Funding the Veterans Green Bus so far has been done by myself and a small groups of individuals, veterans, friends on Facebook, Dailykos, and from in kind contributions from other nonprofits and businesses. I can account for $40,000 spent on Large Marge since I pulled her out of a desert in Arizona 5 years ago.
United Peace Relief, Veterans Green Jobs, Team Rubicon USA, New York Cares, Friends of Rockaway, and the Robinhood Foundation, Fire and Police Department Staff, and VFW chapters, Small businesses, Roanoke Natural Food Coop, Full Circle Fuels, Sequential Biodiesel, WVO Diesel, PA BioDiesel, Roanoke Times, The Roanoke Red Sox, Colony Inn, Woods Towing, Rocky Mountain Truck Service, and Kents Custom Diesel have pitched in and helped with money and in kind contributions.
Together:
We have proven we can build a vehicle capable of crossing the country on a signal fill up.
We have proven we can fill it up once we get it across the country.
We have proven our used cooking oil system works to reduce transportation fuel costs up to 90%.
The job of building the bus into a vehicle for sustainable disaster relief is really just beginning. I can't pay for it all and neither can most of the people who have been given generously to the project so far. We need to expand our groups to include more green veteran bus supporters if this is to remain a grassroots effort.
To do this we need media attention for Large Marge.
That is why we paid to get the graphics done so that when somebody takes a picture of her they know and can share what she is all about.
Please share our information with green writers new papers mags eco/environ blogs
Now we need to raise $7,500 to make Large Marge as reliable as she is sustainable.
We have grown from an idea hatched on Bayou Liberty in Louisiana in 2005 to a functioning non profit organization that has helped start several organizations to assist thousands of veterans and disaster victims. From New Orleans, Louisiana to Denver Colorado to Detroit MI to New York City to Seattle, WA, Portland Oregon to San Diego California.
We have been been getting by with just enough money to fix the things that need fixing and repair the bus after emergencies. I.E. (Starter motor and battery fires). And we are still able to cross the country on one fill up of used cooking oil saving over $2,500 in fuel costs.
What we have saved in fuel we are investing in repairs and improvements. With the goal of having the bus as reliable as it is sustainable for when we need it for the next disaster.
Our funding goals are to finish the major engine maintenance and left over issues from the fire and get the tires replaced. $7,500
This will allow us to confidently get the bus from one event to another for many years to come.
Designing and completing the installation of solar panels, battery banks, inverter, diesel generator and 110 distribution for oil collection filtering, communications gear, LED Flood lighting and food refrigeration will cost. $25,000
Finally, completing the interior so that Large Marge can be used as an office, kitchen, and wvo fueling and power station will be done using heavy duty materials and commercial grade appliances. This budget will be developed after field testing basic systems.
follow our progress here on our website:
www.unitedpeacerelief.ning.com
Or our Face Book Page:
www.facebook.com/thegreenveteran
Donate to us on go fund me