September 2008

GreyStone Power members top $1 million in donations to community

As the nation’s economy strains to support low-income families and foreclosures continue to reach new heights, GreyStone Power’s members have reached a milestone in their efforts to help their neighbors.

Members have donated more than $1.2 million to non-profit organizations and college-bound students in communities in west Georgia through the GreyStone Power Foundation Inc.’s Operation Round-Up program.

“The GreyStone Power Foundation is built upon the strength of GreyStone's members volunteering to round up their electric bills to the next dollar to provide monetary assistance for non-profit organizations,” says GreyStone Power President/CEO Gary Miller. “It makes a tremendous difference in the lives of those who need help in our community.”

Operation Round Up is a voluntary program. For program supporters, every month their electric bill is literally "rounded up" to the nearest dollar. For example, if the bill is $76.75, it will be rounded up to $77 with 25 cents going to Operation Round Up. Each member donates an average of $6 annually, and together these funds make a tremendous difference in the lives of those who need help across GreyStone’s eight-county service area.

Since the program debuted in 1999, $1,230,469 has been donated to members in need, with more than 1,445 applications approved by the Foundation’s board. Applications for grants are reviewed by a nine-member volunteer board. The 2008 GreyStone Power Foundation Board Members are Dianne Hall, Marcus Carter, Rebecca Thompson, Naomi Storey, Anne Shipp, Rita Jacobs, Memy Miller, Stephanie Rakestraw and Teresa Donovan.

“It’s rewarding to know you’re helping families in need,” says Shipp, a retired teacher from Lithia Springs who reviews grant requests in Douglas County. “It was heartbreaking to see children go through hardships. I had a wise principal that said, ‘You can’t teach a hungry child.’ And that’s the truth. Organizations like the Christian Aid Center help by taking some of the financial pressure off a family that’s going through a difficult time.”

Some of the larger donations made to local nonprofit agencies over the last year include Christian Aid Center, $20,000; Cobb Street Ministry, $20,000; Douglas County Sheriff Christmas, $20,000; Paulding County Cops for Kids, $20,000; Helping Hands of Paulding County, $20,000; Sweet Water Camp, $20,000; Boys & Girls Club of Paulding County, $15,000; Boys & Girls Club of Douglas County, $12,000; Dream House for Medically Fragile Children, $7,650; The Pantry (Life Tools Community Development), $5,000; The Hope Project, $10,000; Pregnancy Resource Center, $10,000 and Fragile Kids Foundation, $7,000.

“By working with organizations we can support a greater number of individuals,” says Rakestraw, who reviews grant requests in Paulding County. “GreyStone members that sign up for Operation Round Up are helping their neighbors. By seeing the smiles on their faces you get to see your money in action!”

The Foundation also introduced five annual $3,000 scholarships to traditional and non-traditional college students in 2006; $45,000 has been given to students to date through the organization.