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Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative employees start Community Empowerment Fund to help pay utility bills
Summary
SSVEC employees formed a 501(c)(3) Community Empowerment Fund to assist qualifying residents with essential utility bills and partnered with Saint Vincent de Paul to distribute aid; the program accepts public donations at ssvcef.org.
Representatives from Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative told KWCD's First Watch that employees created a Community Empowerment Fund in June 2024 to help community members pay essential utility bills such as electricity, gas and water.
Dana Judd and John Peebles of SSVEC said the fund is organized as a 501(c)(3) charity and is funded by employee donations, payroll deduction and community contributions. "For years, employees have reached into their own pocket and helped these people that are struggling," Peebles said. The fund aims to create a steady, consistent source of assistance.
SSVEC has partnered with Saint Vincent de Paul, which manages five conferences across the SSVEC service territory, to accept applications and distribute funds to qualifying families. Peebles said the organizations agreed to follow SSVEC's guidelines to prioritize people who are past due or delinquent on essential-utility bills.
The cooperative set up a website, ssvcef.org, with application forms and donation information. SSVEC representatives said the program also includes board-member contributions and that distribution occurs through local Saint Vincent de Paul conferences to leverage the charity's existing intake and verification processes.
Peebles said the fund aims to help anyone in the community within SSVEC's service territory, not only cooperative members. SSVEC asked listeners to donate through the website to support households at risk of disconnection or facing utility-related hardship.
