Roger Stark was born and raised in Ohio. At 18 years old and fed up with harsh Ohio winters, Roger trekked across the nation, finding himself in sunny San Diego where he was recruited as a Marine. He served during the Vietnam era for three years. He was filled with excitement when he first enlisted, learning quickly what serving this country means – leadership, teamwork, reliability and community service.
After his discharge, Roger worked a series of low-wage jobs eventually finding himself self-employed in Arizona as an independent contractor. After nine years in Arizona, he went back to California in the 1980s where he worked until he had to retire in 2012 due to a cancer diagnosis. After years of treatment, Roger’s doctor finally said he was in remission.
The loss of his job put a major financial strain on Roger especially as his medical and utility bills steadily increased. Roger was grateful to be a homeowner but struggled to keep up with his home maintenance. He was able to secure a loan and get his roof done through the city of Riverside. He was also able to get his trees trimmed through HomeStrong USA, a nonprofit organization that assists veterans with home repairs. He had considered other home improvement projects, like solar energy in the past, but it was just too costly. For years, Roger was paying very high prices for electricity, especially during the summer, which was incredibly difficult on a fixed income.
Luckily, through the city of Riverside and his reroofing loan, Roger was steered in GRID’s direction. Roger enjoyed GRID’s simple application process, the kind and informative outreach coordinators, and hardworking construction team. The day of install, Roger met the construction crew – eight of whom were veterans and one active military member. Roger was ecstatic. He felt proud that his solar installation could foster an environment in which veterans could help and teach one another. He stated, “The brotherhood of the military goes beyond active duty service. It should be with you throughout your life and GRID helps foster that relationship.”
Roger is excited about the savings he will see on his utility bill. It will allow him to better manage his funds and improve his quality of life. He has even spread the word about GRID and referred his girlfriend who avoids running the air conditioner or heater because of the excessive costs. He does not hesitate to let friends and neighbors know about GRID’s no-cost solar program because, “GRID’s mission is a wonderful project. You can’t go wrong trying to see if you qualify if you want to save money.”
GRID is proud to support veterans through Troops to Solar and help homeowners in need. GRID IE has had 121 veteran job trainees. Additionally, Over 1,400 homeowners have been served. GRID’s Troops to Solar program supports the training and hands-on solar installation of veterans and service members – thanks to a grant from Bank of America and Wells Fargo. GRID also connects volunteers to potential job opportunities with good wages. Most recently, the Native American Veterans Initiative enabled GRID to train Native American veterans to bring solar energy to underserved tribal communities.
GRID IE is participating in Give Big San Bernardino, which takes place Tuesday, November 28. However, your opportunity to give continues through the end of this year. We invite you to assist us with our mission by making a donation. Visit Troops to Solar Donation Page.