Donations from Coastal Electric Cooperative members are going to help local groups offering a hand to people affected most during the COVID-19 crisis.

This week, the Coastal Electric Cooperative Foundation is donating $1,500 to the “Food for the Soul” soup kitchen in Richmond Hill; $1,500 to the Georgia Homeless Coalition; and $1,500 to Manna House in Hinesville.

The foundation’s main funding comes from Operation Round Up, a volunteer program through which Coastal Electric Cooperative members allow their electric bills to be rounded up to the next whole dollar and invested back into the community to meet the food, health, safety, education and shelter needs of citizens in Bryan, Liberty, Long and McIntosh counties.

“Though their next meeting was not scheduled until May, we’re so glad the foundation board made the quick decisions to provide aid to these groups when our communities need it most,” said Chris Fettes, Coastal Electric CEO. “We can’t fix everything, but we can do something. We will get through this crisis together.”

Since its creation in 1993, the foundation has awarded grants in excess of $1.8 million to numerous individuals, charities, and organizations like Food for the Soul, Georgia Homeless Coalition and Manna House.