Home Contact Us Go Your Account Member Services Energy Efficiency Community Your Cooperative Big Bend Electric Cooperative (BBEC) > Community > Caring Neighbors Caring Neighbors In the Cooperative spirit and following cooperative principles, Big Bend Electric Cooperative, Inc. (the Cooperative) has established a non-profit organization called Caring Neighbors. Caring Neighbors was formed to help the communities we live in by providing charitable contributions to other non-profit organizations. Whether it’s a life-saving tool needed by your local emergency response provider or help for a non-profit medical agency, Caring Neighbors assists communities with getting supplies and services they otherwise could not get on their own. Who makes these decisions? A five-member board meets quarterly to decide how funds should be disbursed. Board members are individuals that are active members of communities throughout the Cooperative’s service area. They represent you and your communities by deciding how best to provide help. The most important part of this program is YOU! You, through your membership in the Cooperative, are automatically signed up in the Caring Neighbors program. Caring Neighbors participants have their electric bills rounded up to the nearest dollar. The Cooperative forwards the rounded amount to Caring Neighbors. For an individual account, this averages $6 per year. The Cooperative keeps track of exactly how much is forwarded to Caring Neighbors and reports it to members on their bill statement. Since Caring Neighbors is a non-profit charitable organization with a 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS, members are allowed to deduct their Caring Neighbors contribution on their federal tax return. The Cooperative’s staff volunteers time to handle administrative requirements so that all funds received can go directly to Caring Neighbors and so that Caring Neighbors will be able to use almost all funds to provide help in our communities. You do not have to be a Caring Neighbors participant; however, this is an easy and inexpensive way to see that needy people in our communities can receive help. If you do not want to be a Caring Neighbors participant, please contact the Cooperative to be removed from the program. Irrigation accounts are not automatically enrolled in the Caring Neighbors program. If you have any questions about Caring Neighbors or have a specific need that you believe the Caring Neighbors board should consider, contact Big Bend Electric Cooperative, Inc. at 509-659-1700 or toll free at 866-844-2363 during office hours. You may also contact any one of the five members of the Caring Neighbors Board. They are: Kristy Rattray, Othello; Stephanie Coon, Washtucna; Kay Corbin, Pasco; Dale Anderson, Ritzville; and, Beth Schafer, Connell. Caring Neighbors Application (PDF) Caring Neighbors Donation Summary Previous Year Year Community & School Activities for Children Programs That Assist Needy Individuals Community Improvement/ Emergency Activities Service Organizations # Amount # Amount # Amount # Amount 2002 10 $10,100 6 $13,800 2 $ 720 6 $7,500 2003 15 $11,850 4 $5,500 6 $6,350 2 $2,000 2004 6 $3,750 8 $11,240 12 $8,050 4 $3,100 2005 12 $7,915 7 $11,000 9 $6,750 1 $1,100 2006 13 $13,175 6 $8,000 9 $8,325 1 $1,000 2007 12 $12,425 7 $11,050 4 $4,550 2 $1,625 2008 13 $9,250 6 $7,500 8 $7,109 5 $7,600 2009 15 $13,080 6 $8,500 7 $3,900 4 $5,100 2010 17 $15,173 3 $6,000 10 $7,850 4 $4,998 2011 11 $9,391 6 $10,500 9 $9,200 4 $4,850 2012 20 $18,000 2 $2,500 12 $11,122 3 $1,925 2013 19 $19,025 4 $5,650 8 $5,550 3 $3,000 2014 24 $18,540 6 $8,850 4 $4,150 4 $3,550 2015 18 $14,775 5 $8,450 8 $8,150 4 $4,204 2016 22 $16,295 11 $7,950 8 $9,100 3 $2,950 2017 21 $18,200 16 $15,550 2 $1,800 2 $1,385 2018 20 $15,715 11 $10,575 11 $10,700 1 $900 2019 17 $15,905 7 $4,400 12 $11,700 5 $5,500 2020 14 $15,295 4 $7,800 6 $6,950 6 $9,065 # – Refers to the number of organizations that received donations Donations are only made to municipal entities or 501(C)(3) organizations Community Caring Neighbors Youth Tour Scholarships Job Shadowing Job Openings Educational Resources Pay Your Bill Manage Account Before You Dig Power Outages MAILING ADDRESS Big Bend Electric Cooperative, Inc. PO Box 348 Ritzville, WA 99169-0348 PHONE NUMBERS Main Office: 509-659-1700 Toll-Free: 1-866-844-2363 After Hours: 1-866-844-2363 Fax: 509-659-1404 Pay-By-Phone: 1-844-255-3682 News Contact Us Safety Resources Accessibility Notice Website Privacy Statement Terms of Use Website Design by Ruralite Services, Inc. © 2021 Big Bend Electric Cooperative, Inc. All Rights Reserved.