(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – The Baldwin County Electric Membership Charitable Foundation recently awarded grants to four local agencies. Those agencies include the following:

• Baldwin County Education Coalition, to support the Palm Project, which provides school supplies, toiletries and other essential items for local students in need
• Baldwin Family Village, which provides transitional housing for women and children experiencing homelessness
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Gulf Coast, to support the Baldwin County Big Impact program, which creates one-on-one mentoring relationships between vulnerable children and adult volunteers.
• Ecumenical Ministries, in support of the agency’s emergency aid and Repair Baldwin programs

Since 2004, Baldwin EMC’s Operation Round Up program has collected money for charitable causes by rounding up participating members’ electric bills to the next highest dollar amount. The extra change is then used to fund grants. To date, the program has distributed more than $7 million in grants to local agencies and individuals in need. Grants must meet one of six qualifying categories: food, clothing, shelter, health, environment, and education.

Cutline: Back row, from left to right, Charitable Foundation Board Members David Combs, Craig Jackson, and Albert Lipscomb; center row, from left to right, Charitable Foundation Board Members Dawn Gentry, Jennie Smallwood, Debbie Kline and Amanda Haber; Front row from left to right, Charitable Foundation Board Member Clara Myers and Baldwin Family Village Development Officer Dr. Jennifer Winstead and Director Hilary Williams

Cutline: Back row, from left to right, Charitable Foundation Board Members David Combs, Craig Jackson, and Albert Lipscomb; center row, from left to right, Charitable Foundation Board Members Dawn Gentry, Jennie Smallwood, Debbie Kline and Amanda Haber; Front row from left to right, Charitable Foundation Board Member Clara Myers and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Gulf Coast President and CEO Aimee Risser

Cutline: Back row, from left to right, Charitable Foundation Board Members David Combs, Craig Jackson, and Albert Lipscomb; center row, from left to right, Charitable Foundation Board Members Dawn Gentry, Jennie Smallwood, Debbie Kline and Amanda Haber; Front row from left to right, Charitable Foundation Board Member Clara Myers and Ecumenical Ministries Executive Director Sally Deane