Solarthon comes to Fresno on Oct. 8
Officials of the nonprofit invite the public to join "a huge solar block party and fundraiser where GRID Alternatives Central Valley will lead individual, team and corporate work crews to install solar energy systems for several low-income families in one neighborhood, all in one day."
GRID Alternatives says it's able to fulfill it's mission with the help of participants, sponsorships and donations.
The site is the Little Longcheng housing development at Jensen and Willow avenues in Southeast Fresno. The 41-unit development broke ground in 2005, with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development working with Self Help Enterprises and the City of Fresno.
GRID Alternatives provides cheap energy to low-income residents. It's catch phrase is: "Together we'll re-energize communities one rooftop at a time."
GRID Alternatives will be installing 10 solar electric systems in one day on affordable homes in a single neighborhood in partnership with hundreds of community volunteers, Yingli Solar, PG&E, Wells Fargo, Schneider Electric, Walmart, Proteus Inc., Modesto Junior College, the Central Valley Business Incubator and local job trainees.
Each system will provide more than 75 percent of a family's electricity needs for the next 30 years, protecting them from rising energy prices while also preventing greenhouse gas emissions.
GRID did a similar event in San Diego on Sept. 24. It plans others in Templeton on the Central California Coast on Oct. 22 and in Lynwood in the Los Angeles area Nov. 5.
Click here for more information or contact Tom Esqueda at (559) 490-2395 or tesqueda@gridalternatives.org.