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Blue Ridge Energy Foundation Grants Awarded for Continuing Helene Recovery
(l-r): April Maines, Alleghany Health; John Evans, Blue Ridge Energy Alleghany District Operations Manager; Dr. Jack Cahn and Kate Vermilyea, Alleghany JAM; Jason Long and Tom Pelletier, Alleghany County Rescue Squad; John Wishon, Blue Ridge Energy Board of Directors; Debra Autry, Alleghany Partnership for Children; Tasha Rountree, Blue Ridge Energy Director of Community Relations & Economic Development; Suzzanna Simmons-Hurring, Alleghany Partnership for Children
Grants awarded by the Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation this year focus on helping local communities continue efforts of recovery from the impact of Hurricane Helene—the most devastating natural disaster in western North Carolina’s history.
Additional funding will support projects in the areas of health, wellness, education, youth, and economic and community development.
In Alleghany County, citizens will benefit from four grants worth $28,000 awarded recently for the 2025 grant cycle.
The grants are examples of why Blue Ridge Energy established the Members Foundation in 2007 to support the work of community organizations providing services vital to the quality of life for the cooperative’s members. Since then, the Foundation has awarded over $2.02 million in community grants.
Local Alleghany County agencies receiving grant awards include:
- Alleghany County Rescue Squad - a $10,000 grant will be used to purchase 800 MHz Radios for emergency personnel.
- Alleghany Health - a $10,000 grant will be used to provide additional clinical support for the community and tracking EKGs performed during "Heart of Trojan" at Alleghany High School.
- Alleghany JAM - a $5,000 grant will be used to enhance the performance space with new doors, upgraded lighting, microphones, and stage accessibility.
- Alleghany Partnership for Children - a $3,000 grant will be used to support supervised visits for children and families.
A grand total of $175,000 was awarded to 33 organizations across the Blue Ridge Energy service area for the 2025 grant cycle. In 2025, the Foundation also provided crisis energy bill assistance to over 700 Blue Ridge Energy members who needed emergency help paying their electric and fuel bills.
Funding for Foundation grants and crisis assistance comes from members participating in Blue Ridge Energy’s Operation Round Up® and Operation Round Up Plus® programs and an annual contribution from profits of the cooperative’s subsidiaries, Blue Ridge Energy, LLC, and RidgeLink, LLC. Over 23,500 members are either rounding up their monthly electric bill with Operation Round Up or adding a dollar or more with Operation Round Up Plus. Members also contribute by donating some or all of their annual capital credits.
Anyone with questions about the Foundation or agencies interested in applying for grants may contact Tasha Rountree, director of community relations and economic development, at 828-759-8994 or trountree@blueridgeenergy.com.
Blue Ridge Energy is a member-owned electric cooperative serving some 80,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, and Alleghany counties and parts of Wilkes, Avery, and Alexander counties. It also includes a propane heating fuels subsidiary and a business-to-business telecommunications subsidiary. Learn more at www.BlueRidgeEnergy.com.
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