Leadership Profiles
Socially Responsible Investing
Ebony Perkins, Investor and Community Relations Manager
Ebony Perkins is a dedicated, solution-oriented social entrepreneur whose heartbeat is community. She has a demonstrated ability of working with investors and philanthropists to help them make smart and strategic decisions. As Self-Help's Investor & Community Relations Manager, Ebony helps groups and individuals invest funds in a socially responsible financial institution that supports communities of all kinds, especially those underserved by conventional lenders. Before that role, she served as the Donor Relations Manager at Central Carolina Community Foundation where she managed a system to engage and educate over 400 individuals and groups to help them achieve their charitable goals.
Ebony’s commitment to community investing is evident by her service and contributions to Women In Philanthropy, Durham Center for Senior Life, and the University of North Carolina MPA Alumni Board. Ebony was also recognized on the SRI Conference's inaugural 30 Under 30 List.
Ebony holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Claflin University as a summa cum laude graduate. She also has an Executive Certificate in Financial Planning from Duke University.
Nuray Ozbay, Policy and Impact Investment Associate
Nuray Ozbay leads Self Help’s efforts to cultivate mission-supportive depositors and impact investors within and beyond Self-Help’s California footprint. As a global movement and relationship builder, Nuray loves working with change-makers across non-profit, corporate, and public sectors. Her expertise is in intersectional gender equality, global civil society activism, social justice, and ESG investing. Nuray currently serves as a Board Director at the UN Women San Francisco Chapter and a National Expert on Violence Against Women at the European Women’s Lobby, the largest umbrella organization of women’s associations across Europe. Before joining Self-Help, Nuray spent 11 years in the social impact sector as a researcher, consultant, and non-profit leader across Turkey and Europe, working on issues including but not limited to immigration, women’s access to economy, financial literacy & inclusion, entrepreneurship, and care economy.
Kimberly Jones, Investment Associate
Kimberly's professional career spans both the nonprofit and community development financial services sectors, with expansive senior leadership roles in arts management; business and resource development; community relations; and corporate philanthropy. Currently, she's Self-Help's Investor Relations Manager, where she helps individuals and institutions align their banking and investments with their mission, vision, and values. Kimberly has held leadership positions that advanced the missions of creative organizations and community development financial institutions seeking to make a difference in communities in their footprint. She has been a founding board member of mission driven organizations that supported the growth and development of young artists, creatives, and professionals in the nonprofit sector.
In 2015, Kimberly was selected to be a PLACES Fellow with The Funders Network, where she explored the role of philanthropy through an equity lens in low to moderate income communities. She has served as a grant/award reviewer for organizations that championed organizational excellence, community development, and environmental sustainability. Kimberly has a BA in Political Science from the University of Minnesota-Morris and an MA in Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management from Columbia College Chicago.
Green Economy; Sustainable Society; Investing for the Environment
Melissa Malkin-Weber, Sustainability Director
Melissa has worked across a broad span of hands-on sustainability practices. At Self-Help Credit Union, she integrates the triple bottom line into the organization’s financial products, operations, and buildings portfolio. She led Self-Help to realize over $1.7 million in net present value from initiatives in this sector, including $180,000 energy savings in our own operations. Melissa previously directed the residential energy efficiency and indoor air quality research program at Advanced Energy and worked in industrial pollution prevention at RTI International. She earned her law degree from University of Michigan, and her Master's from UNC’s School of Public Health.
Shondra Tanner, Mortgage Lending
Shondra Owens Tanner brings her extensive experience and commitment to making mortgage loans for low-wealth families to her position as Self-Help's Director of Mortgage Originations, where she oversees all North Carolina home loan origination and new business development. Shondra's areas of expertise includes buying your first home, mortgage basics (documentation, closing costs, down payments), delinquency and loss mitigation (What is a forbearance and loan modification and what does that do to your credit?)
Clean Energy Upgrades: Are They Worth It?
April 22nd is Earth Day, which serves as a reminder each year of what it means to create a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone.
However, clean energy upgrades can have hefty price tags that can be difficult to justify as optional improvements. So, the question is – are they really worth it?
In this blog post, we will be discussing some of the costs and benefits of clean energy upgrades and options for improvements that won’t break the bank.
Why Switch to Clean Energy?
Depending on what kind of upgrade you’re choosing to make, you will likely notice cost savings right away. Often these savings far outweigh your initial investment. Here are a few examples*:
🪟 Insulated Windows
Initial Investment
$150–$4,000 per window; $6,685–$33,425 for whole-house replacement
Savings
$100–$580 annually
Why It Helps
25–30% of a home’s heating and cooling energy is lost through its windows. Minimizing this loss means your HVAC doesn’t have to work as hard. Learn more.
