Operation Round Up grants boosting local non-profits

Mar 05 2019 | by James Taylor

Lee County High School SkillsUSA
Lee County High School SkillsUSA

Thanks to Central Electric’s Operation Round Up program, powered by donations from Central Electric members, several nonprofits are benefiting from grant funding. This quarter $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. Another Choice for Black Children (Lee) – Funded $3,000 to help repair or replace HVAC unit and water heater units damaged during Hurricanes Florence and Michael.
  2. Buddy Back Pack Program (Harnett) – Funded $3,000 to purchase food for 600 elementary school students in Harnett County.
  3. Chatham Co. Literacy, Inc. – Funded $3,000 to help provide sustained growth in client base, provide more diverse services, and improve service quality and outcomes.
  4. Drug Free Moore County – Funded $1,955 to help fund the “Helping Women Recover” program that provides assistance to incarcerated women dealing with substance abuse disorders.
  5. Lee County Arts Council – Funded $3,000 to help fund Spencer’s Art Camp, a camp held each year to introduce children between the ages of 8 and 12 to traditional art forms.
  6. Lee County High School Junior ROTC – Funded $1,500 to help with costs associated with the annual Military Ball.
  7. Lee County High School SkillsUSA – Funded $3,000 to help offset the student cost of attendance for state and regional competitions.
  8. Lee County Schools Academically Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Dept. – Funded $1,200 for 2019 Kaleidoscope Program scholarships to help deserving students participate in the trip to Washington, D.C.
  9. Spout Springs Emergency Services – Funded $3,000 to help purchase a state-of-the-art digital marquee sign at the Buffalo Lake Rd. station.
  10. Western Harnett Lions Club – Funded $3,000 to help cover the costs for raising, training and furnishing a guide dog for a N.C. teenager.

“The Central Electric members provide a great service to our local communities through their generous donations to the Operation Round Up program,” said Nancy Gust, Central Electric Member Care Trust Administrator. “A few extras cents from a large group of people really does make a big impact and it has shown over the last two and half years through the amount of grants provided through the program.”

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 2019 second-quarter grant opportunities must be submitted by April 15. Grant recipients will be announced following the board meeting on May 16. For more information on Central Electric’s Operation Round Up program, visit the “Community” tab at CEMCPower.com.