WEST POINT — The Charter Foundation’s Board of Directors voted to grant money to several organizations around The Greater Valley area at their May 2018 meeting.

Goodsell Education and Enrichment Programs, the Greater Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and the Valley High School Ram Touchdown Booster Club received a combined $14,600 in grant money.

“Four members of the board met to look through and accept grant applications,” said West Point Branch Manager and Assistant Vice President of the Troup/Chambers Region Susan Bullock. “501(c)3 organizations come to them and say ‘Hey, this is a project we’ve got going on.’ They choose to do three and these are the ones that were approved in May.”

The money is gifted to the organizations every year to help financial requirements of specific projects that the organizations are working on. This year, Goodsell Education will use their $2,000 to help purchase materials, the Greater Valley Area Chamber of Commerce will use their $2,600 for universal classes, and the Valley High School Booster Club will use their $10,000 for a new stadium speaker system.

“The organizations get a letter that says ‘Hey this money is to be used for a specific purpose, please keep us involved with it,” Bullock said. “Let us know if the work’s been done.”

Because the foundation likes to stay involved, these grants are only distributed to organizations in CharterBank’s home market, that being Troup County, Georgia and Chambers County, Alabama.

The Charter Foundation is a nonprofit that was established in December 1994 by what was then called Charter Federal Savings and Loan Association. Charter Bank originated in Lanett and opened their first offices in West Point. It has solid roots in the area, and uses these grants to give back to those within it.

“The Foundation provides semi-annual grants to eligible nonprofit organizations in our original markets to help them carry out unique, innovative projects in specific fields of interest,” Charter Foundation’s official site reads. “It is the hope of the Foundation that such projects will enhance the quality of life in those communities.”

Last year the Charter Foundation gave out grants totaling over $372,600. During the months of June and July, CharterBank customers are given the opportunity to vote on their favorite nonprofit and the three organizations with the most votes of their region receive $5,000 each.