Central Electric Cooperative has awarded a $2,200 Operation Round-Up grant to Dakota Counseling Institute. The money will help fund building renovations at its Westview Apartments in Mitchell.
Operation Round-Up is a voluntary program in which cooperative members round up their monthly statement to the next whole dollar, and the extra cents accumulate to support area projects.
Michelle Carpenter, Executive Director of Dakota Counseling Institute, explained the need for the grant. “The aging Housing and Urban Development apartments that we manage are in need of significant repairs and upgrades. Many of the units are more than 30 years old, and they have not received any major renovations in several years.”
Dakota Counseling Institute owns and manages Westview Apartments with the goal of providing safe and affordable housing to low-income families, seniors and individuals with disabilities. Beside the roof, other planned improvements include new flooring, windows, doors, ramps and handrails. The total cost of the renovations is approximately $150,000.
Affordable, accessible housing is just one of the many family-focused initiatives at Dakota Counseling Institute. The organization is a non-profit community mental health service provider and accredited alcohol and drug abuse service provider with offices in Mitchell and Chamberlain.
The next Operation Round-Up grant application deadline is November 1st. For more information regarding the grant program, contact Central Electric Cooperative at 1-800-477-2892.