N.C. Community Development Initiative awards ECSU $75,000 for the Green Agenda Project

Kesha Williams
October 04, 2010

N.C. Community Development Initiative awards ECSU $75,000 for the Green Agenda Project

The North Carolina Community Development Initiative awarded ECSU $75,000.00 to implement the Green Agenda Project. The project trains minorities, the underserved and the unemployed in northeastern North Carolina and equips them with the skills and ability to vie for jobs in the nation’s &quotgreen industry&quot sector, particularly those jobs involving energy efficiency. In addition, the project will weatherize seven to 10 homes owned by minorities and the underserved in the Elizabeth City area. These improvements will result in more energy efficient structures for the homeowners and help reduce their home energy usage, which will lower energy bills.

Getting minorities in on the ground floor of the emerging green economy is one of the project’s main goals. Understanding how to live using green practices as well as the importance of green job opportunities with the proper training are key to participation and success in the new economy. Accordingly, the grant award will also provide energy efficiency seminars in the region. In addition to providing green jobs skills training, energy-efficiency seminars, and the repairs and weatherization improvements to local homes, ECSU partnered with the City of Elizabeth City and the Northeast Workforce Development Board to host the annual Energy Fair that was held at Knobb’s Creek on October 1-2, 2010.