Special to Iredell Free News

The EnergyUnited Foundation recently awarded a grant in the amount of $2,500 to the Iredell Community Outreach Association (COAST) to help the organization restock its food pantry. Through the organization’s community food bank, low-income families are provided with free food every 30 days.

COAST relies heavily on community support from partners like the EnergyUnited Foundation to keep their food bank stocked.

“We have experienced unprecedented levels of demand for our services over the past year,” said Joshua McCrary, executive director of COAST. “This donation from the EnergyUnited Foundation will help us fully restock our food bank and remain fully stocked for at least three months.”

The donation builds on the Foundation’s record-setting Drive to Shine Campaign, which awarded more than $100,000 to 25 food banks across EnergyUnited’s 19-county service area.

“The pandemic disrupted our lives last year, but that disruption also offered a powerful perspective for everyone regarding our most important priorities in life,” said Debra Citta, foundation administrator. “Community leaders from organizations like COAST joined together to serve others who were less fortunate. We are proud to provide this support to meet our communities most important needs.”

The EnergyUnited Foundation is a voluntary, member-funded non-profit organization supported by EnergyUnited’s Operation Round-Up program. More than 80,000 EnergyUnited members choose to participate in the program by ‘rounding up’ their electric bills each month. The maximum monthly contribution for an individual member with one account is 99 cents. Each of these small contributions are pooled together in a single fund managed by the EnergyUnited Foundation to support needy individuals, families, and non-profit organizations like the Iredell Community Outreach Association that complete an application explaining the reason and purpose for their requested grant.

About EnergyUnited

EnergyUnited Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is the largest electric cooperative in North Carolina serving more than 130,000 metering points. Headquartered in Statesville, EnergyUnited provides electric service in portions of nineteen counties in west central North Carolina which include Alexander, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Wilkes and Yadkin. To learn more about The EnergyUnited Foundation and EnergyUnited’s Operation Round-Up program, visit www.energyunited.com/givingback.