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SECO Energy Employees Pledge $61,433 for Local United Ways

SECO Energy employees generously pledged $61,433 to local United Ways through the employee-led 2021 United Way Pledge Drive. United Ways in ten local counties will benefit from the dollars pledged for 2021.

 

SECO’s 400+ employees live in or near the counties the not-for-profit cooperative serves, and employees choose the county where their donated dollars will benefit. The bulk of SECO employees live in Citrus, Lake, Marion and Sumter Counties, and these counties received the highest dollar amounts in donations.

 

The breakdown by county is: Lake and Sumter: $29,508; Marion: $20,885; Citrus: $6,023; and other counties (Gilchrist, Hernando, Levy, Orange, Pasco and Polk): $5,017. The total pledge for 2021 is $61,433.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “SECO employees recognize that local community help is needed year-round and not only during the Christmas season. For this reason, employees take part in an annual employee-funded United Way Pledge Drive. Our employees’ pledge of $61,433 will make a big difference in the lives of local families.”

 

SECO Energy Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable and Government Relations Kathy Judkins added, “This year has been challenging for some local families who have struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shutdown. The need is even greater than before. We appreciate our employees’ personal commitment to participate in our workplace giving campaign and their dedication to making a difference in the communities we serve.”

 

Members with a philanthropic spirit can assist their fellow members by enrolling in SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven charitable fund. Pennies from Heaven will round up participating members’ bills to the nearest dollar. The extra pennies are used to fund member bill payment assistance and other local worthy causes. This year, Pennies from Heaven has supported local food banks that have experienced critical shortages and donated $5,000 to local Toys for Tots organizations.

 

To enroll in Pennies from Heaven, visit our Pennies from Heaven page. Members who manage their account through SECO’s online account manager SmartHub can subscribe on the app or desktop version by selecting Billing & Payment and choosing Pennies from Heaven.

 

“Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Back-To-School Program Funds $1,000 for Citrus County Education Foundation

SECO Energy’s back-to-school program allocated Citrus County public school students with $1,000 to the county’s Education Foundation. As a not-for-profit local electric cooperative, SECO believes in supporting the communities it serves.

 

The mission of the Citrus County Education Foundation is to provide resources to support the Citrus County School District to enhance the quality of education for present and future generations. The Foundation encourages business and community involvement, promotes creative and innovative educational programs and recognizes outstanding achievements of students and staff. Over 15,000 or 93 percent of Citrus County K-12 students benefit from the Foundation’s efforts.

 

The Education Foundation’s Executive Director Shaunda Burdette is thankful for SECO Energy’s community involvement. Burdette stated, “We are so grateful for the partnership of SECO Energy. Through its support, the Citrus County Education Foundation is able to assist in providing students with the tools they need to succeed. SECO’s generosity is truly making an impact in the lives of our children and our future.”

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “SECO Energy is honored to support Citrus County students through its back-to-school program’s contribution to the Citrus County Education Foundation. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO believes an investment in education is a benefit to all of our members. In Citrus County, we serve over 15,000 homes and businesses. Teachers are an invaluable community asset, they enrich our communities by educating our future leaders and as a benefit to SECO, possibly our future employees.”

 

Learn more about SECO Energy and its efforts to support education and local communities on our Community page. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Named 2018 Outstanding Commercial Partner by Marion United Way

During its recent annual awards celebration, the United Way of Marion County named SECO Energy the 2018 Outstanding Commercial Partner. Over the years, SECO employees have pledged nearly $850,000 to United Ways in our service area. Marion County is home to many of SECO’s employees, so it’s no surprise that they would pledge their support where they raise their families.

 

The award was presented to SECO’s Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations Kathy Judkins who serves on the United Way Board of Directors. Kathy keeps SECO Energy apprised of community needs and helps the cooperative maintain a strong relationship with United Way of Marion County and all of the United Way partners across SECO’s service area.

 

SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Kathy’s passion for community support and service makes her an ideal employee to organize and execute SECO’s annual United Way campaign drive. SECO recently raised $19,970 in employee pledges for the United Way of Marion County alone.” In total, the cooperative’s employees pledged $66,000 to be distributed among a number of United Ways across Central Florida.

 

SECO Energy is proud to partner with United Way to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. Visit our Community page to learn more about the not-for-profit cooperative’s community outreach efforts. Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to have your bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and donate the extra pennies for worthy causes like bill payment assistance for members in need. Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Members/Employees Donate 5,000 Pounds to Local Food Pantries

Hundreds of SECO Energy members and employees graciously gave 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food during the “Feeding the Cooperative Spirit” food drive initiative at SECO Energy’s 81st Annual Meeting of the Membership which garnered a crowd of nearly 5,000 attendees on Saturday, March 23, 2019.

 

SECO Energy and local United Way agencies partnered to identify 14 regional food banks in SECO Energy’s service territory to receive the collected food. Volunteers from some of those food banks along with United Way representatives and SECO employees collected, sorted, packed, and delivered 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to:

 

  • Brother’s Keeper
  • Salvation Army of Marion County
  • Interfaith Emergency Services
  • St. Theresa’s Social Services
  • Community of Gratitude
  • Salvation Army of Lake County
  • Leesburg Food Bank
  • Faith Neighborhood Center, Inc.
  • Lake Cares
  • Salvation Army of Sumter County
  • Wildwood Food Pantry
  • Hope Ministries Center, Inc.
  • Daystar Life Center
  • Community Food Bank Citrus County

 

According to Rebecca Brislain, Executive Director of the Florida Association of Food Banks, “Florida food banks have been distributing food at disaster levels over the last three years with increases of 80 percent in some areas of the state.”

 

CEO Jim Duncan said, “We recognize disasters don’t always hit during a hurricane or severe storm but can occur at any given time to individuals or families. We continue to adhere to our seventh cooperative principle, “Concern for Community.” I believe this is why hundreds of our members showed their concern for community by donating to this worthy cause.”

 

“Some of our members suggested they would visit one of the identified food banks at a later date to drop-off their food items. Others gave money for SECO to purchase items for the food drive. We ask the community to continue our theme of ‘Feeding the Cooperative Spirit’ by giving to the local food bank closest to them,” stated Kathy Judkins, Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations.

 

View our video footage of the food drive and learn more about the not-for-profit cooperative’s community outreach efforts online. Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to have your bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and donate the extra pennies for worthy causes like bill payment assistance for members in need. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.