Building from success

INSULATE! as a program has been an exciting ride. Over a semester and a half, we have accomplished much.

• Partnerships with local agencies have moved us along quickly in preparing and implementing the weatherization program.
• Five homes have been weatherized.
• The Mayor of Asheville proclaimed October 19 as "INSULATE!" day.
• World Vision Radio recorded a show for national broadcast.
• Four Warren Wilson College Students met with staff of Congressman Heath Shuler.
• Congressman Heath Shuler is sharing information about INSULATE! on the floor of the House.
• INSULATE! program of WWC raised $4,500 to pay for the weatherization of five homes over Spring Break 2009.
• Congressman Heath Shuler is planning to join WWC and its partners in weatherizing a home during Spring Break 2009.
• INSULATE! receives calls from Ithica, NY; UNC Chapel Hill; UNC Asheville; Univ of Maryland; Appalachian State University; and Oakland, CA re: interest in creating an INSULATE! program in their communities.
• INSULATE! is invited by organizers of PowerShift 2009 to present about its program.
• INSULATE! students host the visitation of rock band members "The Steps" and gave them a tour of WWC.
• INSULATE! program begins developing an online national repository website for weatherization data collected by INSULATE! programs across the United States.
  
• The National Climatic Data Center and Community Action Opportunity's Department of Energy Weatherization Program assists WWC in developing online repository.
  

As the nation is led by President Obama to move on creating "green" jobs and target the weatherization needs across the United States, WWC is working to guide leaders in the formulation of service corps that may assist with some of this need.

The need is tremendous. In Buncombe County, NC alone there are over 44,000 homes that need weatherization assistance owned by families that economically fall 100 to 150 % below the national poverty level. For example, one homeowner who we have assisted had an annual income of $10,000 and paid $3,000 of this income on utility bills - the majority of which was heating the home.

One school, one group cannot address this need. We must act as a community in meeting this need. That is the essence of INSULATE! - Community.

To learn more about Warren Wilson College, visit www.warren-wilson.edu.