By Stephen Francescon
Community Relations Manager, Piedmont Natural Gas
As a Piedmont Natural Gas community relations manager, I’m always thinking about the residents of the towns and cities we serve. With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season upon us, it’s easy to focus on things like shopping for gifts, planning parties, travelling to visit family and more, while overlooking our friends and neighbors who may be struggling to make ends meet. But in my mind, thinking about what we can do to help and protect those in our communities who are most vulnerable is what the holiday spirit is all about.
That’s where Piedmont’s Share the Warmth program comes in. For no more than $12 a year, Piedmont customers can make a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need. When you enroll in Share the Warmth, Piedmont will round up your monthly natural gas bill to the next dollar and donate 100% of that difference to approved local assistance agencies to help those in your community who are having difficulty paying their energy bills.
Share the Warmth truly is about helping those in our community who may need aid. Recipients do not need to be Piedmont customers or even use natural gas to receive these funds; the energy source used in their homes doesn’t matter. If you need help, Share the Warmth is here for you.
Piedmont and round-up customer contributions to the Share the Warmth fund have totaled more than $5 million since 2003. What may seem like a small donation added to your monthly bill truly does add up to help those less fortunate keep their heat on and their energy bills paid not only during the winter season, but year-round.
Non-customers who want to help or customers who’d like to contribute more than their round-up amount can make direct donations to the fund, as well. More information on the program and how to enroll or contribute is available at piedmontng.com/sharethewarmth.
A small contribution by you can make a big difference to those trying to make ends meet and truly give them something to be thankful for this holiday season and year-round. As you share the giving spirit of the holidays with your friends and loved ones, I ask you to please consider rounding up to Share the Warmth with those in need as well.
