Nineteen charitable organizations in south Mississippi received an early Christmas gift today as Coast Electric awarded grants totaling $131,642 to charitable organizations serving Hancock, Harrison and Pearl River counties. Grants were made possible through the cooperative’s Operation Round Up program, funded by Coast Electric members who round up their electric bills each month.

Donations are put into a community trust with 65 percent going toward grants for local charitable organizations, 25 percent going toward energy assistance for those in need and another 10 percent going to an endowment for future projects. The trust is administered by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

Over the past 12 months, 47 organizations in the tri-county area have received $287,292 in grants from Operation Round Up. Representatives from those organizations, along with the 19 organizations receiving funds today, gathered at Coast Electric’s headquarters in Hancock County to celebrate the positive impact Operation Round Up has had for south Mississippi residents.

This quarter, 19 local organizations were awarded including:

Rotary Club of Picayune                                                                                          $2,000

100 Men Hall                                                                                                             $8,500

Gulf Coast Community Ministries                                                                         $10,000

Rotary Club of Gulfport – Orange Grove                                                              $3,000

Rebekah’s House                                                                                                        $5,000

Gulf Coast Christian Women’s Job Corps                                                              $10,000

Toys for Tots of Pearl River County                                                                         $10,000

Hancock County Food Pantry                                                                                   $10,000

Lynn Meadows Discovery Center                                                                             $10,000

Empowerment for the Next Generation                                                                  $5,000

Mercy Housing and Human Development                                                             $4,500

American Red Cross of Southeast MS                                                                      $7,000

The USM Foundation
– The Children’s Center for Communication and Development                        $10,000

Elijah’s Closet                                                                                                                $10,000

Picayune Carver Cultural Museum                                                                            $4,300

Mental Health Association of South MS                                                                   $4,000

Youth for Christ                                                                                                              $5,200

Camp Wilkes, Inc.                                                                                                          $9,808

Friends of the Saucier Children’s Library                                                                 $3,334

Total 3rd Quarter Grants Awarded                                                                             $131,642

“It has been an amazing thing to see what our members have been able to do for our community this year with just their spare change,” said Coast Electric President and CEO Ron Barnes. “Working together, we have been able to do great things and make a positive difference for so many in south Mississippi. I look forward to seeing the opportunities 2020 brings and I thank our members for their generosity.”