VHA is delighted to introduce Abby Kupstas, the Resource Development VISTA serving at Habitat for Humanity of Virginia in Charlottesville.
About Abby:
Abby grew up just outside of Richmond, Virginia. She attended the University of Virginia, where she majored in Youth & Social Innovation and minored in Social Entrepreneurship. There, she started a sustainable fashion club to increase students’ access to affordable secondhand clothing.
These experiences taught her how to be more effective at community engagement by using research and theories of change to guide interventions. Abby applies this perspective to her work at Habitat for Humanity Virginia, where promotes affordable, sustainable housing through grant writing and loan origination. In her free time, she enjoys shopping secondhand, cooking new recipes, and performing stand-up comedy.
Current VISTA Project:
During her first months as the Resource Development VISTA for Habitat for Humanity Virginia, Abby has worked on various projects spanning much of her organization’s day-to-day operations. She has contributed to grant proposals, developed marketing materials, cultivated potential donors, and underwritten mortgages for the Virginia Affordable Housing Loan Fund.
Abby’s largest responsibility at Habitat Virginia is her role of Program Manager for the National Habitat Solar Program, an initiative of GiveSolar, Habitat for Humanity Virginia, and 22 other Habitat for Humanity State Support Organizations. The National Solar Program aims to raise $40M in private donations to incentivize the installation of 10,000 solar systems on Habitat homes across the U.S. As energy costs rise across the country, Habitat solar installations are expected to reduce families’ energy bills by an average of $60 to $70 per month, freeing up more dollars for basic household expenses like groceries, healthcare, and childcare.
As part of her role at Habitat Virginia, Abby helps oversee the solar program’s Mid-Atlantic arm. She conducts outreach to local-level Habitat organizations in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey to introduce them to the program and answer their questions. Then, she and the Solar Project Manager meet with the local organizations to develop a project pipeline and funding plan for their projects. During her time at Habitat Virginia, Abby has also contributed to materials related to the National Solar Program, including an installation tracker, a public-facing program overview document, organizational agreements, and funding proposals to private donors. To learn more or explore potential collaborations, you can contact Abby at akupstas@habitatvirginia.org.