Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation's Customer Care has donated $5,000 of its Operation Round Up funds to Big Brothers of Mt. Juliet.

"These funds will help us to continue extending our outreach to so many," Big Brothers of Mt. Juliet board member Harold Taylor said. "Lots of smiles come from donations just like these."

Big Brothers of Mt. Juliet is a nonprofit organization that helps needy families in west Wilson County with difficult situations.

Operation Round Up began in 2003 and has distributed more than $4 million into MTEMC's communities.

The initiative "rounds up" members' bills to the next highest dollar, with that extra change set aside for worthy causes. It is the responsibility of the Customers Care Board, which is composed of seven MTEMC members, to evaluate grant requests and send the money back to qualifying organizations.

Incoming contributions are tracked by county so that the Customers Care Board can do its best to ensure money contributed by members in a certain county goes to that county. Any balances will be carried over each month.

MTEMC Customers Care funds may not be used for political or expressly religious purposes, schools or school-related organizations.

PICTURED, ABOVE: Big Brothers of Mt. Juliet volunteer Debbie Carey and board member Harold Taylor display a replica check for $5,000 from MTE Customers Care.