Photo courtesy of Broad River Electric Cooperative Representatives from non-profit organizations and ministries hold a check for $26,000 from Broad River Electric Charities. The money, which will be divided between the agencies, was raised by Broad River Electric Cooperative through its Operation Round Up program. The representatives and their organizations are, front row, Martin Hogg (Jerusalem Project), Daisy Lemmons (BREC Charities Board) Lisa Thornton (Adult Learning Center), Jessica White (Cherokee County Meals on Wheels), Doris Russell (Union County Arts Council), Mary Phillips (Cherokee County Literacy Association), Dr. Betty Garrison (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program), Jo Gramling Lopez (Children’s Advocacy Center), Kitta Cates (Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg), back row, Bruce Jennings (Grounded Faith Youth Ministries of Spartanburg), Jackie Senn (Union County Arts Council) Bennie Giles (Union County Arts Council), Ray Heffner (Grounded Faith Youth Ministries of Spartanburg), Dr. Eric Nease (Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg).

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GAFFNEY — Local nonprofit organizations and ministries received donations totaling $26,000 from Broad River Electric Charities in May. This amount is the most donated by the philanthropic board since it began giving quarterly grants in Jan. 2011.

The Cherokee Literacy Association, Spartanburg Adult Learning Center, Colon Cancer Solutions, Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg, Cherokee County Meals on Wheels, Children’s Advocacy Center of Spartanburg, Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Cherokee and Union Counties, Union County Arts Council, Iron City Ministries, the Jerusalem Project of Cherokee County, the Jerusalem Project of Union and Grounded Faith Youth Ministries of Spartanburg each received funds to assist in their ministries and services to the people in Broad River Electric’s territory.

“The size of this most recent donation exhibits both the level generosity of the Broad River Electric members and the degree of need which exists in their communities,” said Barbara Whitney, Vice Chairperson of the Broad River Electric Charities Board. “As stewards of these funds, it is our hope to distribute them to organizations and initiatives across the co-op’s service territory where they can make the best impact.”

Donations to the selected charities come from Broad River Electric’s Operation Round Up program. Each month, participating members’ account balances are rounded up to the nearest dollar. That extra change goes to the benevolent fund, which assists organizations and good will missions in and around Broad River’s service area.

Funds from Operation Round Up are distributed through Broad River Electric Charities, Inc, which is governed by a 7-member board representing the cooperative and the three major counties it serves — Cherokee, Union and Spartanburg.

Broad River Electric Charities has donated $135,000 from Operation Round Up funds since its inception in Oct. 2010. Organizations wishing to request funds can contact the cooperative to begin the application process.

Broad River Electric Charities is a philanthropic subsidiary of Broad River Electric Cooperative, which serves more than 20,400 accounts in Cherokee, Spartanburg, Union and Newberry counties in South Carolina and Cleveland, Polk and Rutherford counties in North Carolina.