Operation Round Up Committee awards $24,000 to area organizations

Eleven area organizations will benefit from the generosity of Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative members by receiving an Operation Round Up grant.

The grant committee met in early February to review applications for the cooperative’s charitable giving program. It selected which applicants to fund from a pool of money that grows as co-op members voluntarily round up their bills to the nearest even dollar. SVEC assists with a corporate contribution.

Below is a list of the latest grant recipients, which will receive a combined $23,975.

Augusta County

Renewing Homes of Greater Augusta: To perform critical home repairs for a client living at or beneath 150% of the federal poverty threshold.

Rockingham County

Brain Injury Connections of the Shenandoah Valley: To benefit its “Circles of Support” program serving clients, offering a comprehensive set of services to ensure people do not fall through the cracks of the health and behavioral health systems. 

Page County

Arise: To offer emergency housing funds that supply area homeless with a safe place to sleep.

Page Alliance for Community Action: To offer free swim lessons at Hawksbill Recreation Park in Stanley and Lake Arrowhead in Luray.

Shenandoah County

Shenandoah Alliance for Shelter: To supplement the utility assistance program to lessen the long-term financial impact of the pandemic on local households.

Over $160,000 in grant funds have been awarded since Operation Round Up began in 2018. More information is available at www.svec.coop/ORU.

Winchester/Frederick County

Henry & Williams Evans Home for Children: To recarpet the main living room of the house and one of the parent units, improving the “home-life” feel and help to provide a safe, comfortable home for residents and staff.  

Highland Food Pantry: To supplement the emergency financial aid budget, which covers expenses for utility bills, rental assistance and other everyday needs such as gas vouchers.

Literacy Volunteers: To expand its established reading curriculum and supplement it with classroom sets of level-appropriate novels and short stories.

Timber Ridge School: To improve the efficiency of utilities by purchasing three Energy Star-certified refrigerators for dormitories.

Wheels for Wellness: To provide free, door-to-door transportation to medical appointments and treatment for those in the region with no other means of transportation.

Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter: To provide two months of service for a temporary shower and toilet facility at the current site of the shelter in downtown Winchester.