SVEC’s charitable-giving program, Operation Round Up, will support 10 area nonprofits in the final giving cycle of 2023.
A grant selection committee met Oct. 18 and awarded $16,000 overall to the recipients, as described below. Funding for grants builds as co-op members voluntarily round up their electric bills each month, supplemented by a corporate contribution from SVEC’s board.
More than $60,000 was awarded across three giving cycles in 2023. Since the program began in 2018, nearly $250,000 in grants have been distributed.
Augusta County
Health Equipment Loan Program: to purchase a dump trailer to transport abandoned and discarded equipment.
Staunton Augusta Church Relief Association: to provide emergency financial assistance to residents in need of help with utilities, evictions, medications and food.
Frederick County/Winchester
Shenandoah Valley Scholars Latino Initiative: to prepare Latino/a/x high school students for college through rigorous academic challenge, leadership development, scholarships and supportive mentorships.
Faithworks: to supplement the Pay It Forward program, which will ensure at least 13 additional households will have basic needs expenses covered.
League of Women Voters: to support the development of a website as a communication tool to increase voter registration.
Highland County
Highland Historical Society: to purchase archival containers for its collections and support funding part-time high school help through the local youth employment program.
The Highland Center: to host a free community appreciation dinner for those involved with the Highland Maple Festival.
Page County
Page Free Clinic: to help offset costs to provide free prescriptions for patients.
Hawksbill Greenway Foundation: toward fees for the final design of a trail extension, known as the Redwell-Isabella Furnace Historic Park and Trail.
Shenandoah County
Strasburg Community Library: to improve the safety of visitors by purchasing and installing railing in the center of the exterior concrete stairs