Transitions is a community nonprofit located in Spokane, Washington that works to end homelessness and poverty for women and children in Spokane. Transitions says, “We operate six programs designed to support our community by providing childcare, housing, job training, and friendly, safe spaces for women and children to visit. Our goal is to provide change, not band-aids.” 

Transitions offers three programs that provide housing for women and children in Spokan who are facing homelessness. The Home Yard Cottages provides affordable, permanent housing for families and individuals along with support services to residents. The Transitional Living Center provides temporary, transitional housing for up to 24 months for women and children in a stable, supportive environment that offers services such as support groups and parenting classes. Miryam’s House provides transitional housing for nine women who are experiencing homelessness, where Transitions provides support and stability on their path to recovery.

In addition to providing housing, Transitions EduCare program provides childcare for infants and toddlers that is designed to meet the needs of formerly homeless children. Their New Leaf Kitchen and Café provides food service job training for women who face barriers to employment through their six month job training program. Transitions also runs Women’s Hearth, a day center in Downtown Spokane that provides a safe space for women who have experienced homelessness, poverty, or trauma to participate in activities, classes, receive social service referrals, and have access to healthy food, free showers, and hygiene supplies. 

Transitions’ New Leaf Kitchen and Café

How Transitions Will Utilize Their Solar Savings 

By going solar with RE-volv, Transitions will save more than $116,000 off the cost of their electricity bills throughout the life of their system. With these solar savings, Transitions will be able to reinvest their savings back into their mission, such as providing more services to women experiencing homelessesness and trauma through their Women’s Hearth program and offering additional housing opportunities for women and children experiencing homelessness. 

Gonzaga University Solar Ambassadors Help Bring Solar to Transitions 

RE-volv’s Solar Ambassador program is a year-long Fellowship for college students, where students work together in teams to help bring solar to a local nonprofit near their university. The Solar Ambassadors at Gonzaga University lead this project to bring solar to Transitions! Jessica Vazquez, Team Lead for the Gonzaga Solar Ambassador Team says, “Transitions has made such a huge impact on the Spokane community and it is inspiring to see such a deserving organization receive help going solar.” 

The Solar Ambassador Team at Gonzaga University helped bring solar to Transitions by leading the project, from reaching out to the nonprofit, helping Transitions tell the story of why they decided to go solar, and educating the community about the importance of solar energy. Sarah Frisby, a Solar Ambassador at Gonzaga University says, “Assisting nonprofits and other organizations in going solar is a great way to reinvest the benefits of renewable energy back into the community.”

RE-volv Brings Solar Energy to Transitions 

Transitions’ new 40 kW system will provide the nonprofit with clean, renewable energy that will eliminate more than 2,050,000 pounds of emissions from entering the atmosphere and will help spark the clean energy transition in Spokane, Washington.

Transitions will start saving on their electricity bills from day one by going solar with RE-volv. As Transitions pays back RE-volv for the cost of their solar system, their solar lease payments are added to RE-volv’s Solar Seed Fund, a first of its kind, pay-it-forward model for solar we use to bring solar to more nonprofits across the country. After the 20-year solar lease, Transitions will own their solar system and can benefit from the cost savings of clean, renewable energy for years to come!