GRID has officially arrived on the East coast! After a successful pilot program in October where we installed seven PV solar systems across the Tri-State region, GRID is here to stay. Everyone from our team was truly inspired by the energy and enthusiasm brought to the project. We hope to sustain this excitement as we continue to spread solar throughout the Tri-State.
In early February we opened our office doors in Brooklyn, NY. Located behind Build It Green!NYC, we are surrounded by fellow green non-profits, including 596 Acres. Our skeleton crew is quickly expanding. We are excited to welcome the newest addition to our team, Kate Shackford. Kate was formerly the Director for Energy and the Environment and Executive Vice President at Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation. Her expertise with NYC’s energy policy and regulations will surely come in handy.
We’ve kept busy and made lots of progress within the last few months. From learning how to file permits to buying office supplies to registering our van, the tasks ranged from the mundane to the complex. The heart of our work dealt with fostering community relationships. We have built successful partnerships with affordable housing developers and job training organizations. Already known to us from our pilot program, we will continue to work with Green City Force. Green City Force is a non-profit that provides young people with opportunities to develop green collar skills, and we are pleased to provide them with a solar training program. We will also provide hands on experience for The Center for Sustainable Energy at Bronx Community College. Some of our community housing alliances include Habitat for Humanity at Monmouth, Affordable Housing Alliance, Margaret Community Corporation, and Borough of Union Beach among others.
The future looks sunny! Within the next month we hope to complete our first install, cultivate new relationships and settle into our East Coast home. With New Jersey in the #3 spot and New York in the #5 spot for the solar market, the Tri-State has enormous potential. At GRID we hope to bring the benefits of solar to low income residents throughout the Tri-state region, so that everyone can share our bright future.