Vancouver foundation’s grant to provide solar power to Puerto Rico

The Vancouver-based KMR Group Foundation is helping Puerto Rico residents recover from Hurricane Maria by granting $40,000 for solar panel kits that will power homes.

“Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico Sept. 20, 2017, with devastating force, wiping out the island’s power grid. It’s estimated a third of the island remains without a steady source of power,” said a news release from KMR.

PJ Wilson, who lives in Puerto Rico, heads Solar for Puerto Rico, a nonprofit that provides low-cost solar kits to residents. With the grant, Wilson can buy 500 30-watt solar kits, which cost about $80 each, and distribute them to 500 households. People in remote areas will be able to “light their homes at night, charge mobile phones and power fans and other small electronic devices,” the news release said.

Wilson aims to raise $1 million and distribute 50,000 units by May. Before KMR’s grant, he had raised $125,000 in donations.

“PJ brings a unique mix of experience in the renewable energy field as well as working in Latin American countries,” Marty Rifkin, KMR cofounder and director, said in the news release. “That’s why we chose to support his effort to bring relief to the people of Puerto Rico. This is just the start of this great program.”

People can learn more and donate to Wilson’s effort at solarforpuertorico.org.