In an area on the Navajo Nation near Chinle, Arizona, where many families live without electricity, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has funded the installation of solar power for 100 homes.
The Church collaborated with Heart of America, a national education nonprofit working to provide light for families with school-age children, focusing on educational stability and student well-being.
Approximately 14,000 homes on Navajo Nation tribal land lack access to electricity.
In a Church News video titled “A Brighter Future,” volunteers and parents talk about the impact on these solar lights for their community and their families.
Colynn Begay, a mother of five, said she was previously using a small, battery-powered light while trying to help her sons with homework and bedtime each night.
Eugene Gorman, a father of three in the Red Valley community, said his family relied on generators for years. He said they would often spend significant amounts on fuel.
“This solar will help us a lot,” Gorman said. “We’ll be able to spend money in different places for our kids now instead of just worrying for electricity all the time.”
Gorman said he really appreciated those who made this possible.
“Nobody else would do it, but you guys did,” he said.
Jill Heath, Heart of America president and CEO, said the donation is “not just about light.”
“It’s about hope. It’s about providing the families and the students really with opportunity and the hope for a future.”
