By Topher Jensen, Director of Commercial Sales at Gas South
One of our biggest priorities at Gas South is giving back to the communities we serve, which is why our mission is to Be A Fuel For Good. Each year, we’ve committed to giving 5% of profits to children in need, which takes many forms. One unique and powerful way we give back is through our annual impact investments, where we award $50,000 to six deserving nonprofits.
Rather than simply selecting groups our leadership team is involved with or donating money to the same organizations year after year, our employees get to decide the beneficiaries, making the impact investments so much more personal and meaningful.
The process to distribute the $300,000 in critical aid begins by assessing the needs in the community. We open an online portal for applications in the spring of each year, and organizations are encouraged to be specific in explaining their mission and how the funds will be used.
Once the nominating window is closed, we empower our employees to drive the selection process, providing video interviews of the applicants and even opportunities to meet them in person to learn more about their goals and overall mission. Our success and ability to give these game-changing gifts is because of the tremendous work our employees do every day, so putting them in control of this decision is a key pillar of our corporate culture.
This year, our employees chose to reward two Florida-based charities making a meaningful difference, with $50,000 going to both the Ronald McDonald House and North Central Florida YMCA in Gainesville.
Ronald McDonald House Florida supports “Our House,” a home that provides lodging and meals to families traveling to Gainesville to seek medical care for ill children. The nonprofit is currently renovating to expand its services to more families, and Gas South’s donation will sponsor a room at their new location.
The North Central Florida YMCA offers programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all, and the donation will be used to build a community STEAM lab for local children and teens, giving them the ability to learn life-changing skills and explore new technologies.
Additionally, our impact investments in the backyard of our corporate headquarters in Atlanta will allow more children with special needs to receive therapeutic horse rides from Beyond Limits Therapeutic Riding, fight childhood hunger across the city through Feed the Children and Second Helpings, and inspire teenage girls to be confident leaders through Girl Talk.
Once the $300,000 is delivered to the selected organizations at the end of the summer, we take a step back to fully appreciate the impact the donations have on the organizations receiving them. We never take for granted the opportunity to impact the lives of children and families, and we’re so grateful to our customers for being the engine that allows us to Be A Fuel For Good.