GLA Homeowner List

Name: Jamar Haywood

SCE Community: Compton

Mr. Haywood’s mother received solar panels at no cost more than a year ago. The recommendations from his family made him aware of GRID’s Energy for All program, and he would love to participate. Jamar says that he truly appreciates what people are able to do to help him out with his roof; he has little money available to afford upgrades.

Jamar describes himself as committed to tackling global warming, saving the environment, and caring for wildlife and other animals. He would like to model solar adoption for his community, and says that financial assistance with reroofing will help him stop greenhouse gas emissions and reduce his energy bill.

Name: Carmen Gonzalez

SCE Community: Fillmore

Nearly a decade ago, the Gonzalez family purchased a home in Fillmore. Mr. Gonzalez was a Marine who had recently retired with disabilities. He continues to live in the home with assistance from his children, and despite his limitations, he mentors youth at the local Boys and Girls Club to stay motivated and give back.

Mr. Gonzalez uses an air tank daily and receives aquatic physical therapy weekly. The family always stay positive—even though electric costs are becoming less affordable. Solar would make this veteran’s retirement easier to enjoy.

Name: Yasmin Elizalde

SCE Community: Long Beach

Ms. Elizalde is a positive force in her community. She worked at Kroger for more than thirty years. Four of her children currently live with her while they look for work.

Yasmin appreciates everything her house has allowed her to do, including being an at-home caregiver for her two great-grandchildren. You’ll even see her babysitting for her neighbor’s grandchildren! She says she refuses to have air conditioning because she know she cannot afford it, but solar would lower the monthly cost of central air, improving life for the whole community.

Name: Mary Blakely

SCE Community: Pomona

Ms. Blakely was born in Chicago and plans to spend the rest of her life in Pomona. While she has a variety of health issues, she has access to doctors in the local community who have been successful at keeping her and her husband comfortable.

Mary and her husband, a retired veteran, live on a fixed income. The cost of repairing their roof to get solar is currently beyond their means. With financial assistance for reroofing, the fifty-year Pomona residents can plan for this house to stay in their family another fifty years.

Name: Oscar Acevedo

SCE Community: Lynwood

Mr. Acevedo describes himself as “born and raised in the projects of ELA” (East Los Angeles). He and his wife purchased their beautiful home in Lynwood in 2014. They’re proud to raise their three beautiful children in this quiet suburb, and Oscar works for a contractor that participates in the SoCal Gas weatherization program.

Oscar says that he had his run-ins with the law when he was younger, and the lessons he learned have shaped the father he is today. He straightened out and got his priorities together after marrying his childhood best friend, who came from the same part of East L.A. he did. She is a stay-at-home mom to their kids.

Name: Juan V. Estrada Sanchez

SCE Community: Palmdale

Mr. Estrada describes his household as a group of religious people, always looking out for their family and friends. His wife works as a part-time teacher’s assistant who helps children with autism and volunteers in the community. They have two girls, one in elementary and one in middle school.

The family often hosts religious gathering for the church and family in their home. This summer, Juan and his family provided shelter to their dear friend, a single mother who works very few hours. She can’t afford a place to live and may stay in their house for quite some time; solar would make the situation more affordable for all.

Name: Ivette Rodriguez

SCE Community: Norwalk

Ms. Rodriguez describes herself as “very strong” and a single working daughter. She is a chronic kidney disease patient, currently in remission. She is able to cover some household expenses through her work as a care planner and social worker at Independence at Home (a state medical program for seniors). However, she would like to see lower monthly bills.

Ivette cares for both of her elderly parents. Her father, 75, has Alzheimer’s disease and her mother, 90, has dementia. She says running AC 24/7 is a must to maintain a very comfortable living space for both elders. Making air conditioning less expensive would help ensure that her household has this necessity as long as needed.

Name: Claudia Anguiano

SCE Community: South Gate

Ms. Anguiano and her husband have three children between the ages of five and eighteen. Mr. Anguiano recently lost his job in a layoff. They are barely making ends meet with EDD benefits, so they have had to apply for CALFRESH assistance. The search for employment has brought hardship to the entire family.

According to Claudia, they’re in desperate need of an air conditioning unit but wouldn’t be able to afford to run it even if they had one due to high electricity costs. She says it has been a very uncomfortable summer using just fans. Her children complain that it is very hard to enjoy dinner in the heat, do homework, and sleep through the night. They are hoping to have solar in time for the next heatwave.

Name: Juana Barrios

SCE Community: Montebello

Ms. Barrios is a current college student. She is working to finish her bachelor’s degree in Child Development and pay off some of her student loans at the same time. For the past eight years, she has worked at the Mexican American Opportunity Fund as a program coach, mentoring MAOF daycare teachers.

Juana describes high bills as one of the big challenges in her life. In addition to her young son and daughter, her elderly mother lives in their Montebello home and requires constant air conditioning. Rooftop solar would provide some badly-needed relief to their bills.

Name: Mollie Bell

SCE Community: Compton

Mollie Bell calls herself “Compton famous” because of her prominence in the community! She is a regular presence at city council meetings, is familiar with almost every local challenge, and likes to be on front lines when Compton needs community activism. She was once encouraged to run for office in Compton, and would consider doing so when she is in better health.

Mollie retired from the U.S. Post Office in 2016 and finds herself on a very limited income today. She says she does not have air conditioning because she feels it’s unaffordable. The things that bring her the most happiness are public speaking and involvement in church activities.

Name: Uchenna Agbahiwe

SCE Community: Long Beach

Ms. Agbahiwe is a single mother living in Long Beach. Born in Nigeria, she has been in the United States for more than four decades. Uchenna was a skilled care giver until she got hurt at work and could no longer continue taking shifts.

