Electric cooperatives across Illinois adhere to the same Seven Cooperative Principles that guide all their decisions. “Concern for community” is the seventh principle, and it is one that all co-ops value year-round. Giving back to the community is the cooperative way.
The employees of Shelby Electric Cooperative in Shelbyville recently donated 141 pounds of food and $150 to the Taylorville food pantry (pictured). Each year the employees do a food drive and pick a food pantry from within their service territory to deliver the goods. The pantry serves more than 300 families each month.
Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association (EECA) in Murphysboro and Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative (SIEC) in Dongola recently awarded Touchstone Energy Classroom Empowerment Grants to classrooms in their service territories. EECA awarded 10 $500 grants and SIEC awarded seven $500 grants. The grants were offered and awarded to teachers or school administrators of public and private K-12 schools to help with projects that will improve educational opportunities for students.
McDonough Power Cooperative in Macomb and Spoon River Electric Cooperative in Canton recently donated more than $6,000 each to organizations within their service territories with the help of their Operation Round Up programs. This program allows co-op members to round their monthly electric bill up to the nearest dollar to be invested back into the community. Applications are reviewed and awarded quarterly.
Norris Electric Cooperative in Newton helped make Christmas a little brighter for its community. Its employees donated money to the Jasper County Ministerial Association Christmas Food Box Program.
Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative in Fairfield erected four bat-roosting structures in late November 2022 on a nature preserve in Edwards County. This is to help conserve, recover and stabilize the species of bats in Illinois. Bat populations across the U.S. have been wiped out due to a disease known as white-nose syndrome.
