As always, please reach out to let us know what else we can be doing to support you or your community on the road to a healthier planet for all!

Community Connection in Framingham at Two Solar Para Todos Outreach Efforts

In the second half of August, MassEnergize took our new Solar Para Todos (Solar for All) program to new heights as we held two events, kicking off the program and engaging with residents in Framingham. 

Solar Para Todos is designed to help low-income renters and eligible Framingham residents save on their electricity bills, with a focus on connecting with the Portuguese speaking community in the area. While engaging with residents at these two kickoff events, we provided information and assistance about the Eversource R2/R4 assistance program, which offers discounts ranging from 10% to 50% for low-income households.

On Friday, August 23, MassEnergize had the privilege of participating at the Pelham Apartments Appreciation Day in Framingham. Fabiane, our program coordinator, engaged with residents alongside our dedicated Solar Ambassadors. In this first event of the program we connected with the Framingham community, addressed their concerns about their electricity bills, and had a successful day on the ground. 

Among the residents we engaged with, we had the pleasure of speaking with two families who were already benefiting from the Eversource programs and showed interest in exploring community solar options. Thanks to one of our bilingual Solar Ambassadors, we were able to meet residents where they're at, translating and explaining how to apply for additional savings through Solar Para Todos.

The following week, on Wednesday, August 28, Fabiane and our Solar Ambassadors joined the folks at Daniel's Table and continued engaging and connecting with Framingham residents. Daniel's Table ensures food security for those in need by providing a steady supply of high-quality, healthy, and nutritious food. The Solar Ambassadors mingled, met new residents, and helped two families subscribe to Community Solar through Sunwealth.

Solar Para Todos is just getting started, so for more details about how you can benefit from our program, click here! And keep your eye out for our official launch, coming soon!

This summer, the  Energize Innovation Lab team in Ghana and two MassCEC funded college interns Will Soylemez and  Moizes Almeida have been hard at work on several software developments. Read below to find out what they've been working on and what's in the making!

 

• • • • Customizing Website Navigation:  With the goal of making our community platform pages integrate more seamlessly with other websites, it is now possible to customize the menus and other navigation links on Community Platform sites. You can access this feature from the admin site by enabling it under Platform Features.  We are grateful for the technical suggestions and financial support from HarvardEnergize to make this possible.

• • • • Website Translation:  In the interest of making our organization more accessible, campaign – and soon community platform – websites can be translated into other languages including Spanish and Portuguese, to better reach non-English speaking residents.  The translated content is produced using Google Translate, which can be manually customized to improve specific translations. This feature is being tested and will be rolled out sometime this month.

• • • • Mobile App:  To reach a new audience and ease current usage, our intern team has developed a Mobile App for IOS and Android phones.  The app has all the features of the Community Platform but is designed for mobile use.  Any community who makes use of it will have their own branded app available in the App Store.  At this stage the MassEnergize App is going through a beta test phase before a general release; if you are interested in participating in the testing phase, please contact us.

Community of Practice

We will be starting our monthly Community of Practice meetings back up this month.   Join us on September 9th at 7:15 for our next COP meeting. 

A separate email will be sent out with a registration link. We're looking forward to seeing many of you there!  If you do not get the registration link by Thursday September 5th but are interested in attending,  please reach out to get your name on the right list.

Thank You to our Beloved
Aimee Powelka!

The MassEnergize team wants to extend a big thank you to our Data Analysis Advisor and Project Coordinator of many years, Aimee Powelka, who is taking a step back from her work at MassEnergize. She's been a valuable member of our dedicated team of volunteers behind MassEnergize. Though Aimee is taking a step back from her role, she will stay on in an advising capacity. We are deeply grateful for the time she's dedicated to our organization!

Looking for Volunteers!

If you, like Aimee was, are interested in stepping into a role at MassEnergize in a volunteer capacity, we are always looking! MassEnergize is able to accomplish the work we do thanks to a dedicated team of volunteers.

 If you are interesting in helping out in the following capacities, please email us at info@massenergize.org.

• • • • • Software consulting
        • Marketing and Outreach consulting
        • Conference Volunteers to help plan our upcoming Annual Community Climate Leaders Conference in 2025!

Dr. Pablo Suarez, in Memoriam

We are very saddened by the passing of a dear friend and supporter of MassEnergize, Dr. Pablo Suarez of Wayland, MA. We had the pleasure of making our acquaintance with Dr. Suarez's creative, influential, and ever-expanding mind at an event we held in November of 2023. He will be dearly missed in our community, and in the broader climate research and action community. Find his full obituary here. 

 

Why Community is Critical for Newburyport's Survival - Energize Newburyport

(September 5th, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm - Newburyport Senior Community Center, 331 High St., Newburyport, MA) 

Newburyport and other North Shore communities face increasing risks from climate change, including higher sea levels, stronger storms, and severe precipitation events. Health risks from heat waves, storm damage, severe winds, and higher food and energy costs are also rising. The need for community resilience has never been more urgent. Prof. Daniel Aldrich’s talk will explore how Newburyport can enhance its resilience by leveraging social infrastructure. Find out more about this event and register here.

Sierra Club Walk & Talk - Energize Franklin and Sierra Club

(September 7th, 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm - Harvard's Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arbor Way, Boston, MA) 

Join the Sierra Club of Massachusetts for a Climate Walk and Talk at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. This is an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the arboretum and for participants to talk openly about their worries regarding ecological and climate issues. Come find support in your concerned community. Find out additional information and register for this event here.

Concord EV Showcase - Cooler Concord

(September 14th, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Bradford Mill, 23 Bradford St., West Concord, MA) (rain date Sept. 15)

Curious about owning an electric vehicle? Join Cooler Concord for an exciting EV showcase at Bradford Mill! Explore a wide range of electric vehicle models, including sedans, SUVs, cutting-edge electric trucks, and e-bikes. Chat with current EV owners to gain firsthand experiences and advice and consult with our experts who will answer all your questions about charging infrastructure, range capabilities, cost savings and a live demonstration on how to charge EVs! Discover how going electric not only helps the environment but also saves you money. Find out more about this event here.

 

Kidde-Fenwal Car Show - Energize Ashland

(September 14th, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm - Kidde Fenwal, 400 Main St., Ashland, MA)

Energize Ashland will participate at the Kidde-Fenwal Car Show by bringing up to 10 local EVs to the car show. Visitors will have the opportunity to discuss the cars with the owners and ask questions. The car show is an annual fun event on the grass, with a live band and DJ, and food and refreshments for sale. See Model T Fords, brand new Corvettes and the latest EVs, and everything nostalgic in between. Learn more about this event here.

Movement Wide Strategy Session for Climate Activists - 350 Mass

(September 15, 9:30 - 5:30 - Brandeis University)

On Sunday, September 15th, Luisa Neubauer a visionary climate activist and a leader of Fridays for Future Germany, is coming to Boston! To make the most of her visit, she's hosting a climate summit where leaders from across our movement will gather to discuss our local, national, and global movement. This event is open to all climate justice activists! Together, we'll see the breadth and potential of our network, and we can set a tone for our work moving forward. Read more about this event here. Please register in advance.

Pepperell Fall Fest - Green Pepperell

(September 21st, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm - Hollis st. Pepperell, MA)

Stop by Green Pepperell's Climate Change booth to learn how you can impact climate change at the Pepperell Fall Fest.

Please help us by sending your community event pictures to  info@massenergize.org. We appreciate your support!

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