The Sumter EMC Foundation is pleased to announce that Stewart County Family Connection has received a $5,000 grant. This funding supports the ongoing efforts of the Stewart County Family Connection, in collaboration with the Stewart County Cooperative Extension Service, in developing a Teaching Kitchen. After recognizing that a gap in cooking skills has passed from one generation to another, organizations are working together to help solve this problem.  

Stewart County, classified as a “food desert,” faces challenges with limited access to grocery stores, with a significant portion of the population residing more than five miles away from fresh produce. The Teaching Kitchen aims to empower young families to access fresh foods, enhance their culinary skills, and reduce their reliance on processed foods. “Sumter EMC is proud to award this grant to help address critical needs within our community with hopes of empowering this project to continue positively impacting the lives of Stewart County residents,” said Andrea Walker, Chairman of Sumter EMC Foundation.  

Sumter EMC Foundation was founded in 2003 and is funded by Cooperative members participating in Sumter EMC’s Operation Round Up®. Every month, Sumter EMC rounds up the electric bill of participating members to the following whole dollar amount and deposits the difference into an interest-bearing account. The Sumter EMC Foundation’s board of trustees administers the funds through grants awarded to local schools and civic and charitable organizations as allowed by the Bylaws. These grants give one hundred percent of the money collected to the community. The Foundation has awarded over $1,300,000 to community organizations in Sumter EMC’s service territory.