MTE Customers Care, Inc.

Middle Tennessee Electric Customers Care, Inc., is a foundation created by the cooperative's Board of Directors. It exists for the sole purpose of giving to worthy causes in the communities that MTEMC serves.

Customers Care funds, for example, can help provide fire fighting equipment for volunteer fire departments; life-saving equipment for ambulance or rescue squads; hospice programs; youth programs; food shelters; clothing, shelter and medical services following an accident or storm. Donations are not limited to these categories; however, these funds may not be used for political purposes.

A small group of members representing these counties serve as the foundation's board. This board makes decisions about disbursements made to worthy causes in the communities MTEMC serves.

The Customers Care board members are Bill Brown and Joan Wherley from Williamson County, William Strang and Carolyn Peebles from Rutherford County, Kim Mullen from Cannon County and Dot Maxey and Doretha Wright from Wilson County.

Customers Care currently gets its funds from four sources - first, proceeds from Operation Round Up, making up the largest portion of available funds; second, the Watt Ads flyer that appears in members' monthly bills; third, 10 percent of the total revenue generated through MTEMC's long distance program; and finally, Project Help, a program where members volunteer to contribute an extra dollar or more on their electric bill for the specific purpose of helping the truly needy pay their electric bills.

Customers Care also has partnerships with community help organizations to distribute Project Help funds that assist people who, because of hardship, are unable to pay their electric bills.

To speak to someone about Customers Care grants, call (615) 890-9762, or download a grant application.