Volunteer Program Offers Chance To Give Back

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Last year, Peoples Gas employees volunteered at Cornerstone Community Center on the city's north side. Bonnie Johnson, Peoples Gas Public Relations Manager says the company likes to volunteer in a different neighborhood each year because Peoples Gas serves the entire City of Chicago. In this photo, Peoples Gas volunteers work hard repainting the interior of the Cornerstone Community Center during last years Commitment to Community event. (Photo Courtesy of Peoples Gas)
Last year, Peoples Gas employees volunteered at Cornerstone Community Center on the city's north side. Bonnie Johnson, Peoples Gas Public Relations Manager says the company likes to volunteer in a different neighborhood each year because Peoples Gas serves the entire City of Chicago. In this photo, Peoples Gas volunteers work hard repainting the interior of the Cornerstone Community Center during last years Commitment to Community event. (Photo Courtesy of Peoples Gas)

by Thelma Sardin

On April 30, Peoples Gas employees will participate in a company volunteer day called Commitment to Community Day.

The day is an annual initiative of Rebuilding Together National Give Back Day.

Rebuilding Together is a non-profit organization that restores homes and rejuvenates communities of low income Americans.

Peoples Gas has partnered with Rebuilding Together for its National Give Back Day for 14 years. This year, the company will volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club in Englewood located on 6245 S. Wabash Avenue. The event is scheduled 8am-until.

According to Bonnie Johnson, manager of public relations for Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, more than 85 volunteers will paint, landscape and make minor repairs to the Boys and Girls Club Englewood facility. She said the volunteer day is a good volunteer program.

Each year, Peoples Gas works with a new organization for the National Give Back Day. A few months before each annual event, Rebuild Together finds organizations to be qualified as a site for National Give Back Day. The non-profit conducts physical walk-throughs of organizations to see if they can benefit from their help. Lists of acceptable venues are then given to partnering companies and organizations.

Peoples Gas picked the Boys and Girls Club Englewood because of their strong educational environment. Johnson said the club helps students stay in school and provides great after school programs.

Pat Bridges, Corporate Contributions Representative for Peoples Gas says the company began the partnership with Rebuilding Together because it was looking for a great team building exercise.

Community residents are welcomed to get involved as well. Bridges said that Peoples Gas partners with neighboring high schools so that students can volunteer and earn community service hours. This year the company will join forces with ACE Technical Charter High School located at 5410 South State Street.

Also on April 30th, Peoples Gas will be hosting a resource fair at Betsy Ross School, 6059 South Wabash Avenue two blocks from the Boys and Girls club. The fair gives people a chance to meet with representatives from the Citizens Utility Board, Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County, Incorporated (CEDA). With CEDA, residents can apply for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP helps low income residents pay their winter heating bills.

In addition, Peoples Gas account representatives will be available to discuss billing inquiries with customers. The resource fair will be held from 10am- 1pm.

We like to give back to the communities we serve, Johnson said.

Alderman Willie Cochran and State Representative Ken Dunkin have both committed to attend the Commitment to Community Day.

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