RMHC of the Southwest receives $10,000 from SPEC and CoBank

LUBBOCK, Texas – The following is a news release from South Plains Electric Cooperative, Inc.:

Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest will receive a $10,000 donation, just in time for their Dog Days of Summer campaign, from South Plains Electric Cooperative and CoBank. The check presentation will be at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest on Wednesday, May 22 at 10 a.m.

Jax is a 5-year-old Yellow Labrador who came to RMHC of the Southwest through a special career changing program of Guide Dog’s for the Blind. His breeding and training made him the perfect fit for the day-to-day work he does providing therapeutic comfort to patients, families and the public. At RMHC of the Southwest, Jax was given the title of Chief Cheer Officer because he has the ability to will patients through scary and difficult times. Jax participates in outreach, education and the tossing of a good tennis ball 25-35 hours per week. During Dog Days of Summer, Jax partners with other working dogs in communities to raise awareness and money for families served.  The “Jax Pack” is a club anyone (or dog) can join that helps the RMHC of the Southwest mission to “Keep Families Close.”

South Plains Electric Cooperative’s goal is to provide affordable and reliable electricity at the lowest possible cost. SPEC abides by the Seven Cooperative Principles, and one Principle is commitment to community. The Cooperative gives back to many charities and organizations in the local communities they serve. It’s part of the cooperative difference.

CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries throughout rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. As a cooperative, CoBank is also committed to supporting the communities it serves and regularly partners with its customers to invest in worthwhile charitable causes.

“South Plains Electric Cooperative was happy to partner with CoBank, and together, help make a difference in our members’ lives,” said General Manager Dale Ancell. “Our goal is to improve our members’ quality of life, and that reaches beyond providing them electricity. We will do all we can to help our members.”

Dina Jeffries, President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest, said, “Each year, nearly 200,000 people in rural communities have been reached through the programs and services we provide. When a medical crisis happens, families from the rural areas are always so grateful to have a place to stay that leaves the light on and feels like a home away from home.”

South Plains Electric Cooperative’s donation was matched by CoBank through its Sharing Success program. Sharing Success was established in 2012 to celebrate the International Year of the Cooperative. Since the program’s inception, CoBank and its customers have together provided more than $36 million in support to charitable organizations across the nation.

“Sharing Success has had a broader and deeper impact than we ever imagined,” said Tom Halverson, CoBank’s president and chief executive officer. “We are delighted with the growing participation in the program, and are deeply grateful to customers like South Plains Electric Cooperative for their assistance in identifying worthy charitable causes deserving of our support. We look forward to continuing to partner on important initiatives like this one and to sharing our success in the best cooperative tradition.”

About South Plains Electric Cooperative
South Plains Electric Cooperative, a local Touchstone Energy® Cooperative, serves more than 55,000 connected meters in all or part of 18 counties. When you see Touchstone Energy, you know you are being served with accountability, integrity, innovation and commitment to community. For more information about South Plains Electric Cooperative, visit the Co-op’s website at SPEC.coop.

 About CoBank
CoBank is a $139 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides commercial loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 70,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country.

CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.

For more information about CoBank, visit the bank’s website at cobank.com.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest
No family is asked to pay for any of the needed services provided by RMHC of the Southwest.  For as long as a child is getting medical care in the hospital, families have a place to sleep, meals and snacks to eat, transportation and anything possible that is needed.   RMHC of the Southwest is open 365 days a year and is funded entirely by donations. The constant advancements in medical treatments has created an urgent need in the communities served by RMHC of the Southwest for growth.  At any time, any family can have a medical crisis, when that happens only RMHC of the Southwest is there to help “Keep Families Close.”

(News release from South Plains Electric Cooperative, Inc.)