(JEFFERSON, GA. Feb. 21, 2018) –With the grants approved by the Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors at their February meeting, the Foundation has now reached the $13 million in grants awarded milestone.

In 2008, the Foundation began reaching another million dollar milestone on its October anniversary date. The Foundation’s growth is reflected in recent million dollar milestones – the $10 million milestone was reached in June 2015, the $11 million milestone in May 2016, and the $12 million milestone in April 2017. The 2018 milestone was reached eight months ahead of what will be the Foundation’s 13^th anniversary in October.

The Foundation averages nearly $98,000 in grants each month, due to the generous participation of Jackson EMC members, of which nearly 98 percent participate in Operation Round Up. Those participating have their monthly electric bill rounded up to the next dollar amount, with that “spare change” going directly to fund grant applications. Since its founding in 2005, the Jackson EMC Foundation has awarded 1,279 grants to organizations and 357 grants to individuals.