☀️ Solar Panels
Initial Investment
$12,000–$30,000 for installation
Savings
$25,500–$33,000 over the lifetime of your solar panels (after breaking even)
Why It Helps
Solar panels are one of the most impactful energy-efficient upgrades you can make. They use the power of the sun to generate electricity, which drastically reduces your electric bill. Learn more.
🌡️ Smart Thermostat
Initial Investment
$200–$500 for basic thermostat and installation; $2,000–$12,500 for complex set-ups with multiple thermostats or zoning systems
Why It Helps
Smart thermostats save energy and increase comfort. They can adjust temperatures based on your schedule, saving on heating and cooling costs with special features that help optimize usage. Learn more.
❄️ HVAC
Initial Investment
$3,000–$12,000, but could go up to $25,000 depending on your system, efficiency, and needs
Savings
$330–$750 annually
Why It Helps
HVAC technology has changed, resulting in more efficient energy usage. The efficiency ratings will largely govern the costs and savings you could experience, but most people recover the cost in 5–7 years. Learn more.
⚡ Electric Vehicle
Initial Investment
$7,000–$12,000 more than comparable gas vehicles, with average prices from $45,000–$55,000 — but keep in mind there are pre-owned options
Savings
Up to $2,200 annually on gas (plus maintenance savings – no oil changes, fewer brake jobs, etc.)
Why It Helps
With the cost of gas being as unpredictable as it is, switching to an electric vehicle is a great consideration that can save you money long-term. Compare costs and savings between various electric vs. gas cars by state with ZETA’s calculator.
It’s also important to keep in mind that any upgrades you make to your home can not only save you money, but they could also increase the value of your home when it comes time to sell, providing even more value to these clean energy upgrades.
It’s More Affordable Than You Think
While the major upgrades mentioned above can require a large investment upfront, there are many options that can make these major upgrades more accessible, or you can consider a number of alternatives that fit with your budget.
Here are a few options to make clean energy more affordable.
State/local grants & loans
Many states and cities offer programs to qualifying residents that provide flexible financing, project assistance, and funding to people who want to make clean energy upgrades. A quick search will help you find options in your area.
Affordable financing
Taking advantage of responsible, affordable financing might make the switch to clean energy easier than you think. Self-Help’s goal is to make the benefits of clean energy more accessible to our communities, so we offer a few different green loans to help you finance home energy upgrades, solar panel installation, and electric vehicles.
Start with more affordable options
While clean energy upgrades are great, they may not be accessible to many people even with added support. If you’re interested in finding easier, more cost-effective ways to start making upgrades in your home, consider options with smaller investments:
- Showerheads and faucets: Switching to low-flow shower heads and faucets can be as cheap as $20 for each new faucet or showerhead (if you need professional installation, make sure to factor that into your costs), and they can save you $30–$50 annually on water costs for faucets and $95–$130 annually for showerheads.
- Light bulbs: LED bulbs only cost $5–$7 each, with LED fixtures costing more, and they can save you $6 a year per bulb (an average of $225/year for a household) while also lasting 15–25 years longer than incandescent bulbs.
- Native plants: If you have a yard, consider switching to native plants. Not only will you support the natural flora and fauna in your area, but you will spend less money on water and upkeep. The cost will depend on your patience and gardening abilities (planting seeds yourself vs. installing mature plants or using a landscaper), but it is estimated this could decrease water use by 60–90% and reduce fertilizer and labor costs for maintenance, which can be in the thousands annually.
- Windows: If you have single-paned windows but don’t have the funds to replace them, there are a number of cheaper options to improve insulation, including window insulation kits with an insulating film you install yourself, thermal insulated curtains, or cellular shades.
It Benefits Everyone
Clean energy benefits our communities by providing jobs and creating safer, healthier environments for everyone. It’s estimated that more than 3.5 million Americans now hold jobs related to clean energy — more than are employed as nurses, cashiers, servers, or elementary school teachers.
What to Consider
Even if the long-term savings are enticing, it’s important that you don’t spend more than you are able to up front. While we aim to make clean energy upgrades more accessible to everyone so that the communities we serve can take advantage of the benefits, your financial health should come first.
If you’re interested in clean energy but you don’t have the available funds for an initial investment, start with the smaller upgrades we mentioned. In the meantime, you can set a savings goal to build up to larger upgrades.
If you need support in setting or achieving a savings goal, consider taking advantage of our financial coaching (free to members).
*These examples are general guidelines, but the real cost will largely depend on the area you live in, the size of your home, the quality of the upgrade you choose to go with, and more.