Powering Chispas in Asheville, NC
A New Solar Trailer
After months of designing and building, we recently met up with worker-owned cooperative Chispas at their headquarters in Asheville, NC to deliver a new solar trailer. While sharing some amazing food, our team trained Chispas members to use the trailer to power essentials under blue or grey skies.
Chispas is a worker-owned cooperative within the Emma neighborhood in Asheville, NC. The co-op exists within an ecosystem of community organizations and worker-owned co-ops that work in the neighborhood. Operating under the banner of Colaborativa La Milpa, Chispas often does contract work for Poder Emma (a non-profit that also operates under Colaborativa La Milpa). They also partner with Asheville Regional Coalition for Home Repair (ARCHR): a coalition of six non-profits providing essential home repair in Buncombe County.
The Emma Neighborhood, Before and After Helene
After Hurricane Helene, most of Asheville’s Emma neighborhood was without power for over a week and without potable water for 52 days. Within 48 hours of the storm, Colaborativa La Milpa was distributing free food, provisions, medical essentials, and water to their community.
In blue skies, Chispas does home repair for mobile homes in the cooperatively owned mobile-home parks that are organized within Poder Emma. They also offer home repair services to neighbors in need that are not within the co-ops. Chispas works closely with the Habitat for Humanity and Asheville Buncombe Community Land Trust home repair programs. After Hurricane Helene, Chispas focused on chainsaw and road-clearing work for the community to free people who were cut off.
A Solar Trailer for Blue and Grey Skies
Under blue skies, Chispas can use this solar trailer on construction sites without electricity. This means they’ll have less reliance on residents to provide power on-site. At the construction sites, the trailer powers lights, electronic charging, and power tools. In case of a crisis, this trailer could be used on one of the cooperatively owned buildings to power essentials.
