Sungevity® Tops $1.5 Million With Cause Marketing Initiative

OAKLAND, Calif., July 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sungevity, Inc., a recognized leader in the global residential solar market, announced today that its Sungevity.org initiative has now provided more than $1.5 million to nonprofit organizations through a cause marketing program that rewards nonprofit partners and their members for solar installations. The program has added $500,000 to nonprofit coffers in the last year alone while simultaneously driving solar adoption to reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels.   

To mark the $1.5 million milestone, Sungevity.org has donated $50,000 to Alameda County Community Food Bank (ACCFB) and welcomed the food bank to its partner roster. As a Sungevity.org partner, ACCFB will earn $750 each time one of its supporters goes solar with Sungevity, while the participating member will also receive a $750 rebate on the cost of their solar project.

ACCFB is one of nearly 115 nonprofits ranging from Save the Frogs to the Sierra Club and National Parks Conservation Association to offer members a simple way to convert to solar power as the primary electricity source for their homes, reduce the cost of making the solar commitment, and raise money for their chosen cause at the same time. To date, these organizations and their members have offset more than 322,436 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions – the equivalent of planting over 7.5 million trees.

"The $1.5 million we have generated for nonprofit organizations through this initiative underscores how solar can be a force for social change beyond the immediate environmental benefits of lowering the collective carbon footprint," said Sungevity CEO Andrew Birch. "Through Sungevity.org, solar power can help save endangered species, protect habitat, feed the hungry and more – all while directly combatting climate change."

Alameda County Community Food Bank serves 1 in 6 County residents through a network of food pantries, soup kitchens, childcare and senior centers, and after-school programs, providing enough food for 450,000 nutritious meals weekly. The $50,000 gift from Sungevity will help the ACCFB continue its work towards a hunger-free community and the organization's participation in the Sungevity.org program can provide sustained funding. A $750 referral payment provides enough food to feed a family of four for up to five months.

"We are thrilled that Sungevity has made this generous investment in Alameda County Community Food Bank's work," says Suzan Bateson, the Food Bank's executive director. "We're honored that the company – like us, located in Oakland – will be making such a positive impact on our work.  We look forward to this ongoing partnership with Sungevity to create an even deeper impact on our community."

The Sungevity.org program is part of a broader "solar social" strategy designed to accelerate mass adoption of solar power and effectively lower the high cost of customer acquisition in the residential solar sector. Sungevity is also helping control these costs through its online iQuote process, which eliminates costly home visits to design and price residential solar installations, and by partnering with global retailers and utilities such as Lowe's and E.ON to rapidly grow its solar energy footprint both in the U.S. and overseas.

ABOUT SUNGEVITY
Sungevity is a global solar energy provider focused on making it easy and affordable for homeowners to benefit from solar power. Leveraging proprietary remote solar design technology, Sungevity can deliver a firm quote instantly without a home visit and provide homeowners with immediate visibility to savings on their electricity bills. The company continues to grow its global customer base and now services nine U.S. states, the District of Columbia, The Netherlands and Australia. Sungevity also is Lowe's exclusive US partner in residential solar, and was recently recognized by B Corp as one of the "Best for the World" companies for using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. For more information, visit www.sungevity.com.

ABOUT ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
Since 1985, Alameda County Community Food Bank has been at the forefront of hunger relief efforts in the Bay Area. Last year, the Food Bank distributed the equivalent of 23 million meals. More than half of the food distributed was farm-fresh produce. The Food Bank serves 1 in 6 Alameda County residents by distributing food through a network of 240 food pantries, soup kitchens, and other community organizations, as well as direct-distribution programs including Children's Backpack and Mobile Pantry. For seven consecutive years, Alameda County Community Food Bank has received Charity Navigator's top rating — Four Stars — ranking the organization among the top 2 percent of charities nationwide. Learn more at www.accfb.org.

SOURCE Sungevity, Inc.