On December 30th, 2021, Uplight’s community was directly affected by a large fire in Boulder County. The Marshall Fire spanned over 6,000 acres and destroyed over 1,000 homes in the towns of Louisville and Superior. With Uplight’s new headquarters located in Boulder and about 300 Uplight employees located in the Boulder and Denver area, this tragedy hit close to home both literally and figuratively.
A fire of this size and magnitude in what should be a snowy December, far and away from the forest and mountains where wildfires normally occur, provided a heavy-handed reminder of our “why” as Uplighters. Our mission to create a more sustainable future and to enable energy providers to decarbonize has never felt more urgent as we face the very real consequences of climate change.
Despite many having to flee the area under mandatory evacuations, most Uplighters were able to return to their homes still standing. Unfortunately, like many other families in the area, one Uplighter is facing the aftermath of losing their home and a beloved pet. In collaboration with this employee, Uplight has chosen to support three local organizations with a donation match program. We are proud to share that Uplight employees have raised $20,121.76 for the Boulder County Wildfire Fund, $14,502.47 for Boulder Valley Humane Society, and $4,282.77 for A Precious Child, bringing the grand total of funds raised to $38,905!
Uplight’s new Chief People Officer, Michelle Anastasi, helped to organize this donation match program and has been blown away by Uplight employees’ generosity and quick response.
“The generosity of Uplighters makes me incredibly proud to work here. The outpouring of support from Uplighters was immediate, with many of our team members offering their homes to those evacuating. Many later volunteered their time to recovery efforts and donated needed items for victims of the fires. The financial donations were one of several ways our people showed up for our community, and for each other. We are committed to creating a more sustainable future. This is what we do, and this time, we did it for our community,” says Michelle.
For more information on how to help those affected by the Marshall Fire, click here.
