RJ and Teresa Devick have long been philanthropic supporters of the causes they care about. After a friend had recommended they meet Fresh Energy’s J. Drake Hamilton, who travels across the state inspiring Minnesotans to address the climate crisis, RJ and Teresa knew that they wanted to support Minnesota’s journey to decarbonization.
“We have electric vehicles and solar power for our house, but we’re just two people,” said RJ. “By making a financial gift to Fresh Energy, we’re able to make a much bigger impact. The organization works to make large-scale change, helping more people decarbonize — that’s really the change we want to support.”
Seeing Fresh Energy advocate for bringing the benefits of clean energy to every corner of Minnesota is important to RJ and Teresa. There are many benefits in the clean energy transition, from cleaner electricity to affordable electric vehicles to efficient homes and buildings. RJ and Teresa know that it’s important not only to switch to a cleaner economy, but to make sure that the transition benefits everybody in the state.
“We really care about the environment. It’s so important to us to build a cleaner future for our three daughters and future generations,” said Teresa. “We don’t have the time to dig into the details of how to decarbonize our entire life, but Fresh Energy works with the Legislature to make it accessible for everybody and provide incentives for people to do so. That’s amazing work for helping people.”
“Fresh Energy is very effective at advocating for big, necessary, systems-level changes. The more support they have, the more effective they will be,” said RJ. “It’s more than just decarbonizing our state and creating healthier air and water, too. There are so many jobs that are being created from greening our state, especially outside the cities. Bringing the benefits of clean energy to everyone in the state is incredibly important.”
When asked what they’d say to a friend considering a donation to Fresh Energy, RJ was quick to answer: “Don’t worry about it!” he said. “This is an organization that works at a large scale, using public policy to change our energy system in a nonpartisan way. By working together and moving our state forward, that’s how you make the biggest impact.”
As Power Circle donors, RJ and Teresa are supporting Fresh Energy with consistent charitable giving. By supporting our work, they’re ensuring that the energy transition is benefiting both individual Minnesotans and systemically, creating a cleaner, more equitable future for all Minnesotans.
You can join RJ and Teresa in supporting Fresh Energy’s critical work by making a contribution to Fresh Energy. For more information, please contact Meggie LaValley at lavalley@fresh-energy.org.