RESTORE THE LIGHT: Solar Power for Hurricane Melissa Recovery

Story

RESTORE THE LIGHT: Solar Power for Hurricane Melissa Recovery

Campaign Goal: $6,500 USD

The Crisis: Hurricane Melissa and the Darkness

Our community was plunge into darkness due to the impact of the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa. While we are resilient, the damage to critical infrastructure has been catastrophic, leaving our property without grid power for three weeks and two days.

This blackout is not just an inconvenience—it’s a crisis of food security and medication safety. We are urgently seeking funds to install an essential, off-grid solar energy system that will power critical appliances, protecting food and providing basic comfort during this long recovery period.

The Immediate Need: Essential Power

Our goal is to purchase a reliable, standalone solar power system capable of operating the following appliances simultaneously and consistently:

Food Preservation:

One 11 cubic foot Refrigerator

One 9 cubic foot Chest Freezer

Essential Cooking & Comfort:

One Single-Top Electric Cooker (1000 Watts) for necessary meal preparation.

Two Household Fans (16” and 18”) for ventilation and heat relief.

Safety & Security:

Three 40-Watt equivalent LED Lights (low energy consumption for maximum runtime).

This solar setup will stabilize our immediate survival needs, ensuring perishable foods—including vital medicines and baby formula—remain safe in the fridge and freezer, while allowing for basic cooking and lighting.

Project Breakdown and Budget

Based on the cumulative energy requirements (estimated at over 5,000 Watt-hours of daily use, including the high draw of the 1000W cooker), a robust 2.5kW to 3kW peak power system with deep-cycle battery storage is required.

Item

Description

Estimated Cost (USD)

Inverter/Charge Controller

3,000W Pure Sine Wave Hybrid Inverter to handle cooker and compressor surges.

………….$1,200.00

Solar Array

1,200-1,400W (approx. 4 large panels) for daily energy recharge.

………..$800.00

Battery Bank

High-capacity LiFePO4 or Deep Cycle Gel battery storage (approx. 5kWh capacity) for night use and cloudy days.

………….$2,800

BOS Components

Racking, wiring, breakers, safety fuses, and connectors.

………….$400

Installation & Labor

Professional setup and integration by a qualified technician (essential for safe operation).

………………..$700.00

iGiveX Fees & Contingency

Buffer for platform fees and unexpected costs (e.g., freight, local permits).

………………….$600.00

TOTAL CROWDFUNDING GOAL

……………………………………….$6,500.00 USD

Our Impact: More Than Just Electricity

Your contribution provides more than just electricity—it delivers safety and stability:

Sustained Food Safety: By keeping the refrigerator and freezer running, we can prevent hundreds of dollars of food loss and maintain access to vital nutrition and medication.

Health and Recovery: Fans and lighting drastically improve living conditions during difficult, prolonged outages, helping reduce strain and exhaustion.

Resilience for the Future: Once installed, this system will function as a permanent, reliable backup, ensuring that the next storm or grid failure will not leave us vulnerable again.

Donate and Share

Every dollar brings us closer to securing the power needed to keep our community safe and sustained. If you are unable to donate, please share this campaign link with your network.

Assistance in purchasing and install a small solar system which benefit three elderly person along with two children.