At Gas South,
we approach every day knowing we have an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. This past year Gas South implemented two signature programs that combined giving our time, talents and 5% of our profits to help children in need. The first was a new application process for funding nonprofits. All 501(c)(3) organizations that serve children, ages 0-21, focusing on basis needs, education or illness/disability were able to apply for $50k Impact Investments. Employees reviewed the applications, met with the nonprofits and then voted for their favorite. The top six organizations overall were awarded a total of $300,000. Gas South also opened a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) Lab at the Carl E. Sanders YMCA. The lab provides an after-school enrichment program for more than 100 low-income students from Atlanta’s Westside – as well as hundreds of other youth from the YMCA’s summer and teen leadership programs – who are not typically exposed to STEAM-focused activities. Through volunteerism, collaborative partnerships and financial support, you’ll see we’re helping people in our community fulfill their potential. We hope that you’ll join us in being a fuel for good. Kevin Greiner President & CEO Gas South
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Our promise To give back 5% of our profits to help children in need
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As a leading provider
of natural gas throughout the southeastern U.S., Gas South has taken a close look at how we can make sure our success as a company directly benefits the communities we serve. We believe our communities are strongest when children are well and have opportunities to reach their full potential. This means helping families build strong foundations, helping to meet their basic needs and providing positive pathways for kids by focusing on: • Programs that serve children aged 0 to 21 • Partnerships with organizations to supply food, clothing, shelter and warmth to families • Creating sustainable success through education and career pathways • Giving hope to kids who suffer from chronic or terminal illnesses By providing focused, ongoing financial support - with the goal of giving $1 million annually by 2020 - and remaining fully engaged with our customers, employees and partners, we can continue to make a difference in our community.
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A look at the numbers Fueling good things with our financial gifts and volunteerism
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Caring for our community Through ongoing contributions.
Total = $850,762 Basic Needs = $345,970 Education = $348,843 Illness/Disability = $124,794 Other = $31,155 Goal: $1 million annually by 2020 *Other includes in kind donations and volunteer events
Basic Needs
Education
Illness/Disability
Other
Impacted over
188,692 youth 5
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Creating a great place to work through employee engagement. Gas South provides employees 8 hours of paid time off for volunteerism annually.
Volunteerism FY19
Total =
165 employees
volunteered
Total Hours =
901 hours logged
Total Events =
32 volunteer events coordinated
Volunteer highlights include: • 800 Elementary School students received dental care & education • Over 1,000 summer lunches packed • Over 24,000 students in 41 schools were impacted by Literacy Week • Over 7,000 students received STEM education via Science Olympiads • 100 Students from the Westside participated in the YMCA Gas South STEAM Lab 7
The Difference Maker Award The Gas South Difference Maker is an annual peer-to-peer award recognizing an employee who is living out our purpose to Be A Fuel for Good every day – inside and outside the office. Nominated employees must: • Efficiently execute the responsibilities of his/her position and go above and beyond normal job requirements to care for others. • Work positively, respectfully and effectively with colleagues, customers, partners and others in the industry. • Demonstrate excellence in volunteerism or community service, and consistently give his/her time to volunteer. • Encourage peers to engage with one another and get involved in the community.
Berenice Magana | QA Specialist Berenice Magana, QA Specialist, was awarded the 2018 Difference Maker award for exemplifying being a fuel for good. As a proud member of the Latino community, Berenice saw a need to give back and empower teenagers navigating their path to adulthood. She established and now runs a nonprofit organization, Generacion Latina, Inc., providing over 1,500 teenagers with life-skills to succeed after high school. Berenice’s passion for making a difference extends inside Gas South, too, as she also serves as a mentor to her peers and is highly regarded for demonstrating sincere care for others.
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Berenice has a unique gift and skill to build and repair relationships throughout the community. Her work as a coach and with the Latino community is always with pure intention and care. Berenice has a genuine heart to serve as she continues to make a difference and brings value to our community.
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Employees Making A Difference Deborah Smith | Customer Care Representative, Foster Parent
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I wanted to become a foster parent because I have something to offer and teach children. I take them to church, on vacations and just spend quality time with them. I want to leave something positive with every child – I have the opportunity to make a positive and lasting impression on each child I take care of and I hope it’s something they take with them for the rest of their lives.
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Gary Jensen | Director, ITPMO
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Education has always been an important topic in my home, and we are fortunate enough to choose where our children go to school, provide access to technology and guide the curriculum they study. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many households in the Atlanta Metro area. I felt that getting involved with PowerMyLearning - to support their mission of helping students and families in low-income communities gain access to technology and digital learning - was the best way I could serve our community.
