The Operation Round Up Trust organization gives Kankakee Valley REMC member-consumers a way to provide significant support to local organizations focused on improving the quality of life in our communities. Five grants, totaling $16,000, were awarded in January for the first quarter of 2019. The grants were made to the following organizations:

• Morgan Township Elementary PTO received a grant for $5,000 to purchase playground equipment that is accessible for visually impaired students. Morgan Township School is a magnet school for the visually impaired students in Porter County.

• South Central Weekend Food Program was the recipient of a $5,000 grant. This grant will be used to purchase healthy food options for its weekend food program that feeds underprivileged children in the South Central School system. In 2018, the program fed approximately 70 children.

• Cass-Clinton Volunteer Fire Department and Starke County EMS each received a $2,500 grant to purchase new communication equipment. Having proper communication equipment is vital for first responders. Recent upgrades to the dispatching system left both departments with outdated radios and pagers that were no longer compatible. Unable to receive vital radio traffic with the old equipment put residents at risk. With the grant, Cass-Clinton Volunteer Fire Department will be purchasing new dual band pagers, and Starke County EMS will be receiving new radios.

• Hopewell Preschool Ministry received a $1,000 grant for the purchase of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED). Located within the Hopewell Mennonite Church in Kouts, the preschool offers special programs throughout the year that are open to the community. The AED will provide assurance and safety to those who are attending those events.

The REMC appreciates that our consumers voluntarily round up their electric bills each month to provide funding for programs that support residents.