Provide 10 Solar Heaters to Native Families

Please help us reach our goal of donating 10 solar heaters to Lakota Families and make a donation on GlobalGiving's Bonus Day - March 14, 2012! Each of our heaters bring free, clean heat to Native American families in need, and they reduce the use of fossil fuels while stimulating tribal economies.

There are a lot of exciting new developments from Trees, Water & People's Tribal Renewable Energy Program that I wanted to share with you:

1. We took our first ever trip to the Navajo Nation where we installed a demonstration solar air heater. Now, Pete and Eva Stokely are enjoying their new solar heater and saving money on their heating bills each month. We look forward to working with Navajo Green Jobs to train Diné students in how to install these solar air heating systems, so that dozens of Navajo can enjoy their own renewable energy systems.
2. We are building the Red Cloud Training Annex at the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center to house trainees more comfortably. Now, our renewable energy trainees will have comfortable living quarters including an awesome learning space, great dormitories, and a nice kitchen and dining area.
3. As I type this update, the beginning phases of our new Food Security Program are beginning. Henry Red Cloud and a group of student volunteers are clearing the ground where we will build our greenhouses and plant raised beds to highlight the health and environmental benefits of fresh, home-grown food. The project will also focus on the cultivation and consumption of traditional Lakota foods.
4. The 2012 project which I’m most excited about is our Business Development Program. In response to frequent suggestions through trainee surveys, this will be the first year we offer our renewable energy trainees the option to receive Business Development Training as well. This course will be geared toward developing businesses on reservations – a very different undertaking than starting an enterprise “off reservation.” Learning from our success in helping establish Lakota Solar Enterprises, we hope that our Business Development Program will inspire the emergence of Native-owned renewable energy companies across the Great Plains.

Thank you for supporting the Tribal Renewable Energy Program one heater at a time! These simple, efficient units are the core of our Tribal Renewable Energy Program and your support makes this program a success. We hope you will take the chance to make your donation go even further and donate to our project on Wednesday, March 14th, Bonus Day!