Thursday March 28th, 2024 9:15AM

Jackson EMC announces latest foundation award rants

By Staff
GAINESVILLE - The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $107,806 in grants to organizations serving area residents during their January meeting according to company spokeswoman Bonnie Jones. Four of them went to agencies directly impacting Hall County.

Funds are being disbursed as follows:

~ $15,000 to Challenged Child and Friends, a Gainesville nonprofit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities in all counties served by Jackson EMC, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.

~ $15,000 to the Hall County Health Department to provide indigent women in Banks, Franklin, Hall and Lumpkin counties who would otherwise not receive medical care during pregnancy with prenatal care services, including diabetic supplies, prenatal vitamins and checkups that limit risk factors for both mother and baby.

~ $15,000 to MedLink of Georgia, a nonprofit primary medical care network serving all counties served by Jackson EMC which provides care to those who lack access to quality medical care because of finances, transportation or few local physicians, to transition to an electronic practice management and health records system that will allow physicians and staff to better manage patient care.

~ $15,000 to Peace Place, a domestic violence shelter in Winder, to help refurbish four apartments and two houses that serve as safe transitional housing for women and children in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties who have survived domestic violence and are seeking to rebuild their lives, independently and free of abuse.

~ $15,000 to Step by Step Recovery, a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization which provides a safe and structured environment for both men and women over six months to two years as they complete a 12 step program to deal with drug and alcohol addiction, to assist with rent for men's and women's units.

~ $14,867 to Success by 6, a program of the United Way of Northeast Georgia, to help print "Critical Years, Critical Needs" parenting manuals in English and Spanish that provide a resource guide on early childhood developmental needs and good child care practices, along with board books that are distributed to new parents through a partnership with St. Mary's Hospital, Athens Regional Medical Center and Barrow County Medical Center.

~ $11,939 to Piedmont CASA, a nonprofit organization that uses community volunteers to provide a voice in Juvenile Court for the best interest of abused and neglected children in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to recruit and train community volunteers. In 2013, the organization served 148 children.

~ $3,000 to iServe Ministries, a Jefferson grassroots organization that helps churches recognize community needs and helps get those needs met, for backpacks and food for its "Bags of Love" program that sends disadvantaged students in Jackson and Madison counties home each weekend with enough food for family meals and snacks.

~ $3,000 to Straight Street Revolution Ministries, a Gainesville nonprofit providing a support system to those in need in the community, to purchase food for its "BackPack Love" feeding program that sends disadvantaged students in Gainesville and Hall County schools home each weekend with food for family meals.

The Jackson EMC Foundation is funded by Operation Round Up, which rounds up the monthly electric bills of participating cooperative members to the next dollar amount. This "spare change" has funded 937 grants to organizations and 305 grants to individuals, putting more than $9.4 million back into local communities since the program began in 2005.

Jones said in an email release that any individual or charitable organization in the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC (Clarke, Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe) may apply for a Foundation grant by completing an application, available online at http://www.jacksonemc.com/foundation-guidelines or at local Jackson EMC offices. Applicants do not need to be a member of Jackson EMC.
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