Because of faithful environmental activists like you – joining together from across the state – this December we are celebrating the second anniversary of the passage of the Future Energy Jobs Act – the most significant win for clean energy in the history of Illinois!
When people of faith lead the environmental movement, it is a movement focused on justice.
Your support was critical in voicing the need for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while creating jobs to spur the economic growth in marginalized communities you care about in Chicago, the Suburbs, Lake County, and Central and Southern Illinois.
Now, both urban and rural communities in Illinois have real opportunities to connect with solar development and job training that will make their communities places where everyone thrives, regardless of race or income, through the Illinois Solar for All Program.
But there is still work to do!
This past year, your support helped us identify and recruit individuals for job training with Illinois Solar for All by working with our partner houses of worship to promote the program to people who face barriers to employment.
We partnered with community organizations to train the first cohort in solar installation, with 21 graduates now placed into solar jobs!
Pictured above is one of the 21 job training graduates from the first Solar for All cohort of trainees made possible by FEJA. He is now placed in a full-time solar job because of your advocacy and support!
Connecting with faith communities to reach out to candidates for job training takes time and resources. And, we need to continue putting pressure on our elected officials to ensure that the Illinois Solar for All Program is fully funded and implemented.
That is why, more than ever, this is the time to give to Faith in Place!
Your support will help Faith in Place mobilize more faithful environmental activists so that the new clean energy economic development opportunities of the Illinois Solar for All Program makes our most marginalized communities more prosperous and equitable.
We know that our policymakers listen to people of faith when we are organized.
Faith in Place is here to help you organize more faithful voices and activism. We are excited to announce that Faith in Place has hired Rev. Scott Onque' (pictured to the left) as our new Policy Director to partner with you to continue advancing this cause.
Giving your best gift today will go a long way in helping Faith in Place ensure that our economically-disadvantaged communities throughout Illinois are not left behind during the clean energy transition.