The OEC Foundation, Inc. board of directors met March 15 and distributed over $42,500 to local nonprofit organizations and families in OEC’s seven-county service area via Operation Round Up® (ORU). Transition House received the largest grant, valued at $10,000.
“Transition House provides a transitional living program to people with serious mental illness,” said Bonnie Peruttzi, executive director. “The grant will assist people as they work on recovery by providing personal essentials, apartment needs, holiday needs, etc. The intended outcome is to provide clients with basic essentials so they can focus their energy on their recovery work so they can transition to healthy, integrated community living.”
Cedar Country Fire Protection District in Noble, Pink Fire Department, Slaughterville Fire Department and Tuttle Fire Department all received $3,000 grants for various equipment needs. The Eden Clinic in Norman also received $3,000 to expand its medical services.
The board also awarded grants to Dibble Senior Citizens Nutrition Site ($2,500), Hope Medical Center in Lexington ($2,000), Tuttle Special Olympics ($1,500) and the Women’s Resource Center in Norman ($4,000).
Thirteen individuals and/or families received ORU grants totaling up to $7,566.83 to cover costs for hearing aids, vision care, dentures and dental care, as well as materials to construct a handicap accessible ramp.
“This board is extremely lucky to have the support of so many OEC members who round up their bills each month,” said Joyce Wallace, OEC Foundation board president. “I hope they know the positive impact they are having on the lives of so many people all across OEC’s service area.”
ORU is made possible by thousands of OEC members who choose to round up their electric bills each month to the nearest dollar. Applications — individual/family and organizational — may be found at www.okcoop.org/ORU. The next application deadline will be set at a meeting held on May 1.
Contact Tory Tedder-Loffland at 217-6726 or ORU@okcoop.org if you have any questions about the program or application process.