Earthshine Nature Community
Assistance Program (ENCAP)
The purpose of this program is to provide volunteer assistance to organizations, individuals, and families in need within our local community.
With our 100% electric outreach vehicles we will
support the following needs and more;
- transport of home/farm/garden/grocery/food/water supplies, etc.
- access/use of truck-type utility vehicles.
- storm/disaster assistance.
- emergency temporary power sources AKA Portable Power Pods.
- support local service, nonprofit, and other organizations at events.
- multi-day loan to remote construction sites
(with priority to nonprofit projects)
Environmental service projects we will support;
- environmental and wildlife conservation, study, rescue, and monitoring.
- environmental, historical, and disaster cleanups and restoration initiatives.
- invasive species removal.
NOTE: Due to the inherent liability involved, this service will not include or allow any individuals other than ENP staff or volunteers to drive or be a passenger in any of the ENP outreach/utility vehicles.
This program will be possible because our all-electric outreach vehicles are essentially giant rolling batteries/microgrids with integrated 120/240 volt AC and 5-12 volt DC electric power provisioning systems. This allows them to be used as mobile power sources/generators providing mobile and/or emergency power to almost anywhere it is needed by simply plugging in an extension cord or USB device.
As our future electric utility vehicle and the existing SS NaSA PoD will and are fueled via locally-sourced, solar-generated electricity - they are both free and clean to fuel and drive. Therefore, we will transfer these huge cost savings to the recipient and provide this service free of charge to those individuals and organizations in need within our community.
Power Pods
We are in the planning phase of engineering several "Portable Power Pods" that we will make available to those in need when the power grid goes down. These solar charged battery bank units (repurposed from slightly used Nissan Leaf EV batteries) will be able to provide many days of electricity for small devices such as smartphones, walkie talkies, Starlink terminals, LED lighting systems, CPAP and other medical devices or multiple hours of electricity for kitchen appliances such as refrigerators and freezers.
To make the ENCAP program a reality we will partner with other local nonprofits, humanitarian, community service/aid organizations as well as environmental conservation organizations, business, and agencies in order to connect with and bring this service to those in need.
Please consider helping us make this program happen by making a donation to our New Outreach Vehicle Fundraiser
or support us via our GoFundMe fundraiser or via the PayPal link below
ENCAP BLOG
Entry #1: Hurricane Helene
In late September 2024, the remnants of Hurricane Helene assaulted the mountains of Western North Carolina where ENP is based. This was a storm like no other. It was a catastrophic, geological event who's several feet of rain and high winds destroyed thousands of roads, bridges, businesses, homes, and lives. The destruction will take many years to fully recover from.
We at ENP were very lucky, our office and classroom as well as the home of our director Steve, were spared any damage. Our biggest needs were electrical power at both locations and internet connectivity. For power at our home we relied on our trusty SS NaSA PoD mobile outreach classroom/solar microgrid to supply power to run our appliances and keep our lights on. About a week after the storm our power was restored and shortly thereafter our internet connectivity. However, so many people in WNC were not so lucky.
It was then that we decided to put the ENCAP program to work on its very first deployment helping members of nearby Cedar Mountain that had suffered serious damage to the heart of their tiny, mountain community. To make this happen I ordered and installed a Starlink Mini then deployed the PoD in Cedar Mountain, NC where it served for several days as a solar-powered device charging, shade, and filtered fresh water access point for the utility company crews and volunteers working in the area.
After the repair crews moved on, the PoD was then used at one of the local Cedar Mountain businesses, Cedar Mountain Moonshine, as a power and internet hotspot during the Cedar Fest event raising support for all the "downtown" Cedar Mountain businesses that were flooded out during the storm. When it was all said and done the event raised over $115,000 for the Cedar Mountain community!!.
We are proud to have been able to provide internet so the event could be live streamed helping Cedar Mountain get back on its feet after this unbelievable catastrophe.
Follow the link below to watch the livestream of the CedarFest event.
https://fb.watch/vQJAA7sqXU/
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