Opportunity Enterprises, Inc. is the recipient of a $5,000 grant from the Kankakee Valley REMC Operation Round Up. The grant funding will be used to support technology initiatives for adults with disabilities.
Currently, Opportunity Enterprises is in the midst of constructing a 19,000 square foot addition to their day services facility at their Lakeside property on the shores of Lake Eliza, and the grant funding will go toward the purchase of an interactive smart board and projector for classroom instruction, as well as desktop computers with flat screen monitors to enhance lab time for men and women with developmental disabilities. By incorporating technology into the learning process and by making the technology accessible to individuals of all ability levels, the Kankakee Valley REMC Operation Round Up has provided the clients of Opportunity Enterprises with great opportunities for improvement and success.
Operation Round Up was founded by Palmetto Electric Cooperative in 1989, and adopted by Kankakee Valley REMC in 1999. This organization has been a successful way in which Kankakee Valley REMC has been able to help not-for-profit organizations in the community provide programs and services. Through Operation Round Up, Kankakee Valley REMC automatically rounds up a participating member's electric bill to the next highest dollar. On an annual basis, members donate roughly six dollars a month -- and that pool of money is then allocated to a variety of worthy causes throughout their service area. To date, more than $700,000 has been distributed back into the community in the form of grants. For more information, visit www.kvremc.com.
Opportunity Enterprises is a non-profit organization which enriches the lives of individuals with disabilities by providing exceptional support and creating meaningful opportunities that allow its consumers to serve as an inspiration to the community, and currently serves over 1,000 adults and children with disabilities throughout Northwest Indiana. For more information, visit www.oppent.org.
Photo: Amanda Steeb (left), Kankakee Valley REMC Communications/Marketing Director, presents a check to OE Interim President/CEO Ellen DeMartinis for $5,000