Initiatives: The Future is Bright
Our Partnership with Watts of Love
Watts of Love (WOL) is a global solar lighting nonprofit bringing people the power to raise themselves out of the darkness of extreme poverty. WOL intentionally seeks out the poorest, hardest to reach places in the world.
A solar light, combined with personal empowerment training, creates a pathway to economic freedom for families in the developing world.
Families often rely on expensive polluting kerosene or batteries to light their homes. Renewable solar light results in cleaner air, increased productivity, more study time, and a radically different financial future.
“A solar light, combined with personal empowerment training, creates a pathway to economic freedom for families in the developing world,”
-Nancy Economou, Founder and President, Watts of Love
In 2020, Watts of Love launched a Lighthouse pilot program in Kenya which is a model that allows WOL to work with local partners, deliver lights and financial literacy education, and scale up over the next four years.
One Lighthouse = 17,000 solar lights = 120,000 individuals impacted
JKB is taking on the program in Kenya as well as the training of the local people in distribution and education. This training will take place not only in Kenya, but other areas impacted by WOL. This training program of locals is essential to the sustainability and in the wheelhouse of JKB’s strength.
Ready to get involved?
Past Initiatives
These gift cards were the result of a plea from Justin Wegner (2013) who passed away from cancer in July 2019. The JKB kids from several schools worked together In 2020-21 we raised $7,014.97! Justin’s plea to help the RMH five years ago has raised over $41,000 in gift cards!
JKB in the Philippines, in Uganda, working with adapted PE kids, teaching in their own schools & in feeder schools
For approximately 10 years, NCHS JKB organized different teammates to help make blankets for Lurie’s Children’s Hospital. Buying blanket material, making them, and delivering them each year. When the hospital moved to a new location, each child carried a blanket made by a JKB’s effort to promote volunteer athletes from NCHS to make them. So many projects initiated by NCHS JKB, became traditions each year and knitted into the fabric of the high school. They were our flagship school for sure.
U of I IMPRINT Workshop-Liam Miller (JKB 2009) & Blake Butler (2010) serve as alumni coaches for the 2020 event sharing their knowledge of networking & transitioning with college students