Dear Friends,
Like everyone else, we were pretty worried this time last year.
We knew the line between self-reliance and dependency is often fragile, though rarely by choice. The fall-out from the global economy was going to hit our communities hard – and we wanted to be prepared. Thankfully, hundreds of people,
like you, gave generously at year-end. Your investment helped Isles answer the initial call of uncertainty.
With that support, you helped position Isles to do the
unexpected – grow in exciting ways.
Over the summer, we completed the renovation of a 20,000 square foot solarized state-of-the-art training facility. Thanks largely to an extraordinary gift from NRG Energy, Isles took a 120-year-old aging factory site and converted it to a vital city asset as the new home to Isles’ YouthBuild Institute.
Our students are now being taught in classrooms that are “designed for learning” – white boards, day lighting, leading-edge technology, and beautiful, welcoming spaces. The facility also houses Isles’ new Center for Energy and Environmental Training (CEET), a “green-collar” job training center. CEET is an innovative response to the loss of traditional blue-collar jobs and the growing demand for new skills in energy efficiency, solar panel installation and more. Over the past year, Isles has trained 378 people and, most significantly, 200 of them are now in the workforce using their skills to improve the planet and themselves. Many more are interviewing for jobs as I write this.
Isles also laid new paths to self-reliance. We:
- Partnered with farmers, educators, food pantries, schools, local government and emergency food providers to expand access to fresh, nutritious, affordable produce.
- Created E4 (Energy, Environment, Equity, Employment), a sustainable nonprofit subsidiary to weatherize low-income households, conduct energy audits, install solar systems, and remove lead, mold and other hazards from buildings.
- Taught innovative microbusiness classes in both English and Spanish to support a burgeoning population of new Latino entrepreneurs.
This work, and the many benefits that come from it, would be impossible without the support of friends like you.
This season, many still face uncertainty. This is not limited to a neighborhood or a city or even a region. It threads throughout many of our Isles families, and may even be felt close to your own home. Yet, uncertainty does not diminish a person’s right to the basic tenets of a good life – a home, a job, food, and a clean and safe environment. In many ways, uncertainty offers a chance to re-think ways to achieve that good life. Isles looks for those better ways, and your support will make a real difference.
When we started Isles 28 years ago, we envisioned powerful, cost-effective ways to meet two goals in challenged neighborhoods: self-reliant families and healthier, greener communities. We succeed because so many others share this dream, and they step up and help. Thank you for being a caring partner on our journey.
Best wishes to you and your family and friends for a peaceful new year.
In Community,
Martin P. Johnson
President
Donate Today! Click here to make a secure credit card donation or mail your check to:
Sonja Allen
Vice President, Resource Development
Isles, Inc.
10 Wood Street
Trenton, NJ 08618