Caritas Food Pantry, Gateway to Success Academy, Sandcastles Children’s Museum, the Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association, Circle Rocking S Children’s Farm, Habitat for Humanity of Mason County and several other area organizations received grants from the Great Lakes Energy People Fund in 2022.
GLE stated in a press release that it awarded more than $258,000 in grants to nearly 100 community groups in 2022.
Since its inception in 1999, the People Fund has awarded more than $4.2 million in grants to organizations in the cooperative’s 26-county service area, which stretches from Kalamazoo to the Straits of Mackinac.
“The People Fund is yet another example of the cooperative business model making a positive difference in the lives of the community,” Great Lakes Energy President and CEO Shaun Lamp said. “This program allows us to combine the power of the cooperative’s reach with the generosity of our members to make a positive impact in the communities we serve.”
Funding for the program comes from members of the electric cooperative who agree to have their monthly bills rounded up to the next whole dollar. Members are encouraged to enroll in the People Fund online at gtlakes.com or by contacting Great Lakes Energy’s office.
Cooperative members also have the opportunity to increase their contributions to the People Fund through People Fund PLUS. The People Fund PLUS program allows members to choose an amount, in addition to the monthly bill round-up, to contribute to the program.
Grants are awarded annually in April and October by volunteer board members representing the cooperative’s north, central, and south regions. To learn more about the People Fund, including information on how local non-profit organizations can apply for grant consideration, visit gtlakes.com/people-fund.
The central region board awarded the following grants to organizations in Mason, Manistee and Lake counties in 2022:
• Bread of Life Food Pantry in Baldwin: $2,000 for food and supplies for the greater Lake County area;
• Caritas Food Pantry, Custer: $2,000 for purchasing canvas bags for the pantry;
• Carr Community Volunteer Fire Department Inc., Branch: $2,500 for turnout gear for new volunteer firefighters;
• Circle Rocking S Children’s Farm, Free Soil: $3,000 for roof repair, asphalting for handicap, and a hard drive;
• Gateway to Success Academy, Scottville: $2,000 for a garden and sustainability center, contingent on raising the rest of the funding needed;
• Grant Township Fire Association, Manistee: $1,900 for task-appropriate turnout gear;
• Habitat for Humanity of Mason County, Scottville: $1,000 for a ramp program;
• Seventh-day Adventist Church, Irons: $3,500 for fill, limestone, and excavation around the community center and food pantry building, lawn and parking lot;
• Lake County Habitat of Humanity, Baldwin: $2,500 towards home construction, contingent on raising the rest of the funding needed;
• Pathfinder Community Library, Baldwin: $2,399.97 for replacing two aging public computers and one staff computer;
• Riverside Park Campground, Scottville: $3,000 for the City of Scottville Riverside Park & Campground public restroom refurbishment project;
• Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association, Ludington: $1,000 for an informational panel for the fog signal building;
• Sandcastles Children’s Museum, Ludington: $5,000 for the “Hola! Speaking Spanish at Sandcastles!” exhibit;
• Staircase Youth Services, Ludington: $500 for the Back-to-School Backpack Bonanza; and
• the Western Michigan Fair Association, Ludington: $1,500 for roofing repair.
See a full list of recipients for the central area at www.gtlakes.com/people-fund, including recipients from Clare, Missaukee, Osceola and Wexford counties.
The 2022 People Fund annual report was included in the January issue of Michigan Country Lines magazine recently mailed to Great Lakes Energy members. Others can obtain the report by contacting Great Lakes Energy at 1-888-485-2537 or by visiting www.gtlakes.com.
The Great Lakes Energy People Fund is accepting applications for 2023 grants from local nonprofit organizations. The deadline to submit a letter of interest for the next grant cycle is April 1, and the deadline for applications is April 15.
Visit www.gtlakes.com/people-fund to submit an application.