About Us

Persons Helping People (PHP) established the Solar Oven Society (SOS) to promote solar cooking to the American public and to provide a way to partner with the three billion people worldwide who lack adequate fuel for cooking their food.

Persons Helping People (the sponsor of the Solar Oven Society) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation established in 1991 and based in Minnesota. Following the wishes of its first donor, Virginia Persons, PHP is dedicated to helping alleviate hunger in developing countries by helping people help themselves. In 2015 the production of the Sport solar oven transitioned to Solavore, LLC, whose mission was to bring the joy and power of solar cooking to cooks around the world.

Solavore LLC has returned the production to Persons Helping People, and the Solar Oven Society.  We would like to thank Anne Patterson and her associates for their contributions to solar cooking in general and marketing the Sport in particular.

Our Focus:

  • Production of low-cost, high-performance, durable, aesthetically-pleasing solar ovens
  • Establishing multi-faceted centers in developing countries for displays of varieties of solar cookers, education and training, and assembly of solar cookers
  • Demonstrations of solar cooking
  • Wholesale and retail sales
  • Financing of solar cookers via village banking systems
  • Encouraging Americans to use solar cookers and support a world wide solar cooking effort.

The parts for approximately 1,000 Sport solar cookers can be shipped in a 40-foot container. Assembly is simple and requires no electricity or dependence on large equipment. This provides employment opportunities in the host country.

SOS helps provide training for assembly and use. A local Board of Directors from the host country along with the Solar Oven Society provides oversight for the governance of the project.

SOS established in developing countries will:

  • Provide solar cooking
    • technology
    • demonstrations
    • training for cooking
    • training for water pasteurization
    • training for assembly
    • training for service
    • wholesale & retail sales
  • Introduce other fuel saving technologies
    • little fire stoves
    • fireless ovens
    • heat retention technology (continuing cooking or keeping food warm)
    • gel fuel
    • other solar technologies such as
      1. food dehydration
      2. water heating
      3. biodegesters

Read more about our programs in the developing world here.

The Sport solar oven is now manufactured and distributed by Persons Helping People and the Solar Oven Society.