Have you ever heard the expression “pennies from heaven”? When we hear it at York Electric, we think of Operation Round Up, the community service program in which you round up your monthly bill to the nearest dollar. The extra change goes into a trust fund that is distributed to nonprofit charities throughout our service territory.
It’s a good deed that 58 percent of our membership does, and that level of generosity inspires us at York Electric. On average, your donation is only $6 per year—less than two pennies a month, and the money raised stays right here at home and it helps your friends and neighbors with needs, such as utilities, food and shelter.
When your cooperative decided to begin Operation Round Up, back in 2000, we knew that it would have an impact on our community. We had seen it happen at other cooperatives and the communities they serve. We took a trip to Palmetto Electric Cooperative to learn from the co-op that started it 27 years ago. It was obvious, from speaking with them, all the good that could come from Operation Round Up.
Once the York Electric Trust, the subsidiary of the cooperative that distributes the Operation Round Up program’s funds, began distributing the money you so generously donated, it immediately began to positively impact the lives of those who are less fortunate throughout our service area. Sixteen years later, we have no doubt that small change changes lives! To date, more than $2.2 million has been given back to our community for those in need.
With that being said, we’d like to invite all those members who are not yet participating to re-evaluate the program at the beginning of this New Year. It’s a small investment with a big return, and your contribution is tax deductible. In January and February, your utility bill will have a summary of the contributions you made to Operation Round Up during the previous year.
[PDF] Help Agency Update - COVID-19
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[PDF] Operation Round Up Enrollment
2.46 MB 364 downloadsAll of us at York Electric want to say thank you to our members who are participating in this collective good deed. It’s gratitude you deserve!
People you know serve
The trust board has nine members; each chosen by a member of the cooperative’s elected board of trustees to represent their district. They serve on a voluntary basis, and they have big hearts and work diligently to make sure your contributions are distributed to worthy charities. The trust board keeps members informed through your cooperative’s website, yorkelectric.net, where the quarterly disposition statement is posted and updated directly after each meeting.
Operation Round Up FAQ
Contact local Help agencies. Download the Agency Help list PDF here
Contributions to Operation Round Up are tax deductible. In January and February, your utility bill will have a summary of the contributions you made to Operation Round Up during the previous year.
Operation Round Up is a voluntary contribution on your electric bill which adds a few pennies each month. The most you could ever donate in a year would be $12, but most members’ donations are around $6 per year. These pennies are added together from all our participating members, and York Electric’s Trust Board makes grants to non-profit agencies who are serving needs in our community. Since 2000, York Electric’s members have raised approximately $2.3 million, and we now have 62% member participation.
We make it easy. Sign up by calling our member services department at 803-684-4248, and we’ll simply round your electric bill up to the next highest dollar each month. The extra change – an average of only 50 cents a month or $6 a year – is your contribution to the program. If you wish to discontinue your contributions at any time, simply contact YEC.
After each quarterly meeting, our website is updated with the current disposition statement. Also, we periodically publish updates about Operation Round Up in South Carolina Living magazine.
Operation Round Up
Disposition Statement