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Meet Spring 2021 Gift of Light Grantees

7/9/2021

We are excited to announce our Spring 2021 Gift of Light Grantees! These organizations were selected from a robust group of applicants and have been selected to receive free Luke Lights and/or Chandler Chargers, as well as partner with Unite to Light through numerous other programs to enhance and amplify our efforts to light the world. Read on for information on each of the seven organizations selected and how they will be using the Lights/Chargers. If you’re interested in applying for our Fall Gift of Light cycle, please apply here before August 31, 2021.

Dwindling Resources and Lack of Electricity Impact People Experiencing Homelessness: HRTC Is there to help!

6/30/2021

Irina Alexander, Harm Reduction Therapy Center Therapist, with their mobile resource center.

It was a late night in December 2020 when Julie* (*name changed to protect her identity) snuck out of her home to escape a violent relationship. Having never slept on the streets before, she called her therapist at the Harm Reduction Therapy Center in San Francisco, CA for advice. They called all the shelters in the area but nothing was open at that time of night, and those that were had limited availability due to COVID-19 precautions. While Julie did have to spend one night on the streets, the therapist was able to give her a list of resources to contact the next day and a solar powered phone charger to make sure she had a working phone by the time she needed to make those calls. The next night, Julie was in a woman’s shelter thanks to her therapist and power for her phone.

Stay or Go: Checklists To Build The Right Kit For Any Emergency

6/9/2021

The year 2020 was a devastating year of natural disaster events. The United States experienced 22 billion-dollar disasters in 2020, totaling approximately $93 billion in damages. California recorded 5 of its 6 worst wildfires, with 10.3 million acres burning across the country. There were 12 tropical storms that made landfall in the U.S., along with several tornado outbreaks and severe storms.All the while, the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout the world at an unprecedented speed, costing the lives and safety of many.

In the event of an emergency, it is crucial to be prepared ahead of time, but thinking ahead about a possible disaster is unnerving, and it can be difficult to know where to start when getting supplies. For some disasters you will need to evacuate with little to no notice, while others can require you and your loved ones to stay put and wait things out. You should be prepared for either eventuality, and have the right supplies ready for each situation. Our guide will break down what to pack in a to-go bag when you have to leave at a moment’s notice, and how to supply a stay-box, in the event that you need to shelter at home.

10 Essentials for Bikepacking

5/19/2021

Bikepacking is a wonderful way to travel and be active outdoors. This sport can offer access to areas of the world you might not see any other way. Popping through small towns and pedaling in peace, away from noisy automobiles and bustling cities, you never quite know what you will experience out on the trail. The unexpected is both exciting and daunting so you’ll want to be properly prepared. Here at Unite to Light, we are very familiar with preparation for the unknown. These are our top 10 essentials for your bikepacking expedition so that you are more comfortable going into unchartered territory.

top 10 Uses For A Solar Light

3/11/2021

Solar lights are great for people without electricity, but do YOU really need one?

Yes. Yes you do. Here’s why:

A solar light is cord-free, doesn’t create heat from the bulb (because they use LEDs), is transportable, lightweight, bright and rechargeable from just the power of the sun. From hikers, to mechanics, or families playing nighttime games, a solar powered light is the right tool for everyone. Here's how you can use a solar light every day.

Introducing Two New Board Members: Greg Padgett and Kaitlyn Coakley!

3/9/2021

Unite to Light (UTL) is excited to announce the addition of Greg Padgett and Kaitlyn Coakley to its Board of Directors. Leadership is essential for UTL to flourish and continue to grow. UTL works as a team to bring light and energy to those living without electricity. Passionate, team-oriented, and intelligent leaders are what helps UTL work together to bring light into the world. UTL is very excited to introduce two new board members, Greg Padgett and Kaitlyn Coakley who are both committed, driven, and dedicated to their work to carry UTL’s mission into practice.

Preparing for Wildfires and Power Outages with One Step a la Vez

2/11/2021

Wildfires are increasing in the West. According to the Insurance Information Institute five of the top twenty largest California wildfires occurred in 2020, burning more than 10.3 million acres. When wildfires hit, communities across a large region can be cut off from electricity and communication as power lines are impacted. In addition, electricity companies are increasingly using power shut offs as a tool to reduce fire dangers to the communities they serve. Combined, this means that people in high fire risk regions are experiencing the loss of power exponentially more frequently than in modern memory.

Meet our winter 2021 interns

1/19/2021

We are excited to introduce three new interns who will be working with us this Winter Quarter. They are all attending the University of California, Santa Barbara and earning their Minor in Poverty, Inequality and Social Justice. Read on to learn about them and what they will be working on this quarter.

2020 Year in review

12/21/2020

Like many of you, we had big ambitions for 2020. We had a whole new program in partnership with the University of California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the sale of our Luke Lights, an exciting partnership between two schools in Ghana and Newton, Massachusetts, and a tenth anniversary event that would bring us all together…

Stories of LIght: Sierra Leone 2020

11/16/2020

Abu Bakarr, studying with his solar light in the Koinadugu District.

Sierra Leone has electric power challenges and many people in rural communities do not have access to an grid electricity. Instead they rely on flashlights but the batteries are expensive. Because of this lack of electricity, children resort to studying outdoors under solar street lights. Studying out in the open like this is very risky. These children are prone to mosquito and snake bites and child abuses.

Unite to Light is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation (EIN: 27-2942180).
All donations are tax deductible.
With a billion people living in darkness, we have a lot of work to do!
Address: Unite to Light, 1117 State Street #19
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Phone: (805) 617-0590
Email: admin@unite-to-light.org

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