Operation Round Up grants boosting local non-profits

Thanks to Central Electric’s Operation Round Up program, powered by donations from Central Electric members, several nonprofits are benefiting from grant funding. Over $21,000 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. Bennett Jr. Beta Club (Chatham)- Funded $2,000 to help students with costs associated with competing and attending the N.C. Junior State Beta Competition.
  2. Chatham Central High School PTSA and FBLA (Chatham)- Funded $1,500 to help with student registration costs to attend and compete at the National Leadership Conference.
  3. Communities in Schools (Chatham)- Funded $2,500 to help support intensive, targeted support services for 550 students at Chatham Middle School.
  4. Family Promise of Lee County (Lee)- Funded $3,000 to help provide families bedding materials during their stay in the homeless recovery program.
  5. Golden Adventurers Senior Group (Harnett)- Funded $983 for repairs associated with the septic system.
  6. Lee County High School FFA (Lee)- Funded $3,000 to help provide scholarships for students to attend summer FFA camp at White Lake, N.C.
  7. St. Provision Community Development Corp. (Lee)- Funded $3,000 to help with costs associated with leasing equipment for the Positive Direction for Youth Leadership Conference.
  8. Stepping Stones Children Center (Lee)- Funded $2,500 for a storage shed for therapeutic equipment, bicycles, tricycles and other special needs equipment.
  9. The Salvation Army (Lee)- Funded $3,000 to provide transportation assistance and scholarships to Central Carolina Community College for low income adults.

“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 2017 third-quarter grant opportunities must be submitted by Aug. 1. Grant recipients will be announced following the board meeting on Aug. 17. For more information on Central Electric’s Operation Round Up program, visit the “Community Services” tab at CEMCPower.com.