It’s National Co-op Month! This is the time of year when cooperatives across the country, including Sam Houston Electric Cooperative, celebrate who we are and more importantly, the members we serve.
Cooperatives are different than other types of businesses. When big investor-owned utilities wouldn’t provide service to rural Americans 80 years ago, electric cooperatives came to the rescue. Your electric co-op exists to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to you, the members of the cooperative. Equally important is our mission to enrich the lives of the members we serve.
As a co-op, we are well-suited to meet the needs of the community because we are led and governed by your neighbors right here in East Texas. Our leadership team and employees live right here in the community. Our board of directors, who helps set long-term priorities for the co-op, live locally on co-op lines.
We know our members also have a valuable perspective. That’s why we seek your input at community events, our social media channels and at the annual meeting.
Our close connection to the community ensures we understand our area’s priorities, which enables us to make more informed decisions on long-term investments, such as solar programs, equipment and technology upgrades, and electric vehicle programs.
Another feature that sets our co-op apart from other utility companies is one of our core principles, “Concern for Community.” Did you know we donate yearly to every volunteer fire department serving our members? Sam Houston EC also sponsors education programs, youth livestock shows and other worthy programs.
Ultimately, our entire area benefits from these programs because of you and your neighbors. You empower the co-op through your membership and through your participation in programs like Operation Round Up and Helping Hands. See page ## to learn what Operation Round Up has been doing recently. Or, join Helping Hands to provide bill assistance to members in need. Just call or visit our website for more information.
We hope you think of Sam Houston Electric Cooperative as more than your energy provider, but instead as a local business that supports this community and powers economic development and prosperity for our area. We will continue to learn from our members about their priorities so that we can better serve you – because your electric co-op was built by the community, for the community.
