The Community Foundation of Ohio's Electric Cooperatives has announced the approval of $20,500 in grants to various charitable organizations. These grants were nominated by employees from Ohio's electric cooperatives who are dedicated to supporting local communities.
"The board considers grant requests three times a year, and approved its final requests for 2024 in late November," stated the foundation. The organizations benefiting from these grants include Y.O.L.O. of Darke County, ForeverDads, Fairhope Hospice & Palliative Care, Trades for Life Foundation, Project Ohio, and the Blake Rogers Memorial Scholarship.
Y.O.L.O. of Darke County received $500 through a nomination by an employee from Darke County Rural Electric. This community fund focuses on initiatives like replanting trees lost during natural disasters.
ForeverDads was also awarded $500 following a nomination by an employee from Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative. The nonprofit aims to strengthen families by empowering fathers to be more engaged and nurturing.
Fairhope Hospice & Palliative Care received $500 after being nominated by a South Central Power employee. The organization addresses grief among children and families who have lost loved ones.
Trades for Life Foundation was granted $1,000 through Pioneer Electric Cooperative's nomination. It highlights career opportunities in trades and offers financial support to students pursuing this path.
Project Ohio was awarded $2,000 for their efforts in electrifying villages in Guatemala and providing essentials to children there. In January 2025, they plan to bring electricity to the Village of Barejones.
The largest grant went to the Blake Rogers Memorial Scholarship with $16,000 allocated towards tuition for lineworker students at Scioto Career Tech Center. This scholarship honors Blake Rodgers of Buckeye Rural Electric who died while restoring power during a winter storm in 2022.
Since its inception in 2016, The Community Foundation of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives has donated a total of $173,500 to various causes as identified by cooperative employees throughout Ohio.