EmPowering Communities

Through the generosity and support of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, WARM Training Center and Chase are teaming up again in 2011 to help improve the energy efficiency of Detroit's residents and communities. The EmPowering Communities program provides free services for residents, community nonprofit organizations,
and small businesses in the Northend and Southwest communities of Detroit. The program will work with four community development corporations to accomplish three goals.

1. Provide Education for 350 Detroit Residents

Provide 350 Detroit residents with a series of minor home repair workshops, energy efficiency workshops, and direct installation of energy efficiency products for senior citizens. These workshops are free to the public and teach residents how to make their homes more energy efficient. The impact these workshops have on resident's lives is phenomenal. They help lower their energy usage, improve the health of their home, and save money.

If you are interested in attending one of these free workshops or hosting one in your community please contact:
Alicia Miller at (313) 894-1030 or amiller@warmtraining.org

2. Provide 8 Neighborhood Nonprofit Organizations and Small Businesses with Energy Audits and Financial Incentives

Help 8 local nonprofits or small businesses improve the energy efficiency of their buildings and lower their expenses through energy audits and educational workshops. Each energy audit examines the building's energy usage and makes facility recommendations. In addition to the free audit, participating nonprofit organizations may be eligible for financial incentives for building improvements and upgrades. Each organization also receives an educational workshop on how to operate an energy efficient building.

3. Provide Technical Assistance to Nonprofit Community Development Organizations

Provide nonprofit community development corporations the expertise to build or rehabilitate housing that models best practices for energy efficiency and occupant behavior. By helping these neighborhood CDCs, we can improve the health and well being of Detroit's homes and create models for home improvement and building in our neighborhoods. We will provide up to 10 home assessments.

2010 Impact

EmPowering Communities had enormous impact on Detroit communities in 2010, check out some of the highlights below.
  • Chase provided $25,000 worth of energy efficient building upgrades to 5 local nonprofits. These organizations were:
    • Bridging Communities, Inc.
    • Southwest Detroit Business Association
    • Urban Neighborhood Initiatives
    • Detroit NAACP
    • Vanguard CDC
  • 368 low-income families and individuals participated in energy efficiency and basic home repair classes. Participants received energy saving materials and home repair tool kits.
  • 40 residential homes received energy audits. These audits were performed on homes set for rehabilitation by local community development organizations (CDCs). In addition to the audit, the local CDC learned rehab methods that model best practices for energy efficiency and occupant health.
  • 10 neighborhood nonprofits received an energy assessment and workshops. These organizations were:
    • Bridging Communities, Inc.
    • Latino Family Services
    • Clark Park Coalition
    • Southwest Detroit Business Association
    • Urban Neighborhood Initiatives
    • Northend Christian CDC
    • Greater Woodward CDC
    • Central Detroit Christian CDC
    • Detroit NAACP
    • Vanguard CDC