Greetings from Portland!

This is Leo, your friendly Portland Summer of Solutions Program Leader! I’m just writing to inform you about some of the exciting things that have been happening around Portland.

Two weeks ago, we signed our first Memorandum of Understanding with a local community partner, Million Monarchs! Million Monarchs focuses on individual and community solar power projects, specifically seeking to connect residents of low income communities to the resources they need to finance solar power installations. This is not only good for the environment, but actually saves money in the long run!

This summer, Portland Summer of Solutions will work with Million Monarchs to raise community awareness of their solar installation efforts through their inclusion as an item on our survey-challenge model of community engagement! Furthermore, Summer of Solutions participants will work directly with Million Monarchs to create and implement strategies to raise awareness of individual and community solar projects in the deep Southeast neighborhoods of Portland!

Hope everything’s going well across the country!

Leo