over the details of the program and he immediately signed up. When it was explained to him that homeowners typically save up to 80% on their energy bill, he replied, “I am retired on a fixed income, so as a homeowner, the money I will save can be used for necessities such as home repairs.” He said his energy bill is especially higher during the summer months, due to the increase of a/c usage.
Leonard is 88 years-old and has four adult children, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He is on dialysis and due to Covid-19, the only place he can go right now is to his weekly dialysis treatments. “I get to visit with my grandkids on Zoom, but its not the same as seeing them in person,” he said. He looks forward to visiting his family up north, going to a restaurant and seeing his girlfriend.
To find out about GRID’s Energy for All Program and to see if you qualify, visit www.gridsolar.org or contact the Outreach team at 951-465-2864.