Concern for Community is one of the seven Cooperative Principles. In July, Fayette Electric Cooperative, in partnership with CoBank, put that principle to work and made $7,500 donations to two area not-for-profit organizations.
These donations were all made possible through CoBanks’s Sharing Success Charitable Contribution Program, through which CoBank matches a one-time annual donation of up to $7,500 that Fayette EC makes to nonprofit organizations.
The two nonprofit organizations chosen to receive funds from the 2019 grant program were Combined Community Action, Inc. and the Schulenburg Area Food Pantry.
Combined Community Action oversees the Senior Nutrition “Meals on Wheels” Program. In Fayette County, CCA has four Senior Nutrition sites located in Carmine, Flatonia, La Grange, and Schulenburg. In 2018, 16,877 meals were served to clients. The grant funds will be used to assist in purchasing meals for the “Meals on Wheels” program to assist more individuals in obtaining hot noon meals five days a week in Fayette County.
In operation for over 20 years, the Schulenburg Area Food Pantry provides food and household products to those less fortunate in the Schulenburg area. The grant money will be used to provide vouchers to be used by clients to purchase fresh milk, cheese, meat and bread through a local grocery store.
CoBank’s Sharing Success Program was started in 2012 as a way to give back to co-ops and the non-profits they support. Under the program, CoBank, a cooperative bank serving agribusinesses, rural infrastructure providers and farm credit organizations throughout the United States, has generated over $36 million in total charitable donations, primarily in rural areas across the country.
“Over the past seven years, the Sharing Success Grant Program has enabled us to provide funding for worthy causes throughout Fayette Electric Cooperative’s service territory,” said FEC General Manager Gary Don Nietsche.
“Partnering with our customers to support the causes and organizations they care about most is a great way for CoBank to make a positive impact and fulfill its mission of service to rural America,” said Mike Cowley, Vice President, CoBank Electric Distribution Division.
About Fayette Electric Cooperative
Organized in 1937, Fayette Electric Cooperative provides reliable, cost-effective service to over 9,730 member’s residences, farms, ranches and businesses in portions of Fayette, Bastrop, Lee, Washington, Austin, Colorado and Lavaca counties. FEC owns and operates over 2,900 miles of line and serves over 14,770 meters.
About CoBank
CoBank is a $139 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 70,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country.
Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.
