Operation Round Up grants boosting local non-profits

Sep 05 2018 | by James Taylor

Thanks to Central Electric’s Operation Round Up program, powered by donations from Central Electric members, several nonprofits are benefiting from grant funding. Over $25,000 is being put back into the surrounding communities to provide assistance for worthy projects that provide vital service needs. Grants were awarded to the following groups:

  1. Boys & Girls Club of Central Carolina (Lee) – Funded $2,166 to provide scholarships for children in Chatham and Lee counties to attend the after school program.
  2. Chatham Housing Initiatives, Inc. – Funded $2,166 to help cover the cost of energy saving workshops that will be held in Chatham County for low-income families.
  3. Christian United Outreach Center of Lee County – Funded $2,166 to help purchase food items as needed from local grocers, farmers and local food bank.
  4. Coalition for Families in Lee County – Funded $2,166 to help cover costs associated with the Lee County Child Care Conference.
  5. Five N Two Ministries (Harnett) – Funded $2,166 to help purchase food items to stock the shelves of the food pantry.
  6. Pittsboro VFW, Joe Wagner Post 7313 (Chatham) – Funded $2,166 to make the facilities’ bathroom handicap accessible.
  7. Stepping Stones Children’s Center (Lee) – Funded $2,166 to purchase laptop computers and touch screens for creative curriculum and lesson plans for classrooms.
  8. Southern Lee High School Career Center – Funded $2,166 to help with costs associated with field trips, career fairs, recruitment activities, supplies and student portfolio materials.
  9. Temple Theatre (Lee) – Funded $2,166 to help provide a school touring production for students in Chatham, Harnett, Lee and Moore counties.
  10. The Salvation Army of Lee County – Funded $2,166 to help purchase food for the Emergency Food Assistance program through the organization’s food pantry.
  11. Union Pines High School NJROTC (Moore) – Funded $2,166 to help cover costs associated with a student trip to the Norfolk Navy Base in Virginia.
  12. Western Harnett-Overhills Area PTO Thrift Store (Harnett) – Funded $2,166 to purchase tools, vinyl basket trucks, shelving and back braces for workers.

“Operation Round Up shows the power of small donations made by a large group of individuals,” said Nancy Gust, Central Electric Member Care Trust Administrator. “Central Electric’s members have truly made a tremendous impact on our local communities by donating as little as 1 cent and at most 99 cents each month. Since 2013, these small donations have resulted in over $500,000 in grants being awarded to organizations throughout the community, showing how much our members really care about making a difference.”

Operation Round Up is a volunteer program in which Central Electric members can choose to “round up” their electric bill to the next whole dollar each month. Voluntary contributions are made to the Central Electric Member Care Trust and grants are awarded for worthy projects by the Member Care Trust Board of Directors. Applications for 2018 fourth-quarter grant opportunities must be submitted by

Nov. 1. Grant recipients will be announced following the board meeting on Nov. 15. For more information on Central Electric’s Operation Round Up program, visit the “Community” tab at CEMCPower.com.