At ION Solar, our community is at the heart of our values. ION Earth is ION Solar’s charitable arm that gives back to its communities by donating premium solar panels to families and organizations. We install a complete system to a family in need for every two megawatts (mW) worth of energy installed. With the help of solar energy, these families can save money on their electricity bills and afford to live out their dreams.

Let's take a look at our ION Earth donations throughout the 2020 year:

Newport News, VA - Niyonzima Family

Our first ION Earth install of 2020 took place on February 1st in Newport News, VA. Our team installed the free solar system on the home of the Niyonzimas, Habitat for Humanity's 201st family.  

Sam Niyonzima, father of the Ugandan family stated, “I am so excited because this is something I didn’t know I would be able to get in my life. I shall use the money that I save on utility costs on buying scholastic materials for my kids and saving money for my kids when they go back to school in the future for college.”

Feeding America

In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, ION Solar employees and customers quickly came together to commit to giving back to the community and helping those in need. For every customer who purchased a solar system in April, ION donated meals to Feeding America. ION Solar donated over 300,000 meals to Feeding America due to these efforts. 

Jeremy Call, President of Sales for ION Solar stated, “We want to thank every customer for their commitment to their community and to making the earth a cleaner place for future generations by choosing to go solar for their energy needs. We aim to make giving back an imperative part of our company culture and we wanted to help our customers’ decision to go solar make an even bigger impact to our communities by donating meals to those in need during this time of uncertainty.”

Herriman, UT - Veteran Bryant Jacobs

Our next ION Earth installation took place in Herriman, Utah on August 1, 2020. The Jacob's received a free solar system for their custom home built by Homes For Our Troops. Army Specialist Bryant Jacobs was serving in Iraq when he was severely injured. Homes For Our Troops presented Bryant with his specially adapted custom home in September 2009. Since then, he’s held an annual golf tournament for Homes For Our Troops to pay it forward, raising almost $80,000 in seven years. 

During the ION Earth installation, Bryant stated, “I can’t believe that there are 20 guys out there that are willing to be here on a Saturday morning in almost 100 degree weather just to put solar on my roof. To be honest, this whole experience has been absolutely phenomenal. The positivity, you don’t get that with a lot of careers where people are like ‘this is what I do and I love it.’ It feels like they want to be here to hang out and be a part of this. I can’t thank ION Solar enough for everything. This is amazing!”

Austin, TX - Billy Jackson and Clara Cage

Our last ION Earth install of this year took place on September 12, 2020 in Austin, Texas. Billy Jackson and Clara Cage received a free, custom solar system tailored to the needs of their Habitat for Humanity home. This house was Billy Jackson’s boyhood home in 1972. In 1976, Mr. Jackson left to serve in the Army until 1983. In 2006, Ms. Cage and Mr. Jackson moved back into the house and began the process of making the repairs they were able to handle financially. 

Billy Jackson stated, “This will benefit my family because it will help us save on energy costs this year. I’m just most excited about having the solar panels installed in a very quick time. I will be able to save and conserve more energy. With the money I save, I plan on paying a few bills. It will help me with my property taxes. What surprises me the most is that ION came out so quickly to install my panels.”

Animal Foundation

To close out our year of solar gifting, we donated a premium, custom solar system to Animal Foundation. The solar system was awarded to the winner of a silent auction. The Animal Foundation of Las Vegas is now the highest volume single-site animal shelter in America. The Animal Foundation takes in every animal who comes to them in need, no matter how sick or injured. With the support of the community, they can save every healthy and treatable animal.

Our solar donation will be installed on the home of the auction winner. The system will offset energy production and meet the energy needs of the home. Through the help of companies like Animal Foundation, we can power change in the lives of those that need it most.

Every home that switches to solar through ION, helps power even greater change through our ION Earth program. We work together with partners like Habitat for Humanity and Homes for Our Troops to provide solar solutions to homes, businesses, schools, and shelters in need; lessening the burden of high utility costs and doing good for our beautiful earth. If you’re thinking about going solar, know that your switch is transforming other’s lives by providing important solar change.

We look forward to another year full of giving back to our community. Merry Christmas, from your ION Solar family. Make giving back to your community and those in need your priority this holiday season!