At Central Electric Power Cooperative, our mission goes beyond generation and transmission work.
One of the seven cooperative principles that guides our work is Concern for Community.
Our team proudly supports community initiatives and sponsorships that make a difference in the Midlands and across South Carolina each year.
Here are just a few ways we give back:
Local back-to-school supply drive
Each year, Central employees come together to collect school supplies for William S. Sandel Elementary School so local students and educators start the school year with what they need to succeed.
Annual Electric Cooperative Youth Tour
For more than 60 years, the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has given high school students from across the country the opportunity to experience history, leadership and public service firsthand in Washington, D.C.
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Each June, nearly 2,000 students sponsored by electric cooperatives travel to the nation’s capital to meet with elected officials, explore historic landmarks and learn how electric cooperatives work together to serve communities across America.
Central was proud to sponsor Annie McAlister, a rising senior at Chapin High School, for the 2026 Cooperative Youth Tour.
Central is honored to support programs like Youth Tour that inspire the next generation to lead, serve and make a difference in their communities.
Powering the next generation of community leaders
Concern for community means investing in the people who shape its future. All 19 of South Carolina’s electric cooperatives are active in giving back to the community and committed to uplifting our local youth.
Aiken Electric Cooperative, for example, put that commitment into action recently by awarding scholarships to three local students. All funds were provided by the Aiken Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees.
- Ella Miller from Strom Thurmond High School received a $1,000 four-year Touchstone Energy Scholarship.
- Eva Taylor from Swansea High School received a $1,000 two-year Touchstone Energy Scholarship.
- Brinley Atkinson from Midland Valley High School received a $2,000 Trustee Scholarship.
By helping these students pursue higher education, Aiken Electric is investing not only in their individual goals, but in the future of the communities they call home.
Creating connections through education
Sometimes, concern for community starts with something as simple as helping a student understand where their power comes from.
Broad River Electric Cooperative brought commitment into the classroom through the Children’s Book Challenge. This challenge encouraged students to learn about the electric industry and the people who help keep their communities powered.
This year, students were challenged to write a story about a day in the life of a lineman.
Through programs like the Children’s Book Challenge, co-ops are helping students learn about the people and purpose behind the power in their communities.
2026 Cooperative Youth Summit
Central is proud to sponsor local students to attend the annual Cooperative Youth Summit hosted by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina.
The summit offers participants an exciting and educational experience, including a behind-the-scenes tour of the State House, meetings with state lawmakers, and engaging discussions on how electric cooperatives influence energy policy and serve their communities.
This year, Central sponsored two local rising juniors, Megan Thomas and Emily Ott, for the all-expenses-paid trip to Columbia, S.C.
They joined 42 peers from across the state to explore our state through the lens of electric cooperatives and civic engagement. Tour stops also included the South Carolina ETV and CEEUS.
Making an impact beyond the power lines
Concern for community can take many forms, including bringing people together to support a need close to home.
Aiken Electric Cooperative’s chapter of WIRE – the Women Involved in Rural Electrification – recently hosted a Princess and Pancake event that raised $2,700 for Golden Harvest Food Bank.
The event’s proceeds will provide 10 local students with healthy food and snacks each weekend during the school year through Warrenville Elementary School’s Backpack Program.
We’re proud to support cooperative communities caring for their neighbors where it matters most.
At Central, we strive to create a better environment for the people in our area and look forward to supporting more community initiatives.
