Members Helping Members: Small Change to Make a Big Difference

Special to Pelahatchie News 
 

On October 1st, Southern Pine Electric will launch a new voluntary program, Members Helping Members. Under this program, Southern Pine’s members’ bills will automatically be rounded up to the nearest dollar and used to support our communities through community grants. Members Helping Members is a simple, voluntary way to make a big difference, and the money will go towards helping the people Southern Pine serves.

For example, a bill of $82.75 would be rounded up to $83. The extra .25 cents is placed in the Members Helping Members Trust Fund administered by the Pinebelt Foundation, a charitable organization described in Sections 501(c )(3) and 509 (a(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. As a charitable support service provider, the Pinebelt Foundation has been helping charities for over 25 years. Southern Pine’s board of directors, management, or employees will not decide on the awarding of funds  and are not eligible to receive grants from Members Helping Members. 

Members Helping Members provides financial support for charitable causes and non-profit organizations within the 11 counties Southern Pine serves. Your spare change can fund philanthropic projects, equip emergency services, upgrade classrooms and playgrounds, and more. The average amount a participating member contributes is about $6 a year.

If the program isn’t right for you, opting out is straightforward. You can do so by visiting Southern Pine.coop/MHM or just giving us a call. Before you decide, consider the program’s collective impact. Six dollars a year may not seem like much, but when combined with all the other participating members of Southern Pine, it can make a significant difference in our communities. Your contribution, no matter how small, is part of a powerful collective effort.

“We hear from our members that they want us to help in their communities to promote service programs that benefit their families and others. We can all do that through Members Helping Members in a painless way. The average monthly contribution is less than the price of a canned drink. We can make an enormous difference if we join together in a cooperative spirit. This program allows us all to help each other, and I am happy to be a part of it,” said Jan Collins, Vice President of Communications at Southern Pine Electric.

Electric co-ops serve by following seven Cooperative Principles. Cooperative principle #7, Concern for Community, guides Southern Pine Electric in everything we do. Members Helping Members allows all of us to come together to fulfill that principle. Together, we can make a significant impact and bring the power of giving.
For more information or to opt out, visit southernpine.coop/MHM.

Southern Pine Electric is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative that distributes electricity to more than 70,000 members in 11 central and south Mississippi counties. Headquartered in Taylorsville, Southern Pine has offices in Brandon, Newton, Hattiesburg, and New Hebron.