Families on the Pine Ridge Reservation will soon have access to clean, reliable power at the community’s first district laundromat, thanks to a continued partnership between Everybody Solar and One Spirit.
Building on years of collaboration, the two nonprofits are installing an 18-kilowatt rooftop solar array with battery backup at the newly opened laundromat facility. Once operational, the system will generate approximately 25,672 kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, offsetting high utility costs and avoiding an estimated 48,560 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
“Reliable energy is transformative for Pine Ridge,” said Myriam Scally, executive director of Everybody Solar. “This project ensures residents have not only a vital daily resource, but a community-powered space that remains open when it’s needed most, like during outages, extreme weather or cultural gatherings.”
The laundromat, which opened in January, is the first and only such facility, ending a longstanding hardship where families often traveled miles round trip for basic laundry access. Yet the community envisioned much more than a utility. Connected to a youth-centered gathering space and community garden, the building fosters connection, wellness and care while supporting local workforce development by training residents to maintain and repair equipment.
Through the addition of solar and storage, the laundromat will now serve as a community resilience hub, a place where residents can gather for warmth, light and safety during outages, and where youth programs and ceremonies can continue uninterrupted.
“One Spirit’s mission has always been about dignity, culture and self-sufficiency,” said Jeri Baker, executive director of One Spirit. “This project embodies that vision. By combining renewable energy with local leadership, we’re ensuring this essential service is sustained for years to come and that the Lakota community continues to lead with resilience and care.”
Everybody Solar and One Spirit have worked together since 2017, successfully completing several renewable energy projects on the Pine Ridge Reservation, including installations at the Allen Youth & Community Center (2017) and Lakota Buffalo House (2019), as well as battery backup systems (2020-2021).
About One Spirit
One Spirit is a nonprofit organization working in partnership with the Oglala Lakota Nation on the Pine Ridge Reservation to support community-led initiatives that promote dignity, health, and self-sufficiency. Rooted in respect for Lakota culture and leadership, One Spirit focuses on addressing essential needs in some of the most remote and underserved areas of the Reservation while strengthening long-term community resilience.
About Everybody Solar
Everybody Solar works to protect the environment and strengthen U.S. communities through solar energy projects. By providing solar power to local charities, Everybody Solar helps local charities reduce electricity costs and direct their limited resources to the communities in which they serve. Its vision is to create healthy and sustainable communities. We want current and future generations to have equal access to essential social services while living on a thriving and sustainable planet.
