The "seed" for the light2give.org project was planted when I worked as a consultant in the Engineering Department at Purdue University on a program called "Engineering Projects in Community Service" (EPICS). EPICS is a service-learning design program in which teams of students partner with local and global community organizations to address human, community, and environmental needs. College undergraduate students in all majors (not just engineering) design, build, and deliver real solutions for real people in need. I was called in to help the university share their EPICS learning model with high school teachers across the US. During my time working with Purdue University I met some incredible high school teachers who were teaching engineering through projects that made a real difference in the community.

Then, several years later, I was working as a consultant for a STEM education startup company run by my friend Eric Schneider. The two of us were brainstorming about electroncs projects that would engage students at both the heart and mind level. That's when we came up with the solar lantern project idea. Eric moved on to new projects as did I. And then, In October 2023, the New York Times published an article entitled "I Live In My Car -- Dozens of parking lots have opened across the country for working people who can afford a car but not rent." (You can find the article if you google that phrase.)  That article inspired me to contact the NY Times reporter who then helped me connect with people across the US who run Safe Parking Programs. I wanted to find out if the people who were using the Safe Parking Programs would benefit from having a free solar lantern to use in their car. Every single person who was managing a Safe Parking Program told me their clients would absolutely appreciate a solar lantern!

In the spring of 2023 I purchased solar lanterns from a US based nonprofit called Unite to Light which is based in Santa Barbara, California. When the solar lanterns (called "Luke Lights") were shipped to my home I would disassemble them and then repackage them. Then I shipped them to teachers I found on Facebook who were eager to have their students participate in the initial pilot project. Students assembled the lights then wrote an uplifting note to the person who would receive the light. CLICK HERE to view a photo of one such note written by a middle school student. The lights were then donated to a local nonprofit that serves the unhoused. Teachers and students enjoyed the project. I worked with teachers located in NC, SC, FL, CO, and NY. This initial pilot project acted as a "proof of concept" and was the encouragement I needed to begin planning for a larger pilot project. This is the stage we're in now.