Impact Spotlight
Powering a cold storage unit, fish processing plant, community kitchen, and wellness space with a 15 kW solar system
Training two Indigenous solar technicians and seeding a pipeline for solar workforce development in Bristol Bay
Laying the groundwork for a grid-sharing model to distribute solar credits across community households.
About
Based in Dillingham, Alaska, on the ancestral lands of the Curyung Tribe, Smokehouse Collective is a grassroots Indigenous-led initiative addressing climate change, food insecurity, and cultural disconnection through community-led solutions. The region is known as the last great wild salmon fishery in the world, but extractive economic activities, environmental degradation, and declining salmon runs have long sidelined Native residents from decision-making and limited their economic security.
Smokehouse Collective strengthens ancestral trade networks, brings together intertribal communities from across the Yukon and Koyukuk Rivers, and creates a hub for collective healing. Its programs center traditional knowledge, food processing, and intergenerational exchange as a path to justice. In a region where most villages are only accessible by small aircraft, the solar-powered model offers a bold, localized response to systemic disinvestment and climate disruption.
“By embracing solar energy, we demonstrate leadership and commitment to the environment and inspire others. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and creating a healthier community. The future of our lake, Lake Atitlán, requires it.”
HF Partnership
Together, Amigos de Santa Cruz and the Honnold Foundation are repairing existing solar energy infrastructure in Santa Cruz, and installing new battery-backed systems that will strengthen the communities’ access to energy while financing job training programs for community members. When completed, the project will expand the on-grid solar capacity, install a hybrid battery backup system to mitigate blackouts, and overhaul existing solar systems. The goal isn’t just to lower the community’s carbon footprint; the resulting solar installation and workforce development programs will catalyze additional green infrastructure and economic opportunity in Santa Cruz for years to come.
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