Can donating a few pennies a month to help others really make an impact? They can when those pennies are combined with similar donations from other electric cooperative consumers.

That is the whole premise behind Operation Round Up. Through the aptly named program, those who receive their electric service from a cooperative like Southeastern Indiana REMC can “round up” their monthly bills to the nearest dollar. So, if your bill is $52.52, it would be rounded up to $53 with 48 cents deposited into the ORU fund. The average yearly contribution (a 50 cent contribution per month) is $6. The maximum you’d contribute is just $11.88 a year — or 99 cents a month. Your contribution is tax-deductible.

It’s hard to believe such small donations could affect big change. Through Operation Round Up, donations from you and other cooperative consumers are collected and placed in a trust. Non-profit organizations right in your community — like senior citizen programs, volunteer fire departments, and other programs benefiting those in need — can apply for grants through Operation Round Up. A volunteer board of trustees reviews the applications and chooses which programs ORU can help during that funding cycle.

Operation Round Up’s mission to make a positive difference in our community fits in perfectly with Southeastern Indiana REMC’s role. We’re happy we can offer this option to help our consumers help others.

Participation in ORU is voluntary, and consumers can join or drop out of the program at any time. Contact Southeastern Indiana REMC or visit seiremc.com/content/operation-roundup for more information. 

If your group or organization is interested in applying for a grant, SEI REMC is accepting applications until June 30.