Pictured (from left) are Susan White, parent aide at Pharos Parenting; Tonya Fowler, executive director of Pharos Parenting; Maureen Moore, communications manager of EnergyUnited; Sarah Kivett, board member, EnergyUnited Foundation; Debra Citta, administrator of the EnergyUnited Foundation; and Thomas Golden, chief executive officer of EnergyUnited.

Special to Iredell Free News

The EnergyUnited Foundation recently donated $10,000 to Pharos Parenting to provide assistance for the organization to purchase food, medicine, baby supplies and other essential items.

Pharos Parenting established a crisis fund in 2020 to help meet the basic needs of the community after receiving a grant from the EnergyUnited Foundation. Since then the organization has been able to meet these needs and do much more for local families during times of crisis. In addition to meeting the basic needs of their clients, the organization has also offered critical support for victims of domestic violence.

“Most of our clients have faced financial and personal obstacles such as unemployment, homelessness, food insecurity and isolation,” said Tonya Fowler, executive director of Pharos Parenting. “Our crisis fund has helped clients navigate these difficult situations so they can continue moving forward. So we are incredibly grateful for the support we have received from community organizations like the EnergyUnited Foundation.”

“The EnergyUnited Foundation is proud to support Pharos Parenting in their efforts to meet the needs of the people of Iredell County,” said Debra Citta, administrator of the EnergyUnited Foundation. “We are committed to our communities and thankful for organizations like Pharos Parenting that also understand the importance of community service.”

The EnergyUnited Foundation is a voluntary, member-funded non-profit organization supported by EnergyUnited’s Operation Round-Up program. Nearly 90,000 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 essential nonprofit organizations 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 135,000 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. Visit energyunited.com to learn more about the cooperative’s energy services and community programs.