MONROE, Ga. – With a dollar not going as far right now, every cent counts to those in our communities whose passion is caring for others.
Tens of thousands of Walton Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) customer-owners are helping with their spare change by allowing the cooperative to round up their electric bill to the next dollar. In turn, that empowers the Operation Round Up program to help local charities when they need it most.
In the most recent distributions, $174,037 aided worthy organizations and needy individuals throughout the utility’s 10-county service area. “No donations are used to administer the program,” said Walton EMC COO Ron Marshall. “Every penny goes straight to those who need it.”
Since Operation Round Up’s beginning, more than $7 million has flowed to local charities.
Those recently benefitting include:
Adults Pushing Forward, $1,000
Events for displaced youth from DFACS or broken homes.
Auditory-Verbal Center, $10,000
Scholarships for children with a hearing disability who do not have access to insurance.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, $5,000
Youth development programming at their Lawrenceville club.
Childkind, $2,500
Recruiting of foster families for children with major disabilities.
Children First, $6,000
Building to provide safe homes for children in family crisis.
DIVAS Who Win Freedom Center, $10,000
Peer support, education, advocacy and intervention for women overcoming addiction, prostitution and sex trafficking.
First Book Club 165, $7,525
Books for Title 1/low-income children.
Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity, $10,000
Critical home repair for low-income homeowners.
Helping Mamas, $10,000
Car seats and portable cribs for low-income families.
Lekotek of Georgia, $2,500
Scholarships for families with disabled children.
Lydia’s Place, $5,000
Rent, transportation and independent living skills training for youth who are homeless or aging out of foster care.
Reach One U.S. Corporation, $4,000
Mentoring program for at-risk middle and high school students.
Rotary Club of Oconee County, $10,000
Materials to build wheelchair ramps for those who can’t afford them.
Skye Precious Kids, $7,200
Medical equipment for children of families suffering a financial crisis.
Special Olympics of Georgia, $2,000
Funds for state fall Special Olympics.
Sudie Clarke Hanger Missionary Care Ministry, $10,000
Kitchen renovation for missionary guest house.
Walton County Master Gardeners Extension, $5,500
Greenhouse for youth and community education.
Words of Comfort Ministries, $8,400
Tutoring services for foster children.
Three families in urgent need, $12,412
FISH Medical, Mending the Gap, Salvation Army Gwinnett, $45,000
Emergency food, shelter and medical needs. These funds come from unclaimed capital credits.
Walton EMC is an innovative, customer-owned and -focused electric utility serving accounts in 10 Northeast Georgia counties between Atlanta and Athens. In its long history of meeting customer-owners’ needs, the cooperative established successful natural gas and security subsidiaries as well as nationally recognized solar initiatives. For more information, visit waltonemc.com.
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