Showing Concern for Community also means supporting a member’s nonprofit that is making a difference. Brunswick member member Barb Dullaghan wanted to provide duffel bags with personal items to foster children, because they were often moved quickly and without any belongings. Once she turned her vision into a reality, we were able to provide one of our Community Grants to help her keep the project going. All across our state, individuals are making a difference in the lives of others, and their electric co-op is often there to support them.
Sometimes, members go above and beyond in supporting their co-op’s efforts. Brunswick member Jane-Marie Terefencko used her 70th birthday as an opportunity to help her neighbors through one of our initiatives. She celebrated by asking her friends and family to support our Warm Homes, Warm Hearts utility assistance program. They rose to the challenge, raising more than $13,000, which we matched. A lot of people were helped by the strength of her intentions.
And sometimes, co-op employees are the ones inspired to develop programs to improve the communities they serve. Brunswick employee Judy Gore was talking to a teacher who was buying school supplies with her own money, and conceived the Bright Ideas Education Grants program more than 25 years ago, which has since been adopted by co-ops across the state. Teachers in thousands of North Carolina classrooms have been awarded funding for creative classroom projects that make learning better for their students, because of an idea that was acted upon.
Having Concern for Community as a North Star — part of our core mission — encourages people to see what might be possible, and deploy the resources to make it possible. When you know and care about those who live around you, the cooperative model can motivate you to action, and provide the framework to make amazing things happen. And isn’t that the kind of inspiration we need more of these days?
About the Author
Share Your Thoughts
Have a question about this story or just want to share what you thought? We’d love to hear from you!
Co-ops helping communities
Co-ops and the Military: A Shared ‘Esprit de Corps’
Both are connected by common values of service and a commitment to community
No Community is an Island
Teamwork and coordination are essential after a natural disaster