SMECO, CoBank Award Funds to Nonprofits
SMECO presents St. Mary’s Caring Soup Kitchen with a $3,000 donation. From left are Natalie Cotton, SMECO government and public affairs director; Sonja Cox, SMECO president and CEO; and Catherine Wright, St. Mary’s Caring interim program manager.
Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative recently received a $12,000 contribution from CoBank through its matching funds program to benefit local organizations serving the community.
Each of the following organizations received $3,000: Our Place Waldorf Soup Kitchen, St. Mary’s Caring Soup Kitchen, End Hunger in Calvert County/Community Harvest Network, and Clements Cuties Foundation.
“Many thanks to SMECO for supporting Our Place Waldorf Soup Kitchen in our mission to serve nutritious meals with compassion and dignity,” said Deanna Gerhart, executive director of Our Place Waldorf. “The generous donation from SMECO will help us strengthen the fabric of our community by providing a welcoming space for those in need.”
Our Place Waldorf Soup Kitchen works to improve the quality of life for Charles County residents in need by providing nutritious meals and services that help reduce the effects of hunger and poverty.
Since its founding in 2012, the soup kitchen has served more than 100,000 meals to local residents.
Since 1993, St. Mary’s Caring Soup Kitchen has been working to fight hunger by providing free breakfast and lunch six days a week. The group serves children, struggling families, low-income seniors, people with disabilities, the homeless, the unemployed, and the working poor. In addition to daily meals, St. Mary’s Caring provides groceries for families facing immediate food shortages, summer dinners for at-risk children, and weekly groceries for families in need.
“In the face of today’s challenges, SMECO’s generous grant allows us to feed those who are struggling the most,” said Kristine Millen, St. Mary’s Caring’s executive director. “Your support is life-changing for those who have nowhere else to turn. Thank you, a million times over, for partnering with St. Mary’s Caring Soup Kitchen to feed our neighbors in need.”
Community Harvest Network, formerly End Hunger in Calvert County, supports organizations in Southern Maryland that create lasting change for the people they serve.
As a redistribution partner for the Maryland Food Bank, the network supplies food pantries, soup kitchens, and backpack programs throughout the region. Its culinary program equips individuals with learning differences with the skills they need to gain employment in the hospitality industry.
The Clements Cuties Foundation raises awareness for childhood cancer and supports children facing severe illnesses. Founded in the 1970s, the Cuties continue their tradition of hosting softball games. Donations can be made online at clementscuties.org/donate.
Contributions help pay for medical expenses, fulfill youngsters’ individual wishes, and fund memorial scholarships.
“Concern for community is a core principle of electric cooperatives like SMECO, and we’re proud to support local organizations that provide essential services to Southern Maryland residents,” said Natalie Cotton, SMECO government affairs and public affairs director. “We are committed to championing local charities that improve the lives of families in need, and these organizations have earned the privilege to benefit from CoBank’s generosity.”
CoBank’s Sharing Success program is a $6 million fund designed to benefit cooperatives and the charitable groups they support. As a CoBank customer, SMECO qualified for matching funds to share with local groups it sponsors. CoBank and its customers have partnered to contribute $92 million in combined donations since 2012.
End Hunger in Calvert County/Community Harvest Network receives a $3,000 donation from SMECO. From left are Natalie Cotton, SMECO government and public affairs director; Sonja Cox, SMECO president and CEO; and Brian Martin, End Hunger’s executive director.
SMECO – The Cooperative Difference
SMECO was incorporated in 1937 and is one of the 15 largest electric cooperatives in the United States with more than 170,000 member accounts in Charles County, St. Mary’s County, southern Prince George’s County, and most of Calvert County.
Electric cooperatives are shaped by the communities they serve, because co-ops are owned by their customers. Co-op members elect the men and women who serve on the Board of Directors. Members share the responsibility of ownership by financing the cooperative’s operations, but they also share its rewards.
At the end of each year, SMECO’s margins (profits) are allocated to members’ capital credit accounts. SMECO uses its profits to invest in new construction, system improvements, and facility upgrades. The Board of Directors regularly evaluates the financial condition of the co-op and determines when members will receive a refund. Since 1937, SMECO has refunded more than $128 million.
As a cooperative, SMECO will always put its members first and be responsive, reliable, and resourceful — the power you can count on.
Follow SMECO on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SMECO.coop and on X at www.twitter.com/somdelectric.
The SMECO 24/7 mobile app is available at www.smeco.coop/247. To learn more about SMECO, please visit their Leader Member Page.
