Two Caldwell Organizations Awarded Grants From Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation

Lenoir, North Carolina (July 8, 2010) - Two organizations in Caldwell County will receive help with projects that provide important assistance for local residents as a result of grants recently awarded by the Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation.

Helping Hands Center received a grant of $5,000 to help provide important, sometimes life-saving prescription medications to the uninsured residents of Caldwell County. Also receiving a grant of $10,000 is the Children’s Advocacy Center of Caldwell County. This grant will assist in the establishment of the new organization to the area who serves victims of child abuse. The funds will be a part of a 25 percent match required by the Governor’s Crime Commission to reach the total budget for start up of the organization. Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation is proud to help bring this vision to a reality through the Foundation grant program.

Checks totaling $38,000 have been presented during the 2010 Spring Grant Cycle by the Foundation to eight organizations in the four Blue Ridge Electric districts: Alleghany, Ashe, Caldwell and Watauga.

The Foundation was established by Blue Ridge Electric in 2006 to support the work of community organizations that offer valuable services to the cooperative’s members. Projects in the areas of health and wellness, education and youth, economic and community development, and environment and quality of life are the Foundation’s priorities. However, due to the current economic conditions, the Foundation’s Advisory Committee, made up entirely of members, has been focusing on grants that demonstrate more immediate assistance for members.

Funding for Foundation grants come from members participating in Blue Ridge Electric’s Operation Round Up® and Operation Round Up Plus® programs as well as an annual contribution from the profits of Blue Ridge Energies, the cooperative’s heating fuels subsidiary. Over 30,000 members are either rounding up their monthly electric bill with Operation Round Up® or adding a dollar or more with Operation Round Up plus.® Grant funding decisions are made by a Foundation Advisory Committee which is comprised of 12 representatives from the Blue Ridge districts. Non-profit agencies that serve members in the four districts are eligible to apply for grants. The deadline for the upcoming Fall Grant Cycle is September 30, 2010.

“The Foundation continues to grow and offer support to more and more members through our community organizations, and Blue Ridge Electric is grateful to the thousands of members who make this possible through Operation Round Up® and Operation Round Up Plus®,” said Doug Johnson, Blue Ridge Electric Chief Executive Officer. “It is an excellent example of members helping members in the true cooperative spirit.”

Anyone with questions about the Foundation, and agencies interested in applying for grants, may contact Grey Scheer, community relations director, at 828-759-8994 or gscheer@blueridgeemc.com.

Blue Ridge Electric is a cooperative utility serving some 73,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Wilkes and Alexander counties.