green|spaces announced the winners of the “Partners for Places” grants at the neighborhood events featuring Jen Lewin’s The Pool. The Pool, an interactive LED light art installation, toured Chattanooga’s Highland Park, East Lake, and East Chattanooga neighborhoods bringing awareness to energy and green|spaces and their Empower Chattanooga program. More than 3,000 people attended the events spanning 10 days.
The grants will fund community energy efficiency projects furthering expanding the work of Empower, which provides educational classes to renters and homeowners teaching simple low and no-cost ways to lower their utility bills.
“Residents have amazing ideas on ways they can help solve the issue of high utility bills in their neighborhoods," said Sam Fulbright, Empower coordinator.
"We wanted to give people the opportunity to share their ideas and get funding for them.”
More than 20 applications were submitted proving that residents do have lots of ideas and want to help their neighbors save money on their utility bills. The grants are made possible by “Partners for Places - a project of the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities.”
Each of the grant recipients will be paired with a mentor from EPB and will work with green|spaces to refine and implement their ideas.
“Once again we are proud to partner with green|spaces and Empower on a great program that offers Chattanoogans more ways to actively manage utility bills,” said Elizabeth Hammitt, EPB’s director of environmental stewardship and community. “There are so many great ideas and we look forward to attending some of these events and seeing the results once implemented.”
Grant recipients include:
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Avondale Block Leaders
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Boyce Station Neighborhood Association
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Churchville Neighborhood Association
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Ridgedale Neighborhood Association
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Orchard Knob Neighborhood Association
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Highland Park Commons
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East Lake Neighborhood Association and Coming to America
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East Lake Neighborhood Association
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Rincón Verde
For more information about Empower and green|spaces and to keep posted on the implementation of the ideas contact Dawn Hjelseth at green|spaces by calling 423-648-0963.