Solar Energy Initiatives Forms Alliance with Community Rehabilitation Center to Retrain Displaced Workers

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Solar Energy Initiatives, Inc. (OTCBB:SNRY) today announced that the Company has formed a strategic partnership with Community Rehabilitation Center (CRC), a Jacksonville-based nonprofit vocational training facility, to train local residents for solar energy installation and maintenance jobs.

The collaboration with CRC illustrates Solar Energy Initiatives’ nationwide grass roots campaign, “RENEW THE NATION,” to help redeploy a portion of the U.S. work force and focus on reducing the world’s dependence on fossil fuels by selling solar thermal and photovoltaic (PV) technologies.

CRC and Solar Energy Initiatives have applied for economic stimulus dollars provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to fund the training of as many as 100 unemployed workers per month in Jacksonville. Those selected by CRC will undergo training by Solar Energy Initiatives’ certified solar energy technology trainers. Northwest Support Services, a for-profit company affiliated with CRC, will assist in finding employment for the graduates of the program.

“We are honored to partner with CRC and Northwest Support Services as we collaboratively seek to answer President Obama’s call to rebuild our economy with alternative energy technologies,” said David Fann, Chief Executive Officer of Solar Energy Initiatives. “We are excited to assist in retraining Jacksonville workers as we continue to pursue our business model of expanding our distributor base, increase market presence and achieve our overall goal of improved shareholder value. The goal is to duplicate this program across the state as well as the nation.”

Reginald Gaffney, CRC’s Executive Director and CEO, stated, “We look forward to working with Solar Energy Initiatives and its Renew the Nation campaign. I am convinced that this new strategic partnership will yield significant benefits for that segment of our community that has been deeply impacted by the economic downturn by offering training for jobs in the new economy.”