Namaste Solar, a local, employee-owned cooperative and Certified B Corporation, has collectively raised $284,000 over the last four years through its Keep the Lights on Colorado campaign, helping 1,031 low-income Colorado families with electricity bill relief.
This annual month-long campaign raises money for Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC), a Denver-based not-for-profit, that helps Colorado households facing energy insecurity afford their energy costs. EOC provides community solar subscriptions that significantly reduce a home’s monthly electricity costs and give long-term stability.
This October’s campaign brought together 14 corporate sponsors and 66 individual donors to raise $50,000 to provide 116 families with community solar subscriptions*. With this season’s colder temperatures and less daylight driving up energy demand, low-income families and communities of color in Colorado are especially vulnerable to getting their power shut off. One in four households struggle with a high energy burden; these households are spending a disproportionate amount of their income on energy bills.
“It is a miracle to get this relief on our utility bill,” shared the Vargas Family, a recipient of EOC’s services. “It means we can use less of our paycheck to keep the lights on. Even if it may not be much to some, it’s huge for our family!”
By making renewable energy more accessible, recipients of the community solar subscriptions gain the cost-saving benefits that come with solar energy. For every $430 raised, each family is provided a year-long subscription, which then saves them more than $900 a year on average off of their electric bill because of the efficiencies of solar.
“This campaign was initially launched in 2020 at the height of the pandemic when thousands of Coloradans were facing financial uncertainty,” said Jenna Stadsvold, co-owner and brand manager at Namaste Solar. “Since energy costs have risen an extraordinary amount. Many of the households who receive help from this campaign are in crisis; so, the impact of this long-term financial relief is significant. I’m really proud of the number of corporate partners and individuals we’ve been able to pull together to raise over a quarter million dollars over the last four years. As a cooperative company ourselves, we see this as one way we can come together with our broader community to help those who need it most.”
Namaste Solar recognizes the community of corporate partners and individuals who contributed this year. Special thanks to Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company, the campaign’s premier sponsor with a $15,000 gift that will support 35 families with a year’s worth of community solar.
Leadership Level Sponsors ($5,000, supporting 12 families each): REC Group and Trimble
Influencer Level Sponsors ($2,500, supporting 6 families each): Alpine Bank, Amalgamated Bank, Conscience Bay Company, NESCO
Promoter Level Sponsors ($1,000, supporting 2 families each): BSW Wealth Partners, BlueDot Advocates, GadellNet, Domoto, NerdyMind, Shirazi Benefits, Wallaroo Hat Company
In-kind promotional support included Lamar, BizWest, KUNC, The Colorado Sound, KUNC, Colorado Real Estate Journal, and Upslope Brewing.
To learn more about this campaign, visit namastesolar.com/keep-the-lights-on-co.