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Impact Investment Awards $300,000 invested in six collaborative partnerships supporting 78 schools
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2018 Impact Investment Winners Being a fuel for good also means we engage our employees to help select organizations that we want to positively impact. Each year, in support of our commitment to give 5% of our profits to children in need, we invite 501(c)3 organizations to apply for $50,000 Impact Investments. A committee of employees review applications and select 18 finalists representing three categories: basic needs, education, and illness and disability. Our finalists are invited to an annual company-wide event to share information about their organization. Gas South employees then vote to select six winners (two in each category) to be awarded. It was our privilege to donate to the following 2018 Impact Investment Winners.
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Street Grace Street Grace seeks to mobilize faith, business and community leaders to end sexual trafficking of children throughout the U.S. Gas South’s investment provided funding for an online toolkit available to schools implementing the Youth Education Initiative. A student-led program, this initiative is aimed at teaching middle and high schoolers about commercial sexual exploitation and how to recognize, talk about, report and protect themselves and their friends against it. This new toolkit will be tested and introduced to 72 middle and high schools and approximately 100,000 students in Dekalb and Atlanta Public Schools this year.
Covenant House Covenant House provides housing, basic needs, crisis care and other supportive services to Atlanta area youth facing homelessness. Gas South's investment provided shelter to 518 youth seeking refuge and care; 119 youth advanced their education by helping them register and take their GED, apply to college and complete FAFSA applications; and 48 youth trained and gained certification in vocational programs to meet today's current job market demands.
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Boys & Girls Club Boys & Girls Clubs of America is a national organization of local chapters providing after school programs for youth. Gas South’s investment funded the Career Bound program serving 656 teens across 21 local clubs. Boys & Girls Club was able to engage with high school youth in providing career exposure, skill building, resume writing, interview skills and hands-on job readiness practice opportunities. Gas South also taught one of these workshops, focusing on customer service careers. Overall, 35 workshops for resume writing and interview skills were held, 128 students took college tours, and 173 youth experienced college and career fairs.
PowerMyLearning PowerMyLearning is a national education non-profit that strengthens the triangle of learning relationships between students, teachers and families so every child can succeed. Gas South’s investment allowed PowerMyLearning to provide technology and support services to 6 elementary and middle schools. The donation supported 322 students in Family Learning Workshops where they received computers complete with educational software and access to an online learning platform. Parents also received training and information on low-cost Internet options. Teachers also participated in educator workshops to meet students where they are in their technical abilities.
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Camp Twin Lakes Camp Twin Lakes provides a place where children with serious illnesses, disabilities, and life challenges can discover and be their best selves. Gas South’s investment helped serve children with limb deficiencies or defects, cancer, Type I diabetes, Tourette syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, developmental disabilities, organ transplants, spina bifida, and congenital insensitivity to pain, as well as children in foster care, have an incarcerated parent, have lost a parent serving in the military or have active duty parents, and those who have experienced a loss. The investment allowed Camp Twin Lakes to award fully funded scholarships and transform the lives of 91 children and teens with special healthcare needs and life challenges.
Bert’s Big Adventure Bert’s Big Adventure (BBA) provides a magical, all-expenses-paid, five-day journey to Walt Disney World® for children with chronic and terminal illnesses and their families. Gas South’s investment helped provide 8 children and 31 family members with this precious time and memory-making trip. Additionally, Gas South granted one of the BBA kids and his family of 5 with a surprise 4-night Disney Cruise in September 2019. Funding also allowed over 450 BBA families to gather at Fernbank Museum for a spring reunion full of fun, food and friends away from doctor visits and treatments.
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Amount given total = $300,000
247 youth advanced their
education in terms of taking the GED or applying for college
6 Awardees = $50k each
230 youth enrolled in
vocational training/paid internships
Impacted children in Basic Needs = 100,518 Impacted children in Education = 978 Impacted children in Illness/Disability = 196
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2018 Corporate Volunteer Council Impact Award The partnership between Gas South and Cobb EMC strives to impact local students within the surrounding areas by focusing on improving education in the areas of literacy and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Volunteers work together on two different programs: Literacy Week where authors come into more than 44 local schools to encourage students to expand their creativity through writing and illustration; and The Regional Science Olympiad Tournaments that are focused on STEM and teach students how to problem-solve. The two programs reach over 24,000 students at 150 schools. Not only are they touching the lives of so many students at the actual events, the students’ curriculums are brought to life through experiences that they would not normally be exposed to. Both companies are focused on elevating the community to help children succeed. The impact of resources leveraged including monetary investments, staff and volunteerism, is greater by working together. Collaboration between our companies helps our employees feel more connected to one another and their community in meaningful ways.
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Join us in being a fuel for good. Follow along to see how we’re engaging with our community to be a fuel for good:
#BeAFuelForGood