Green Mountain Energy Sun Club Joins Forces With Pro-Vision/McNair Farm in the Sunnyside Community
Sustainability grant will fund three new aquaponic greenhouses
HOUSTON, August 8, 2024 /3BL/ - Pro-Vision, Inc., a nonprofit founded in 1990 dedicated to guiding and supporting the youth and community of Sunnyside, has received a generous grant from Green Mountain Energy Sun Club for their Pro-Vision/McNair Urban farm. With the support of Sun Club, the Pro-Vision/McNair Urban farm will be able to add three new aquaponic greenhouses, increasing produce output by over 37,000 pounds annually.
Aquaponics is a food production system that combines aquaculture — raising aquatic animals, such as fish, in tanks — and cultivating plants in water. The nutrient-rich aquaculture water is fed to hydroponic-grown plants.
The new aquaponic greenhouses will not only increase the production of fresh produce but also create more opportunities for education, employment, and empowerment. The Pro-Vision/McNair Urban Farm sustainably grows produce using aquaponics, with all proceeds benefiting Pro-Vision, Inc.’s programs in the Sunnyside community. The farm serves as a living classroom for young people to learn about sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and nutrition. It also provides job training and income generation for youth employed in the greenhouses. This expansion will give more youth the opportunity to set and achieve goals, attend college, and gain valuable skills. Through this initiative, Pro-Vision, Inc. hopes to inspire more individuals to join their mission of transforming lives and the Sunnyside community.
“The partnership between Pro-Vision, Inc. and Green Mountain Energy Sun Club will have a positive impact on the youth in Sunnyside, a historically underserved neighborhood in Houston.” said Diana Seifert, COO of Pro-Vision, Inc. “Through these programs, the partnership will help the youth develop valuable skills, confidence, and leadership abilities that will prepare them for college and career success. The partnership will also empower the youth to become agents of change in their community.”
“We’re proud to help Pro-Vision expand its urban farming operation and educate the community about sustainable agriculture while providing young people access to academic, economic, and social enrichment opportunities,” said Andrea Ortega-Toledano, senior director of sustainability, Green Mountain Energy. “We know empowering young people with the principles of sustainability ensures future generations remain committed to nurturing our planet.”
Green Mountain Energy’s mission is to inspire hope and motivate action through the use of clean energy, and to advance sustainable communities through Sun Club. Since its founding in 2002, Sun Club has donated more than $14 million for 164 projects across Texas and the Northeast. Green Mountain Energy invites its customers and employees to contribute and help support more projects that promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation and environmental stewardship.
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About Pro-Vision, Inc.
Pro-Vision was created to inspire hope and purpose into young people, families and communities, through access to academic, economic, and social enrichment opportunities. Since its founding in 1990, Pro-Vision, Inc. has provided young people from one of Houston’s most underserved neighborhoods the guidance and tools needed to realize their full academic, civic, and moral potential. Pro-Vision, Inc. believes in education as a lifelong learning experience. That is why it has established an ecosystem that employs character development, healthy eating, safe housing, and education to provide opportunities to develop a complete human being. Located in the Southeast Houston Sunnyside neighborhood on 64-acres, Pro-Vision, Inc. has impacted the lives of more than 7,000 young people since its inception.
About Green Mountain Energy Sun Club
Green Mountain Energy’s mission is to inspire hope and motivate action through the use of clean energy, and to advance sustainable communities through the work of Green Mountain Energy Sun Club. Since its founding in 2002, Sun Club® has donated more than $14 million for 164 projects across Texas and the Northeast. Sun Club collaborates with nonprofit organizations on projects that focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation, and environmental stewardship. To learn more about Green Mountain Energy and Sun Club or to apply for a Sun Club grant, visit greenmountain.com/sunclub.
Media Contacts:
Estefanía Joy, Green Mountain Energy
713-537-5735
media@greenmountain.com
X: @GreenMtnEnergy
Gaby Solis, Pro-Vision, Inc.
713-306-1130
gsolis@provision-inc.org
X: @pvihouston
Pro-Vision Inc.'s Socials: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
