“Keep the change” is an old expression, usually a small, seemingly insignificant gesture motivated as much by convenience (who wants to fool with a few coins?) as charity.
But for the past four years 4-County Electric Power Association has used the “keep the change” idea to fund hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of grants in the communities it serves.
The customer-owned co-operative utility began the program in 2015, when 4-County CEO Joe Cade, who retired in September, started the 4-County Foundation as a means of funneling money back into its communities through a voluntary program that allowed customers to round their monthly bill up to the next whole dollar. More than 30,000 4-County customers have signed up for the program, which has allowed the company to distribute $850,000 in grants to a wide variety of community organizations — everything from schools to fire departments to charities such as The Salvation Army.
The grants average around $5,000, which can go a long way for a small non-profit used to watching every penny.
On Monday, 4-County held an event to award its latest grants. Nine organizations received a combined $47,000 with individual grants ranging from $2,000 to $12,640.
Small though it may be, the $2,000 grant provided to the Starkville Arts Council ensures funding for its “Arts in the Park” event held each October, an event used to promote the arts at a time when under-funded school arts programs are struggling. A $5,670 grant will provide funds for reading material at French Camp Elementary School. A $5,752 grant will provide body armor for Clay County sheriff’s deputies. Red Cross of North Mississippi will use its $4,674 to provide free smoke detectors to residents. The largest grant — $12,640 — will allow the Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department to make repairs on its pumper truck, something that may save lives.
The 4-County Foundation, through its grant program, lives up to its core values. Cooperatives were formed in the 1930s to provide electricity to people and places that for-profit companies considered unprofitable. When those companies balked at providing electricity, people took matters into their own hands. It’s a recipe that has worked for more than 80 years. Extending that idea to provide funding for organizations in their communities that desperately need funds is yet another example of “taking care of our own.”
For participating 4-County members, it’s little more than a better organized concept of “keep the change.”
It’s may be pocket-change for the individual customer each month, but when so many customers participate it generates money to make a real difference in their communities.
We’d love to see the idea spread to other companies. We can only imagine what the potential might be.
Keep the change?
Absolutely!
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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