OEC Foundation Board Awards Over $37,000 to Local Organizations, Families

By Brianna Wall | Editor & Creative Director

The OEC Foundation, Inc. board of directors continued its support of two organizations that are vital to their respective communities at its Nov. 29 meeting. The Citizens Advisory Board and Maguire Community Foundation each received $10,000 grants, as a total of over $37,400 was awarded to local organizations and families via the Operation Round Up® (ORU) program.

The $10,000 grant to the Citizens Advisory Board assisted with the purchase of beds for foster children being placed into foster homes. The Maguire Community Foundation used its $10,000 to help replenish homes after a tragedy.

The board also awarded grants to the Regional Food Bank ($5,000) for its Food for Kids backpack program for schools within OEC's service area and Grady County Foster Care ($2,500) for Christmas gifts and personal care needs of children in foster care. St. Michael's Episcopal Church received $1,500 to assist with the annual Norman Christmas Day Community Dinner and the Noble Police Department received $3,000 for new technological devices.

Twelve individuals and families received assistance with dental care, eye care and a water heater with installation.

"I continue to be impressed by the generosity of OEC's members," said Joyce Wallace, OEC Foundation, Inc. board president. "Without the support of so many members, our communities' organizations might not be able to sustain some of their programs that our friends and neighbors have come to rely upon."

ORU CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE

Members who elect to round their bills up to the nearest dollar will see a 2018 contribution total on their January bills. This amount is tax deductible.

Members are welcome to contribute more than the average $6 per year to the Operation Round Up program if they wish. Contact a member service associate at 321-2024 for details.

Applications — individual/family and organizational — may be found at www. okcoop.org/ORU. Those submitted by Jan. 11 will be reviewed at a meeting Jan. 29. Contact Tory Tedder-Loffland at 217-6726 or ORU@okcoop.org if you have any questions about the program or the application process.