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Cougar Oil’s Rex Jones announced Wednesday that the United Way of Selma & Dallas County is the latest beneficiary of the company’s “Cents for Selma” campaign.

Jones began the program last year as a way to give back to the local organizations that shine a positive light on the Queen City, previous beneficiaries of the campaign include the Cemetery Preservation Group and the Bloom House.

Jones said he didn’t have any immediate plans to bring “Cents for Selma” back, but when he saw the United Way had established a COVID – 19 Relief Fund he felt the cause was one he needed to support.

“When [COVID-19] started, I wondered If we should cut back and focus only on necessary expenses,” said Jones. “But I saw where the United Way had established this relief fund to feed and assist families and I thought it would be a good thing to do. The United Way does really good work.”

“The United Way has always relied upon the support of the community,” said United Way of Selma & Dallas County Executive Director Jeff Cothran. “Having Cougar Oil step up and make a contribution as soon as they did is really great. They’re a hometown company and this really shows their commitment to the community.”

Cothran said that other companies, like Alabama Power and Jack’s, and individuals have also stepped up and made contributions to the COVID-19 Relief Fund.

According to Cothran, money from the relief fund goes to local nonprofit organizations, like Edmundite Missions and the Dallas County Family Resource Center, to help them with providing food and other assistance to families impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m always trying to focus on the positive things here in Selma,” said Jones. “There are so many organizations doing good work here, and I thought Cents for Selma would be a good way to support their efforts.”