Great Lakes Energy People Fund donates $216,000 in grants. 

Great Lakes Energy People Fund donates $216,000 in grants. 

Great Lakes Energy People Fund recently $216,000 in grants to charitable organizations. The grants funds were awarded to 60 charitable and community organizations throughout Great Lakes Energy’s 26-county service area, which stretches from Kalamazoo to the Mackinac Straits.

“Thanks to the generosity of our members we’ve awarded more than $3.3 million in grants since 1999 to local non-profits groups and organizations,” said President/CEO Bill Scott. “The local communities in our service area benefit greatly from this program that is fully funded by our members who allow their bill to be rounded up to the nearest dollar each month.”

Members of the electric cooperative who wish to participate are encouraged to enroll in the People Fund online at gtlakes.com or by contacting Great Lakes Energy’s office.

  “People may not think 50 cents a month can do much, but when added with the contributions of other Great Lakes Energy members, we are able to help so many,” explains Scott. “Giving back to the community is one of the cooperative principles and we couldn’t do it without our members’ generosity.”

The following local groups received People Fund grants in 2017:

• Caritas Food Pantry, Custer: $2,195.68 for storage shed and snow blower.
• Circle Rocking S Children’s Farm, Free Soil: $4,437.99 for barn repairs, printer and fax machine.
• City of Ludington Police Department: $5,000 for driving simulator.
• Fixing Furry Friends, Scottville: (two grants) $500 towards computer, monitor, printer, toner, keyboard and mouse. $948.08 for canopies, cages and crates.
• Fountain Area Community Center, Free Soil: $3,000 for furnace for the upstairs of the community center.
• Friends of Ludington State Park: $5,000 for equipment for a new playground that will be ADA accessible.
• Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association, Ludington: $1,250 to bring the schooner Appledorn V to the Michigan Lighthouse celebration.
• Save a Buddy Fund, Manistee: $500 for spay and neuter vouchers.
• Second Chance Humane Society, Scottville: $1,072.96 for laptop, printer, keyboard and monitor.
• Tallman Lake Senior Center, Fountain: $3,102 to install new entry doors and widen the opening.
• West Shore Pregnancy & Family Support, Ludington:  $3,000 for Earn While You Learn Program.
• Community Foundation for Oceana County, Shelby: $4,000 for books for the Read Early Read Often program.
• El Centro Hispano de Oceana, Hart: $4,000 for computers and software for a computer lab.
• First Baptist Church of Pentwater: $2,000 for freezers for the Pentwater Community Food Pantry.
• Oceana County Council on Aging, Hart: $900 for commercial coffee machine.
• Shelby Area District Library: $1,000 for children’s books for a reading program.