(CUMMING, GA)  The Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation (Foundation), announced today that it will distribute more than $74,000 to local charities and college foundation scholarships.  These donations are made possible thanks to Sawnee EMC members who round up their bill through Operation Round Up and the Sawnee Electric Foundation.

Operation Round Up allows participating members to round up their electric bill to the next dollar. The money is directed into the Sawnee Electric Foundation and 100% is then administered in a series of grants by its voluntary Board of Directors.  On average, participating members will contribute about $6.00 per year.

Since 2003, The Sawnee Electric Foundation has awarded ~$4.6 million in grants to assist and make an impact in our local communities.

The Foundation Board approved $64,093 for local charitable organizations and $10,000 for the Gwinnett Tech Foundation, Inc. to provide local college foundation scholarships to students attending Gwinnett Technical College – Alpharetta Campus.

The 2nd Quarter grants are as follows:

Charitable Organizations

• Operation Appreciation, Inc.
• Skye Precious Kids, Inc.
• MUST Ministries, Inc.
• KARE for Kids, Inc.
• Bald Ridge Lodge, Inc.
• Blessings in a Backpack, Inc.
• The Place of Forsyth County, Inc.
• Safe Boating Lake Lanier, Inc.
• Special Olympics Georgia, Inc.
• Camp Kudzu, Inc.
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul Georgia, Inc. – St. Brigid Conference
• Bethany Place, Inc.

Each month, approximately 14,500 Sawnee EMC members round up their electric bill to the next highest dollar.  This extra change goes directly to the Sawnee Foundation and these small, yet generous, donations have allowed the Foundation Board to donate over $4.6 Million back into local communities since its inception in 2003.

To learn more about Operation Round Up Program and the Foundation, visit www.sawnee.coop/oru or contact Mandy Love, Director of Marketing, at 678-455-1579 or via email mandy.love@sawnee.coop.

About Sawnee EMC and the Sawnee Foundation

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an electric distribution cooperative headquartered in Cumming, Georgia. Sawnee serves electricity to approximately 199,100 accounts in seven (7) counties of greater north Georgia. The Sawnee Electric Foundation was created in 2003 with the mission of providing charitable donations within the Sawnee communities. The Foundation exists to enhance the way of life for those in need, with financial assistance to selected charitable organizations. Sawnee always stands ready to meet the needs of its members and strives daily to live up to their motto…

“At Sawnee EMC, We’re More Than Electricity, We’re Service”.

_{This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.}