SEI Welcomes Americorps VISTAs to Coordinate the Delta County Community
Posted by: chris
August 29, 2014
Hello, SEI virtual family! I’m Kristen O’Brien, the first of two Americorps VISTAs to be hired by SEI to coordinate the Delta County Community Revitalization Through Solar Program. This program aims to promote economic development within the county through the creation of a more robust solar market, and thus more local employment opportunities through solar.
SEI is headquartered in Delta County, Colorado–which is on the Western Slope of the state. Delta County has approximately 30,000 people currently residing here. Of those, approximately 12% are living below the poverty line, and 8% of the population is unemployed. Recently close to 300 people became unemployed due to the closure of the Oxbow Coal Mine, one of the three coal mines within 10 miles of Paonia. The mine closure is being felt throughout the community, from schools to businesses to real estate. Renewable energy and efficiency have a role to play in turning this tide. Every job created is one less family that has to leave our community in order to find employment and my job is to help make this happen.
Though this is only my 10th day on the job, I’ve been amazed at the reception and interest that people have expressed regarding this program.We have an ambitious plan for this next year. Since its founding, SEI has been about action and doing. Over the next 12 months, I’ll be sharing with you our successes and lessons learned as we help move this ship.
In March, I started a work-trade position with SEI, and had the opportunity to take seven courses over four months – literally going from no solar knowledge, to leading this program! In short, if I can learn the ins and outs of this industry, anyone can, and hopefully many more people in our community will be able to say the same within the next year. Stay tuned for new developments with the Delta County Community Revitalization Through Solar Program – it’s bound to get exciting!
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