By Doug Graham, Communications Specialist, Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative Inc.
GIRARD, Kan. – Ten Linn County relief programs will receive $1,000 or more each in January as part of a Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative Inc. program.
Twenty-seven nonprofits throughout eastern Kansas that serve community members in need will receive a total of $45,000 in contributions through Heartland’s Operation Round Up program.
“It’s always impressive to see what a difference our members can make by
contributing just a little bit of change every month,” said Mark Scheibe, Heartland
CEO. “We continue to be proud of our board and our members for helping the
neediest in their communities through this program.”
Through Operation Round Up, Heartland consumer-members’ electric bills are
rounded up to the next dollar each month. The additional amount is collected and
pooled into a fund for distribution to charitable organizations that provide food,
clothing, shelter, medical care, education, and other direct services for those in need.
Grant recipients for 2023 are listed below in alphabetical order. Each will receive
between $1,000 and $2,000 in January.
Linn County organizations that will receive the grants include
• Centerville Community Church - Blue Mound
• Concern Inc. - Mound City
• First Baptist Church - Pleasanton
• First Christian Church - Pleasanton
• Helping Hands & Hearts Food Pantry - Parker
• La Cygne Library
• Mound City United Methodist Church
• Reach Out Food Pantry - Prescott
• Sacred Heart Catholic Church - Mound City
• United Women in Faith - Pleasanton
Other programs in the region that will receive funding include:
• A Meal in His Name - Girard
• Alliance of Churches for Christian Living - Chanute
• Elsmore United Methodist Church
• Erie Federated Church
• Erie Ministerial Alliance
• First Baptist Church - Chanute
• First Baptist Church - Riverton
• First Baptist Church of Cherokee
• First Presbyterian Church Sunday Soups - Iola
• Girard Community Food Pantry
• Hope Chest - Baxter Springs
• Hope Unlimited Inc. - Iola
• Humboldt Community Food Pantry
• Manna Depot - Columbus
• Orange Swan Free Store - Erie
• Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging (covers nine counties)
•Wings of Warriors – Gas
Applications were accepted in November and were reviewed by the Operation
Round Up Board of Trustees at its annual meeting on Dec. 12.
Funds collected through the Operation Round Up program are administered by a
panel of volunteer trustees selected by the Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative
Board of Directors from throughout Heartland’s 12-county service area.
Current Operation Round Up trustees include Pam Schmitz of Mound City, Ernest Troth of Mound City, Tom Bradbury of Bronson, Daniel Davis of Iola, Nancy Hurd of Columbus, Kathryn Harrington of Fort Scott, Mark Taylor of Girard, and Sharon Young of Erie.
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas manages Operation Round Up
contributions and disburses funds on behalf of Heartland.