The Harry Tompson Center in New Orleans, Louisiana will soon benefit from a major renewable energy upgrade thanks to a new partnership with nonprofit solar provider Everybody Solar.
The organization will install a 43.8-kilowatt rooftop solar array at the Rebuild Center, home to three mission-driven nonprofits: The Harry Tompson Center, Lantern Light Ministries and Depaul USA.
Once operational, the system will generate approximately 56,347 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, enough to offset nearly half of the building’s total energy use. The project is expected to save an estimated $4,800 annually, allowing the three organizations to redirect funds toward direct services for New Orleans residents experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
“What excites me most about this partnership with the Harry Tompson Center isn’t just the clean energy — it’s the multiplied impact. One rooftop, one system, three organizations all dedicated to serving some of New Orleans’ most vulnerable residents. People experiencing homelessness are among those hit hardest by climate change, and this partnership will help redirect thousands of dollars annually back into direct services for the people who need it most. That’s exactly why Everybody Solar exists.”
— Myriam Scally, Executive Director, Everybody Solar
Located within the Rebuild Center campus, the Harry Tompson Center serves more than 200 guests each day, providing a calm, dignified space for individuals experiencing homelessness to access hygiene, health and housing navigation services. In 2025, the center recorded 33,542 guest visits from more than 5,500 unduplicated individuals, a 16% increase from the previous year.
“While electricity may seem like a modest line item, $4,800 in annual savings is meaningful for an organization serving 28,000 guest visits per year,” said Emily Bussen Wain, executive director of the Harry Tompson Center. “Those dollars will go directly back into guest services, whether that’s additional hygiene supplies, extended hours or case management support.”
By integrating renewable energy into its operations, the Rebuild Center partnership underscores its shared commitment to sustainability and social impact. The installation will also shrink the organization’s collective carbon footprint—an effort that aligns with their ongoing work to serve individuals most affected by poverty, climate change and housing instability.
About The Harry Tompson Center
The Harry Tompson Center is a collaborative day shelter in New Orleans supporting individuals experiencing homelessness and housing instability. The center provides daytime hospitality, hygiene services, healthcare coordination and housing navigation for more than 200 guests each day. Through collaboration with Lantern Light Ministries and Depaul USA, it works to foster lasting stability and dignity for those it serves.
About Everybody Solar
Everybody Solar works to protect the environment and strengthen U.S. communities through solar energy projects. By providing solar power to nonprofits at no cost, Everybody Solar helps mission-driven organizations 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.
