Dorcas Ministries in Cary, NC serves those in need of immediate sustenance and then helps provide the tools to build a sustainable life. While accepting donations of clothing, furniture, household items, toys, books, etc. to provide emergency assistance to families in dire straits, and to sell in their store for a revenue stream, Dorcas also provides programs to put lives back together again. The Keller Financial Program, Jobs for Life and Joblink, scholarship programs, all work to not just bail someone out of an emergency, but give them the ability to sustain their own lives and that of their families while contributing to the community.
Dorcas Ministries shares those goals of contributing to the community and creating a sustainable business model. It is what brought them to the decision to build a solar farm on the roof of their building, which also houses Habitat for Humanity Restore, among other tenants. The solar array consists of 884 solar photovoltaic panels, or 236.5 kilowatts, enough to power about 30 homes for a year. Dorcas receives rent for hosting the solar farm, and at the end of seven years has the option to buy the array, increasing the real estate value and benefiting from the energy generated.
The installation was a collaboration of Argand Energy, of Charlotte and Durham, NC and local integrator Yes Solar Solutions of Cary, NC. The two solar companies, along with Dorcas Ministries, worked in partnership through the design, contracting, installation and ribbon cutting, which is scheduled for Wednesday June 13 at noon. Join the celebration of the largest non-profit solar installation in Wake County with the mayor of Cary, Chamber of Commerce… and a free lunch.