Solar Responders in Morovis, Puerto Rico

Dear SR Family,

I hope all is well. The Solar Responders team sends our thoughts to those impacted by hurricane Humberto in Bermuda and along the East coast. Humberto reminded us that the whole Caribbean remains vulnerable and that thousands of families in Puerto Rico are still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Maria, over two years ago. We honor the community leaders, non-profits, and first responders who are leading efforts to rebuild and protect their communities.

Solar Responders is planning for the next hurricane season by working directly with the Puerto Rico Fire Department, government officials, and leaders on the ground to successfully integrate solar and battery storage on each fire station. By providing a renewable, resilient back-up system, along with a 5-year maintenance plan, Solar Responders is making investments that are tangible, locally controlled, and sustainable.

In January, I will be moving to Puerto Rico to work with government officials to develop a plan to scale our life-saving mission and fill a widening gap:

• The Fire Department operating and capital budget has been cut year after year, threatening the community's safety and storm resiliency
• Many fire stations on the island experience daily brownouts. The Solar Responders installation in Rincon, Puerto Rico recorded 45 specific outages, totaling 34 hours of backup power provided by our installation.
• As hurricanes become stronger and more frequent, Solar Responders is meeting the fire department's demand for reliable renewable energy so that they can continue to save lives when a natural disaster hits the island

This summer, I was fortunate to spend time in Montana and Washington States. While hiking in the National Parks, I was overcome with the notion that the livelihood of future generations depends on how we respond to changes happening to the planet today. It is an honor to work with the Puerto Rico Fire Department to save lives today while protecting the planet for future generations. 

The Solar Responders team is grateful for your ongoing support. Your trust means so much to us and our partners in Puerto Rico. Please continue to support and share our mission.

Abrazos,
Hunter Johansson
Founder and CEO

Links:

• Our project is featured on the Clean Energy Group website

Dear Solar Responders community, 

This is Hunter Johansson, CEO of Solar Responders. I am so grateful to you for your individual financial contribution and heartfelt messages. The Atlantic Hurricane Season is here and the Solar Responders team is working hard to raise the necessary funding to install solar and storage on all fire stations in Puerto Rico's most impacted communities. Following our most recent installation in Culebra, 81 of 94 fire stations, including Morovis, have yet to be outfitted with solar power and battery storage. Your continued financial support, your encouragement and the ways you are spreading the word to raise awareness of our work is helping us to complete our mission. 

Morovis, Puerto Rico is a community of more than 30,000 residents, located in the middle of the island. In the aftermath of Maria, residents were unable to receive aid and recovery because roads were blocked and bridges damaged. First responder stations had no power and residents were left extremely vulnerable. Solar Responders is honored to partner with Global Giving to ensure that first responders can effectively respond to emergencies when the next natural disaster occurs. 

Thank you to all of our donors and monthly contributors. Because of you Solar Responders has raised over $1,700. We are grateful for ongoing support from actor Mark Ruffalo, writer Colin Jost, and actress Scarlett Johansson who have all pledged to remain very active in the organization's mission.

We are planning new social media strategies and events to help raise money to complete our mission. We cannot do it without your help. Please share the Global Giving donation page and our website with your networks. Every time you help us amplify our message, your investment leads to greater impact. We are so thankful for your ongoing support. Together, we will build a more resilient Puerto Rico.

Un Abrazo,

Hunter Johansson

Solar Responders, CEO