sol-ark® + FOOTPRINT PROJECT
SUPPORT HURRICANe HELENE
DISASTER RECOVERY

SOLAR POWER SUPPORTS DISASTER RECOVERY IN WEAVERVILLE, NC

When Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina, it left a wake of destruction, uncertainty, and power outages. But amid the chaos, community action lit the way forward.

In Weaverville, NC, an aid movement called United Ambassadors of Hope quickly emerged. What started as a neighbor-helping-neighbor effort transformed into a full-scale response hub.

With support from Footprint Project and Sol-Ark® to set up renewable energy source for disaster relief efforts, powered search and rescue teams, feeding recovery crews, and a safe base of operations for skilled volunteers.

Installing a Sol-Ark 15K-2P hybrid inverter for Hurricane Helene support

Lighting emergency sleeping shelters for hurricane victims

Hurricane Helene food shelter and storage distribution center

STRONGER TOGETHER:
A COMMUNITY BUILT FOR COMPASSION & ACTION

United Ambassadors of Hope was founded by Mindy Barrett, a Western North Carolina native who returned home after surviving the wildfires in Hawaii. When Hurricane Helene hit, she opened her late mother’s house and her father-in-law’s woodworking barn to serve as a home base for emergency response efforts.

Inside the barn, bunk beds were built. A field kitchen was assembled. At any given time, more than fifteen (15) first-responders were sheltered on-site:

Search and rescue teams searching for survivors
Recovery teams using cadaver dogs to locate missing loved ones
Volunteer tradespeople restoring homes damaged by floods.

In the face of overwhelmed official resources, this community stepped up. Housing responders and running critical operations, like refrigeration and communications, requires dependable, uninterrupted power. That’s where solar energy made all the difference.

BUILT TO SUPPORT. DESIGNED TO GROW.

In partnership with Footprint Project, Sol-Ark® helped deploy a clean energy storage solution that supports daily operations while ensuring energy resilience for the future:

Sol-Ark® 15K-2P Whole Home Hybrid Inverter (Operating in self-consumption mode)
8kW of Solar Power – Twenty (20) Maxeon 400W PV Panels
Custom-built Ground Mount Racking System

This setup keeps food cold, devices charged, and communications running smoothly – even during grid outages outages. The Sol-Ark hybrid inverter capabilities also make it future-ready for grid export or energy storage additions.

“We needed a system that worked right away and had the flexibility to grow. Sol-Ark was the perfect fit.”

THE FOOTPRINT PROJECT

In post-disaster environments, flexibility and reliability are non-negotiable. Sol-Ark inverters are built for resilience—capable of adapting to the unique needs of each deployment.

By supporting real people doing real work on the ground, this solar energy storage system helped bring order to chaos and showed how clean energy can accelerate recovery.

For Footprint Project, this was the first large-scale permanent installation in the region after the storm. For the United Ambassadors of Hope, it was a tool to continue providing life-saving resources with confidence.

At Sol-Ark®, we’re proud to support purpose-driven organizations that lead by example and rebuild stronger. Together with Footprint Project, we’re helping power more than just buildings – we’re powering hope, recovery, and resilience.