Northern Electric Cooperative has partnered with East River Electric Power Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative to make three different donations to community youth organizations in the area. Donations were made to the Boys and Girls Club of Aberdeen Area, the Aberdeen Family YMCA Youth Development Center (YDC) expansion, and to the Columbia Community Foundation at the end of 2022.

The donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Aberdeen Area (pictured above) will fund the organization’s growing teen center and its STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) program. The program is designed to spark interest in the fields of engineering, computers, drones, and technology. Northern Electric Cooperative donated $1,500 to the club in December with the help of matching funds from East River Electric and Basin Electric.

Northern Electric also donated $1,500 to the YDC expansion project for the Aberdeen Family YMCA. The YDC offers childcare for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children in the area. The YDC currently has a nine-month waiting list and needs to expand to accommodate the growth. Northern Electric also used matching funds from East River Electric and Basin Electric to make the donation to the YDC.

A $2,500 donation was made to the Columbia Community Foundation in December. The foundation was created in May 2022 to provide funds for community projects and programs that will improve the community of Columbia. The foundation is currently working on a new youth baseball field and park complex that will include walking trails, a disc golf course, a basketball court, and a pickleball court. Basin Electric and East River Electric also matched a donation made by Northern Electric to deliver a combined $2,500 donation to the Columbia Community Foundation.