Today, she is struggling to make ends meet while raising two children on her own. Her daughter recently became a nurse, and her son is in the military. You can find Uchenna at any time of day, working in the yard where she grows her own vegetables and fruits alongside beautiful plants and flowers.

Name: Kenneth Lee

SCE Community: Compton

Mr. Lee has owned a home in Compton since the 1960s. The family is raising a middle-school daughter, and they moved Kenneth’s mother in the home after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

While caring for his mother, Kenneth took a medical retirement from L.A. Parks and Recreation and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Kenneth’s mother has started treatment, and everything is going well well. Sister Jackie also recently was diagnosed with breast cancer, and is receiving treatments. For all their problems, this family is “an open door to neighbors, spreading stories of faith and joy.”

Name: Jerry Ridgway

SCE Community: Long Beach

Mr. Ridgway is a Long Beach native who has spent all of his life in the same neighborhood. His professional career ended twelve years ago, and he is still getting used to retirement. He says he has “had a very good life with no regrets.”

The home Jerry lives in was purchased in 1989. He is adjusting to living on a fixed income and feels that solar would be extremely valuable in his comfortable retirement.

Name: Alma Hudson

SCE Community: Lancaster

Ms. Hudson is a retired employee of Los Angeles County who worked for four decades in Child Support Services. She is currently on medical disability. While she likes living in Lancaster, high electricity bills are causing her household hardship this summer.

Alma deals with sarcoidosis, fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, sleep apnia, hearing loss, high blood pressure, Barrett’s, and back injuries. Despite all this, she still remains positive and manages to take care of her husband, a disabled veteran. Getting GRID solar on their roof will bring about significant quality-of-life improvements for them, their financially-dependent daughter, and their trio of grandkids.

Name: Nellie Garcia

SCE Community: Norwalk

Ms. Garcia became a widow two decades ago, and is proud that she has managed to “take care of business” with just with her minimal earnings. She helps care for her son, daughter, and three grandchildren in Norwalk. However, her physical limitations have recently increased.

Recently, Nellie suffered from a stroke. Her mobility on her left arm is now severely limited. Her family believes that she experiences low stages of dementia, but they call her a “trooper.” With the savings of GRID solar, her safety net would be more reliable.

Name: Alisha Hicks

SCE Community: South Gate

Ms. Hicks is a young South Gate resident who reached out to GRID last month through a phone call. She works as a security officer to make ends meet and recognizes that solar would be helpful to her household budget. She is a working mother raising three kids on her own.

With GRID solar, Alisha would have more money to take her youngest children out to eat and save for an emergency fund. She appreciates that the solar system would be free, but unfortunately can’t afford a new roof at the moment.

Name: Manuel Flores

SCE Community: Carson

Mr. Flores is enthusiastic about going solar for both the environmental and financial benefits. His household had a solid income in 2018, but he lost his job and has had difficulty finding another. Manuel has been unemployed the entire year to date.

Manuel supports two of his children’s school tuition. Having extra money from electricity bill savings will make a huge difference as the Flores’ family’s unemployment benefits run out in October. He is looking forward to the possibility of a new roof!

Name: Monica Godinez

SCE Community: Long Beach

“Ms. Godinez is a literal angel on planet earth,” her Outreach Coordinator writes. Everyone who knows Monica describes her as sweet and possessing a very positive outlook on life. She is raising her young daughter alone in Long Beach after finishing treatment for leukemia.

They two of them admit that they have a pretty high energy bill for a small household, and they could greatly benefit from solar. A new roof would create possibilities for both Monica and her eight-year-old.

Name: Enrique Rios

SCE Community: Long Beach

Ms. Rios is a longtime North Long Beach resident who serves as the neighborhood watch president for the neighborhood of Longwood. She works incredibly hard to support not only her local neighborhood, but surrounding neighborhood groups. She is active in Long Beach causes every week, and goes out of her way to provide support for her community at large.

The Rios family is described as altruistic and “a pillar of the community.” Providing them with no-cost solar could set a precedent for everyone who admires their leadership, while also solidifying their place in the community.

Name: Myrna Garcia

SCE Community: Compton

Hello! My name is Myrna Garcia. I am a mother of three, and our household is a family of six in all. We have been proud residents of Compton for the past eighteen years now.

My family and I immigrated from Mexico because I wanted to give our children more opportunities than what we had growing up. Initially, we stayed with our friends and family until we could get on our feet and have a place of our own. My husband, Juan, worked various jobs until he landed a position as a receptionist at a dental office. After my children were born, he started school and worked his way up to become a certified dental assistant.

Meanwhile, I took care of our children and became highly involved in their academic and extracurricular activities. I am currently a member of the local AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) board of directors, and my husband and I are both fall coaches for our daughters’ soccer teams.

My oldest son Aldo started college last year, and my middle child, Dharma, will be starting soon as well. My mother-in-law has a heart condition, so we are serving as her primary caretakers. My husband is her only child, so she really depends on us for everything. It’s been difficult on us financially, since my husband is the only one who has ever had a steady job.

I’d love to work, but with my undocumented status, it’s not possible right now. Despite some obstacles, we were eventually able to save enough money to buy our house. We have lived in this home for six years.

About a year and a half ago, my husband got laid off from his work. We relied on what little savings that we had to pay the bills, maintain our house, and provide food for our family. I thank God that he was able to find another job before we went much further into debt. We still struggle to make ends meet, but I’m proud to say that my husband works hard to provide for us.

It will be really great to receive the aid of your organization to do the work that is necessary in our house. We will be really blessed if you choose our family to be helped.

Thank you sincerely for taking us into consideration,

Myra