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It was dark outside when Nakia and her sons, ages nine and thirteen, woke up to get ready for school on the morning of November 18th, 2018. As they drove to school, they looked up at the sky and saw what looked like snow falling.

It wasn’t until they pulled into the school that they realized the town was being evacuated. So, they rushed home to pack a few things and get their cats. Leaving their home for the last time, the air was thick with smoke and the ash was “raining down” as they saw the “flames and fire crews speeding past” them.  

A $300,000 grant from Bank of America is helping to fund the SolarCorps Fellowship Program, which has up to 40 SolarCorps Fellows complete one-year, full-time paid positions focusing on solar installation, community outreach, and workforce development in GRID offices across the country. Throughout their year of service, participants from diverse backgrounds gain valuable experience and skills in the solar energy and nonprofit industries, helping to launch their renewable energy careers, while making significant contributions to the communities GRID serves.

“Partnering with GRID Alternatives on its workforce development program supports our commitment to the environment and access to clean energy jobs for Black, Hispanic-Latino, and Native American communities,” said Alex Liftman, global environmental executive at Bank of America. “At the same time, GRID Alternatives is doing important work to expand access to clean, affordable energy in communities that previously have not had access to such power sources.”