Small change that changes lives
Operation Round Up is a community support program designed to raise funds to support worthwhile charitable and educational needs within the 3 counties served by Tri-State EMC.
As a cooperative committed to community involvement and customer focus, we at Tri-State EMC are excited to find an effective and easy way to improve the quality of life within our community. Operation Round Up is the perfect way to put our co-op vision into action. At its core, the program is community involvement at work. Simply stated, Operation Round UP is local dollars meeting local needs in the local community. Tri-State EMC is just providing a channel for you, the members, to collectively help others in your own neighborhoods. When a community starts meeting the needs of its own members, the money invested in those individuals is effectively returned to the original investors through environmental and educational improvements, increased business revenue and better local healthcare.
The Power of Human Connections
Operation Round UP demonstrates what we call “the power of human connections.” This program provides the opportunity for members to connect with the rest of the community. Each need that is met through Operation Round UP becomes part of a cycle that directly and indirectly benefits local residents and businesses. With so many requests each year for you to make charitable contributions, it can be hard to assess one need against another and make satisfying personal donations. With Operation Round UP, however, you have the opportunity to have a much greater and more satisfying impact in meeting local needs, as the funds are distributed on your behalf. In fact, the possibilities of the program’s potential effect are astounding once you understand how it operates.
How does Operation RoundUP work?
Operation Round UP was established in 1989 as a means of providing assistance to the less fortunate in the area each co-op serves. Through this program, basic needs of individuals such as food, shelter and healthcare can be met, in addition to providing assistance in areas such as education and the environment.
Unless you choose not to participate, Tri-State EMC will automatically round each participating member’s electric bill up to the next dollar. For example, a bill of $73.46 would become $74.00. Individually, this is pretty small change; on average, members will contribute about six dollars annually to the program. The contributions are TAX DEDUCTIBLE and a summary of your gifts will be included in your January, February, and March electric bills. The extra cents from each participating member’s bill will be collected and placed in the Tri-State EMC Membership Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit foundation directed by an appointed group of leading community members volunteering their time. The collected funds will then be redistributed to meet needs in the Tri-State EMC service areas and surrounding communities.
How will the money be used?
Requests for assistance, by charitable organizations, will be evaluated and grants awarded by a separate board of directors, made up of 7 volunteer members, one from each of the Tri-State EMC Board of Director’s service territories. The Tri-State EMC Foundation evaluates all requests for funds and determines how the funds will be distributed. Plus, Tri-State EMC will pay for all administrative costs, so 100% of your contribution goes to the Operation Round UP Fund.
The primary purpose of Operation Round UP is to address charitable needs and provide financial assistance anywhere in the 3 counties served by Tri-State EMC. Your pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters collectively can add up to be used to go to local charities and service organizations. Your contributions will go toward improving the lives of others. Looking at the program’s purpose, one thing becomes obvious-the countless positive things Operation Round UP can do. Once the resources are put to work in the community, our members can’t help but see what a powerful tool for good our cooperative is providing for the Tri-State EMC service area.
How are requests for funding made?
A request is made by completing a very thorough grant application to be reviewed by the foundation board. Applications can be completed by tax-exempt organizations or charity groups. Call Tri-State EMC or download the appropriate application.
Financial awards are generally limited to not more than $10,000 annually to any group, organization, charity or like organization. The Foundation Board wants the funds available to do as much direct good as possible.
The Opportunity to Make a Difference
Members of Tri-State EMC will now have the opportunity, the means, the encouragement and the reward of contributing voluntarily to worthwhile community activities and needs throughout our service territory. All Tri-State EMC members will be enrolled in Operation Round UP unless they choose not to participate. Participation is strictly voluntary and you can request to be removed from the program at any time.
I do not want to participate. Please opt me out of the Operation RoundUP program.