Four charitable organizations were each awarded a $5,000 “Sharing Success” grant by Cuivre River Electric Cooperative and CoBank. The recipients of the 2023 grants are Warren County Pathfinders, Hope Center of Pike County, Lincoln County Buddy Bags, and First St. Charles United Methodist Showers of Blessing.

“‘Caring for community’ is one of the cooperative’s seven principles,” says CREC Board of Directors President Diane Saale. “Partnering with CoBank in the Sharing Success program is an opportunity for CREC to carry out this principle, and proudly support these local charitable organizations that provide vital services to the areas we serve.”

“Sharing Success” is a matching grant program created by CoBank in 2012. The cooperative bank partners with its customers, like CREC, to support the causes and organizations they care about. CoBank customers can apply for matching grants each year. This year, CREC awarded $2,500 to each recipient, and CoBank matched the funds. A total of $5,000 went to each of these organizations:

· Warren County Pathfinders’ mission is to provide services and support to meet the level of care and to ensure anyone with a developmental/intellectual disability within Warren County lives an independent, inclusive, and meaningful life.

· Hope Center of Pike County is a food pantry, providing food for qualified individuals who live in Pike County. They can be reached at (573) 324-6255 on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

· For over 15 years, Showers of Blessing, a ministry of First St. Charles United Methodist Church, has met a vital need within the St. Charles community. Each Wednesday morning, our unsheltered neighbors are invited into the church to receive a shower, clothing, a hot meal, and a genuine connection with volunteers who know them by name. They can be reached at (636) 947-0066.

· The Buddy Bags organization provides a bag of food each week during the school year for nearly 600 children in the Lincoln County R-III School District, Pre-K through 12th grade. The program is made possible through food and monetary donations from the surrounding community, and volunteers fully support the packing process. They can be reached at (636) 462-6098.

Since the inception of the “Sharing Success” program in 2012 and counting this year’s grants, CREC with CoBank’s matching funds has awarded a total of $180,000 to organizations including Honor Flight of Greater St. Louis, The Key Youth Center, Operation Food Search, Compass Health Network, TREE House of Greater St. Louis, St. Charles Community College Foundation, Agape Food Pantry, and Our Lady’s Inn. CREC’s board of directors jointly makes the decision as to which organizations the “Sharing Success” grants will be awarded.