Clay Chism and Bilal Qassem are from different parts of the world that are no strangers to conflict. But these two sure know that the key word in team leader is “team”. Their friendship stands out among the crew of volunteers, as they work together to help one another achieve important goals.

GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles (GLA) held its first all-women solar installation of the year. Under the leadership of GLA’s Team Leaders Ilana Feingold and Vivi Fuentes and the guidance of Solar Installation Supervisor Sal Torres, ten volunteers completed the installation of a 2.3 kilowatt system for the Yanez family in Long Beach.

GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic landed on the map “not with a whisper, but with a bang, a big bang,” as District of Columbia Housing Authority Director Adrianne Todman put it. Around 300 people came out to help us install 19 kW of clean, renewable solar power for ten deserving families, and spread the word that solar can and should benefit everyone.

We're launching our Solar Affordable Housing Program in the Mid-Atlantic region! The EPA's Gina McCarthy, HUD’s Julian Castro, & White House officials came out to celebrate with us and shine a spotlight on access to solar power for low-income families.

Here in Shannon County, South Dakota, poverty is endemic, perpetuated by substandard housing and lack of economic infrastructure. In the Pine Ridge reservation and surrounding communities, a growing population of Native youth struggles with uncertain opportunity. Tribal and community leaders are facing these obstacles down by embarking on a path of sustainable community development that embraces cultural values and self-determination.

GRID volunteer Wendy Campa writes about her first days on the job with SolarCity. She is the first female installer in her local SolarCity office.

Our Hollister Summer Immersion in Solar enabled us to provide volunteers and job trainees with real-world experience through hands on training in solar installation both on the roof and the ground. It also gave us a chance to pilot Troops to Solar and Students for Solar, two of our new Workforce Development Initiatives and enabled us to have two Women’s Builds as part of our National Women in Solar Initiative.

Sal Torres got to say thank-you in person to Wells Fargo for its support of GRID's job training program, which propelled him into a solar career.

On Saturday, June 28th, GRID Alternatives Central Valley kicked off its participation in GRID's National Women in Solar Initiative with an all-women’s crew providing installation expertise. On this crew were six extraordinary women from the surrounding area that helped install solar on a Habitat for Humanity home located in Clovis, California.