Working to enrich our community
Just a few of the ways we give back to our community each year
PEC is your cooperative. We were founded in 1938 by Hill Country neighbors who came together to better their lives, and for more than 75 years, members have led, staffed and partnered with us to help power and empower the region. That’s why we’re so committed to the cooperative principle of Concern for Community. We don’t see local support as giving; we see it as giving back.
It’s with great pride that we renew our yearly commitment to staying engaged with our community and our members. We believe in a strong cooperative and a strong community.
Community grants
We award community grants of up to $5,000 to nonprofit organizations for qualifying projects within our service area or in a community surrounded by our service area. Recipients are selected through a competitive application process and must put the funds toward capital improvements, technology or equipment related to energy efficiency.
In future years, these grants will be supplemented by members’ contributions to the Power of Change program. Together, our change can change lives and help make the place we love to live even better.
#PECGiving
Employees roll up their sleeves and play an active part in improving our community. In addition to independent volunteer work, our staff came together for group volunteer days twice this year. In April, employees teamed up with LCRA staff to improve the Blanco City Park, and in September, employees came together at the Central Texas Food Bank to sort 5,700 pounds of food and prepare 4,800 meals for those in need.
Investing in our future
To make sure the Hill Country remains a special place, we invest in its future by giving our younger members opportunities to grow as students and leaders.
We regularly visit schools and children’s groups to teach energy conservation and electric safety, and we offer scholarships to deserving local high school and home-schooled seniors whose parents are PEC members. This year, we awarded 14 scholarships, with amounts ranging from $2,500 to a single $10,000 award.
For more than 60 years, we’ve joined other electric cooperatives across the country to participate in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Tour program, and this year was no different. The program sends high school students in grades 10-12 on an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. It’s a great opportunity for burgeoning leaders to learn more about government, tour historical sites and meet their local political representatives.
Every year, through education contributions, we provide $1,000 to every school’s education foundation, library or school district in our service area. In future years, this program will be partially funded by members via Power of Change contributions.
Supporting local businesses
We take great strides to support businesses throughout the region. Through our Texas Hill Country Site Selection economic development website, we work to encourage businesses to set up shop within our service area.
This year, we became proud members of more than 30 local chambers of commerce and have been working diligently to meet our local chambers’ unique and individual needs.
It’s that kind of local engagement that helps us directly impact our community and brighten our members’ lives in new ways.
A little change can lead to big things
This year, we introduced the Power of Change program, where participating members’ electric bills are rounded up to the nearest dollar to help make a difference in our community. So far, more than 7,500 accounts have been rounded up. In future years, the funds will help improve local lives through our PEC Community Grants and education contributions.
We can’t wait to see where Power of Change goes from here. The more funding we receive, the more community projects we can fund!