At Evergreen Energy Partners, we work together to create good energy; our give back program is a way of extending that idea beyond energy efficiency and decarbonization. Creating good energy means building internal community at our yearly all-hands Team Days, while contributing to the broader community in the areas where we work. It means celebrating diverse voices and supporting their success. And it means doubling down as a team on what we’re all about as a company — that at our core, we’re committed to keeping the needs of human beings at the very center of our work.
Creating connection in the communities where we live and work
Evergreen is fundamentally committed to putting people first, which is why we keep community at the heart of everything we do. It’s also why, for the past 15 years, we’ve brought our all-virtual team together every year to meet in person and build connections by spending quality time together at Team Days. And it’s why this year we decided to give back directly to the community by supporting Academia Mis Raices, a nonprofit which runs Utah’s first and only kids’ mariachi band.
This year, we held team days in Salt Lake City, home to quite a few team members and one of our longest-standing clients, Rocky Mountain Power. It’s also a stone’s throw from West Valley City, where Academia Mis Raices is headquartered. We saw an opportunity to make a contribution to and connect with a community that’s important to our team, so we had the Academia band join us for a performance and a combination craft project / fundraiser.
The concert alone was worth the trip. The band played together incredibly well, but the real highpoint was the solos. Each kid took a moment before their featured performance to speak about just how much the band meant to them, how positive of an impact it’s had on their lives. It was incredible to see how sincere, kind, and well-prepared the kids were. They obviously didn’t just learn how to play instruments from their mentor Allan Moreno; they learned essential life skills that will help them thrive as they enter adulthood and the professional world.
Lizzy Safranski, a Director at Evergreen, was profoundly moved by the performance and had this to say, “Listening to the Mariachi music of Mis Raices Foundation filled every one of my senses and was completely joyful. This organization has a powerful and transformative mission and call to action, and I am proud to be part of a company who answers that call. It was an experience we Evergreeners won’t soon forget.”
Once the show was over, we had the chance to connect more directly with the band. We had previously purchased mariachi hats for each kid, and split up into teams to decorate them together. Working in these small groups gave us ample opportunities to get to know each other, hear stories from each other’s lives, and of course enjoy some good old fashioned arts and crafts.
With the crafting complete, we prevailed upon the band for a few more songs, and they graciously offered us an encore. Then they packed up and hit the road, leaving us with a wonderful experience and great memories to look back on. They took with them all the hats we had decorated together, which will be auctioned off to support the band, along with a cash donation from Evergreen. The money we raised for Mis Raices has already been spent on new mariachi outfits for the band to wear during performances; we’re glad to know our donation and the auction proceeds are supporting the continued growth and development of this incredible group of kids.
Looking back on another Team Days and another successful Give Back campaign is also an opportunity for us to look forward and think about how we’ll live our values in the years to come. As a certified B Corp, we’re always looking to demonstrate how hard we’re working to increase our positive impact over time. In our work, in our team culture, and in our personal lives, we strive together each year to get closer to a more sustainable, equitable future.
To learn more about Academia Mis Raices, visit their website, or listen to their music on Spotify. You can also support them directly.
Emily has worked in clean energy initiatives for almost 20 years focusing on relationships. Emily has extensive experience in both commercial and residential strategy and partnership. She’s led strategic initiatives for many utility and energy programs including developing and designing innovative energy efficiency programs, introducing new technology to the marketplace and implementing and improving national energy efficiency programs. She strives for harmony between the planet and its people through energy.
