Green City Force Illuminators

Organization Name: Green City Force

Project Title: Green City Force Illuminators

Project Location: Citywide

Project Description:
GCF’s Social Enterprise is an all-GCF graduate workforce called the Illuminators. We work with energy service providers and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to leverage investments in LMI energy efficiency to create work opportunities for GCF graduates. Between 20-40 GCF graduates are employed at any given time, working on social enterprise contracts that improve energy efficiency in low-to-moderate income homes. The work creates next-step jobs post-AmeriCorps service and training, an opportunity for graduates to gain sector-relevant experience to determine a career interest and launch into the energy sector for those who wish to do so. Through the social enterprise, GCF works to ensure that investments in LMI energy efficiency translate into jobs for young NYCHA residents. GCF graduates have leveraged social enterprise experience to become union apprentices, energy efficiency installers and site supervisors. Examples of graduate employers include Franklin Energy, Constellation, ConEdison, C&C Apartment Management, and Aclara.

Community Impact:
GCF’s social enterprise force, the Illuminators, has serviced over 47,000 apartment units in 50 NYCHA developments under energy performance contracts and thousands more through NYSERDA’s EmPower program. GCF has leveraged the work to employ 119 GCF graduates, the majority of whom are Section 3 hires, and continue to work in the sector.

GCF’s social enterprise has contributed significantly towards energy efficiency in NYC, installing well over 150,000 LED light bulbs. Our energy efficiency work at the 50 NYCHA developments, helped produce enough savings annually to fund improvements to boilers, water heaters and other critical infrastructure throughout the authority.

Organization Description:
Green City Force leverages service years to train young New York City Housing Authority residents for careers related to the green economy, while making public housing communities and NYC more sustainable. GCF AmeriCorps members lead large-scale environmental initiatives in public housing and around NYC while developing professional skills, experience and certifications for career paths related to sustainable buildings and communities. Through alumni employment initiatives and ongoing engagement, we continue to work with graduates over the long term.

Team Members:

GCF Illuminator alumni teams and staff, NYSERDA, NYCHA Energy and Sustainability, NYCHA Resident Economic Empowerment Services, Ameresco, Constellation

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