TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The number of homeless students in the United States surged over 100% from 2008 to 2019, according to the National Center for Homeless Education.
In Tucson, one local nonprofit is taking innovative steps to support these vulnerable students, using the sun’s energy to power its mission.
Youth On Their Own (YOTO), an organization dedicated to helping homeless youth graduate from high school, celebrated the unveiling of a new solar panel installation at its youth center campus on Country Club Road.
The installation features 30 solar panels with a total energy output of 15kW.
The event marked a significant milestone for the nonprofit, which has been a cornerstone of support for homeless youth since 1986.
The organization has served notable alumni like social media influencer Deja Foxx and El Charro's head chef and partner Gary Hickey.
Representatives from YOTO held a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, August 28, joining members of Technicians for Sustainability, the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona and Ward 3 Councilor Kevin Dahl.
"We're thrilled to officially unveil our solar panel installation," said Elizabeth Slater, CEO of Youth On Their Own. "This project is going to cover about 61 percent of our energy needs, which is a huge win for us."
The solar panel installation, made possible through a partnership with the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona (CFSA), is part of a broader initiative to help nonprofits save on operational costs.
The project was funded through CFSA's Nonprofit Solar Project, which aims to provide long-term savings to organizations by reducing their reliance on traditional energy sources.
"Combining solar arrays with nonprofits is a real win-win," said Jenny Flynn, CEO & President of the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona. "The savings they generate are ongoing, allowing organizations like YOTO to reinvest those funds directly into their mission."
For YOTO, the savings are more than just financial; they represent an opportunity to further empower the youth they serve. "Every dollar we save on electricity is a dollar we can put towards helping homeless youth in our community," Slater said.
The new solar panels were installed by Tucson-based Technicians for Sustainability, ensuring that the project not only benefits YOTO but also supports local businesses.
As YOTO prepares for its fall fundraising drive in October, the organization continues to call on the community for support. They are seeking donations of food, hygiene products, school supplies, and monetary contributions to further their mission of helping homeless students succeed.
Those interested in contributing can visit Youth On Their Own’s website.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
