Environmental Justice in the U.S.
African Americans are 79% more likely to live near industrial pollution
10% of domestic philanthropic funding goes to BIPOC Communities
Over 1 million African Americans live near natural gas facilities
About
The Community Fund provides solar installs for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color- led nonprofits in the most polluted regions in the United States. Community Fund grants are mission agnostic—if a nonprofit meets essential needs in the community (from arts education to food security services), it’s eligible for a solar install from the Community Fund.
The intersection of social justice and environmental justice is the core of the Honnold Foundation’s work. In the United States, BIPOC communities shoulder a disproportionate burden of the worst environmental impacts.
Oil and gas production and refinement, and the traffic corridors that transport food and merchandise across the country are frequently located in and around BIPOC communities, negatively impacting residents’ health and wellbeing. And all too often, the BIPOC-led nonprofits working to combat these impacts and serve the needs of their communities are underfunded, receiving 76% fewer unrestricted gifts than their white-led counterparts. The Honnold Foundation acknowledges this gap— and with the Community Fund, we’re doing our part to repair it.
Partners
Bridging Communities
Since 1980, Bridging Communities has worked to build a safer, more connected community in Detroit, Michigan. Located in the Southwest part of the city, and serving a majority Black and Hispanic neighborhood, Bridging Communities supports elders and their families, ensuring they have access to essential services while fighting the challenges of isolation and loneliness. Bridging Communities provides case management services, helps elders with minor home repairs, and even facilitates friendly visits to connect elders to other members of the community. Bridging Communities’ 19kW solar install will save over $4,000/yr—and all of that money will go right back to supporting seniors and families in Detroit.
United Parents Against Lead (UPAL)
United Parents Against Lead (UPAL) fights back against the threat of lead poisoning and environmental hazards for families throughout Virginia. Since 2004, UPAL has worked with homeowners and community centers in Petersburg, Virginia, to rid their community of lead contamination. Petersburg, an 80% Black city, lies within a floodplain. Consequently, year after year, flash floods cause rampant property damage and boil water advisories, leaving many in the city seeking shelter as they repair their homes.
Now, UPAL is converting one of Petersburg’s oldest historic buildings into the community’s first Solar Resiliency Hub. Classrooms will be used for solar installation workshops, entrepreneurship classes, mold and lead remediation training, and more. The Hub will also provide refrigerators for medical storage, food storage, and public electricity access in the event of power outages or flooding. UPAL’s 19.5kW installation will save UPAL $5,000/yr and produce enough electricity to power the entire building.
Congress of Communities
Congress of Communities (CoC) leads the collaboration of residents, youth, and stakeholders to foster a more vibrant and sustainable community in Southwest Detroit. Since 2010, CoC has advocated for education and public safety reforms, organized community conversations across lines of difference, and energized residents through their grassroots leadership development programs. Now, they’re repurposing and remodelling a vacant property that will serve as their team’s headquarters and a vital community gathering space for years to come.
Recent studies show how Southwest Detroit’s predominantly Black and Hispanic residents suffer from disproportionately high levels of asthma and heart disease as a result of environmental pollutants. Their rooftop solar installation will allow CoC to allocate more of their budget towards their essential community programs, and build a cleaner, healthier future for all Detroiters.
“Dominion Energy has overcharged Virginia ratepayers in excess of $400 million. We’ll soon say to Dominion “we’re done, we now get our energy from the SUN.”
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