Cooperative Energy along with some of its Members participated in 3rd Annual Cooperative Day of Service
HATTIESBURG, MISS. – Cooperative Energy, in conjunction with Coast Electric, Dixie Electric, Magnolia Electric, Singing River Electric, and Southern Pine Electric, participated in the 2021 Cooperative Day of Service, where employees volunteered in the communities they serve on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
On January 18, Cooperative Energy employees in the Hattiesburg area volunteered at Christian Services, Inc., Habitat for Humanity, Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center, Edwards Street Food Pantry, Extra Table, and The Arc. Forty-eight volunteers spent 144 hours volunteering. Cooperative Energy employees at the Batesville Generating Station hosted a food drive for The Grace Place, Inc.
“Cooperative Energy and our Member systems continually look for opportunities to improve the quality of life for Mississippians,” said Christa Bishop, Cooperative Energy’s executive vice president and chief communications officer. “We created Cooperative Day of Service along with our fellow electric cooperatives to give our employees an opportunity to volunteer and directly give back to the communities our Members serve, which are also the places we call home.”
Each cooperative chose different volunteer opportunities in their respective communities.
Coast Electric partnered with the United Way of South Mississippi for their annual diaper drive.
Dixie Electric prepared 220 backpacks for the Mississippi Department of Human Services for children placed in foster care in Jones, Forrest, Perry, Wayne, and Clarke counties.
Magnolia Electric hosted a food drive for the Salvation Army.
Singing River Electric volunteered with Love Thy Neighbor Food Kitchen by building pantry shelves and assisting with cleanup; with Chickasawhay River Boat Landing by performing landscape work; and with the Boys & Girls Club in Gautier.
Southern Pine Electric employees volunteered with Sustaining Grace Recovery Ministry to demolish the interior of a house donated for ministry needs; worked in conjunction with the City of Brandon to clean a two-mile section of highway; and worked in conjunction with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department to clean an additional two-mile section of highway.
“Giving back to the communities where our consumer-members live is a staple of cooperative businesses,” said Bishop. “Cooperative Energy and our Member systems are spread across Mississippi, so by joining together for the Cooperative Day of Service, we are able to give back to communities across the state.”
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The Arc – Cooperative Energy co-op students Aliyah Odom (left) and Landon Draughn (right) joined their coworkers to perform maintenance on the playground of The Arc in Hattiesburg as part of the Cooperative’s third annual Day of Service.
Habitat for Humanity – Cooperative Energy employees volunteered at Habitat for Humanity on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as part of the Cooperative’s third annual Day of Service. The team pictured here prepared materials for a new project that will help provide housing for low-income families in the area.
Christian Services – Cooperative Energy employees and their families, pictured here, prepared meals at Christian Services on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as part of the Cooperative’s third annual Day of Service.
Extra Table – Cooperative Energy employees volunteered for Extra Table on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as part of the Cooperative’s third annual Day of Service. Pictured here, (left to right) employees Alana Danyus, Kalyn Davis, Debbie Woullard, Bryan Sherman, Missy Kelly, Karla Stover, and Donna Stallworth show samples of the beans the team packaged for food pantries and soup kitchens across the state.
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About Cooperative Energy
Cooperative Energy generates and transmits electricity to 11 Member-owned electric distribution cooperatives. Known as the Power of 12, Cooperative Energy and its Member cooperatives work together to provide, safe, reliable and affordable power from the Mississippi Delta to the Coast. The 11 electric cooperatives own and maintain more than 57,000 miles of distribution lines and provide service to approximately 432,000 home and businesses throughout 55 counties.