The Starkville Area Arts Council relies heavily on 4-County Electric Power Cooperative.
Executive Director John Bateman said 4-County is one of three major sponsors that help SAAC introduce children to creative thinking with Art in the Park, an event hosted each October with hands-on arts and crafts. Monday afternoon, Bateman received a $2,000 grant from 4-County to continue that creative education in Starkville.
“We couldn’t do this event without any of our donors,” Bateman said. “We rely on every donor to this project to pull it off. That day requires anywhere from 75 to 100 volunteers. Every funder and every volunteer is a team member and we’re very grateful for their support.”
SAAC was one of nine nonprofit organizations that 4-County donated to Monday afternoon. Every two months, the 4-County Foundation chooses area nonprofits and charities to help with grants. This month, the foundation donated more than $47,000 to area organizations.
A specific organization cannot receive 4-County funds more than once a year.
4-County members — which include rural power customers in Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay, Noxubee, Monroe, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Winston and Webster counties — can choose to have their utility bills “rounded up” to the nearest dollar. With more than 30,000 participating 4-County members, those “rounded up” bills continue to add up. Since February 2015, the 4-County Foundation has donated more than $850,000 to 130 organizations.
“The world we live in today, most things that seem to be too good to be true are,” 4-County CEO Brian Clark said. “This is not the case for this. The foundation board is made up of members of the community. They’re not paid. They get no compensation. It’s all charity work. They go through these applications and go through them with a fine-toothed comb. They have a duty of managing what the needs of the community are along with they money they have.”
Bateman said the SAAC grant will go toward a number of costs, including table and chair rentals, bottled water, art supplies and more. If any funds are left over, the grant will go toward other SAAC educational programs.
“It’s really wonderful to have a partner,” Bateman said. “It’s helped us really solidify our educational outreach programs. One of the things I like to remind people about art education, it’s not about training new artists. It’s about creating well-rounded thinkers and helping young mind’s build that creative skill set.”
Salvation Army Starkville Corporation received a $5,100 grant for Christmas meals. The nonprofit has received the grant for each of the past three years. During this time of year, the Salvation Army participates in numerous charitable events, including the angel Christmas Tree. For those participating families, The Salvation Army will make holiday meal boxes for about 80 families in need.
Those families will receive a cooked turkey, macaroni and cheese, non-perishables and fruits and vegetables.
Starkville Service Center manager Katie Walker said without the 4-County grant, families would likely receive only non-perishables.
“We are grateful for this,” Walker said. “Without this, we wouldn’t’ be able to provide them for what we would really want to supply them. At Christmas, we are able to provide clothes and gifts for their family. With these funds, we are able to help them meet another basic need with is food. This our third year in a row to receive this donation. Salvation Army is all about meeting basic needs, so to be able to make sure these families have food in their pantry at Christmas and into the winter months is good and helpful.”
The seven other organizations that received funds this month include Adaton Self Creek Volunteer Fire Department ($4,795 for a fire hose and pump), French Camp Elementary ($5,670 for classroom materials), Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department (12,640 for repair for a pumper truck), Clay County Sheriff’s Office ($5,752 for body armor), Columbus Christian Academy ($2,770 for Chromebooks), Central Oktibbeha Volunteer Fire Department (lifesaving equipment) and the American Red Cross ($4,675 for smoke detectors).
Clark said the foundation and 4-County believe in giving back to the community, but during this season it’s important for others to do the same.
“Everything is about service and giving back,” Clark said. “If we all pitch in, we will all be better off. Find somebody this holiday season to help, you can always do something to help somebody else.”
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