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Nicor Gas awards $100,000 in grants to support basic needs, energy assistance across its service territory

NAPERVILLE, IL – November 7, 2022 – Today, Nicor Gas is announcing $100,000 in grants to support the basic needs of our customers including food, clothing and shelter through community organizations across its service territory.

“At Nicor Gas, we have a goal to support the basic needs of 250,000 families across our communities through agencies that address food, housing and clothing insecurity,” said Jackie Nagel, manager of Community Engagement at Nicor Gas. “Nearly 11% of residents in the state of Illinois currently live in poverty. Providing for the most critical needs of our customers ensures our neighbors are able to not just survive but thrive.” 

This year, Nicor Gas is proud to award 24 organizations with grants to support their basic needs programming:  

Cook County: 

  • Faithful Meals in Motion – This program provides boxed meals for school-age children during extended school breaks and weekends.

  • Neighborhood Housing Services – This program provides a package of 10 freshly prepared meals to 50 senior households per week, for 24 weeks of the year. 

  • Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry – This program provides a drive-through pantry, a traditional in person community market, pop-up food pantries and a home grocery delivery program.

  • PADS to Hope – This program provides emergency shelter, supportive services, case management and medical care for the north and northwest suburbs of Metro Chicago.

  • South Suburban PADS – This program provides emergency shelter, food and case management for families in the south suburbs of Metro Chicago.

  • WINGS Program, Inc. – This program provides critical emergency housing for domestic violence victims.

DeKalb County: 

  • Family Services of DeKalb – This program supports low-income individuals, connecting them to resources for food, shelter, clothing and disaster relief.

DuPage County: 

  • CASA DuPage – This program provides a trained special advocate that ensures children in high-risk trauma situations are placed in safe homes and receive supportive services.

  • DuPage Senior Citizen's Council – This program provides meal delivery to homebound older adults. 

  • Loaves & Fishes Community Services – This program provides food distribution for children and seniors in DuPage County.

  • People's Resource Center – This program's food pantry serves as an entry point for services including hygiene products, clothing, financial assistance and education.

Fox Valley Area: 

  • Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry – This program supports mobile pantries throughout Fox Valley, including food, diapers, hygiene, baby formula and other basic need items.

  • Big Hearts Fox Valley – This program provides clothing, shoes, warm coats, gloves and hygiene products to families in need.

  • Hesed House – This program provides overnight emergency shelter, including meals, bathing facilities and laundry facilities.

  • Mutual Ground, Inc. – This program provides emergency shelter, emergency room response and a 24-hour crisis line for victims of domestic violence.

Grundy County: 

  • Grundy Area PADS – This program provides emergency shelter and case management for families in Grundy County, to ensure clients are working toward obtaining stable housing and independence.

Kane County: 

  • Food for Greater Elgin– This program delivers food to vulnerable immigrant populations in Elgin at schools, apartment complexes and churches.

  • PADS of Elgin – This program provides emergency shelter, showering and laundry facilities, meals and clothing to those experiencing homelessness in and around Elgin.

Lake County: 

  • Community Action Partnership – This program provides at least one hot meal per weekday that includes healthy choices to individuals in homeless shelters and low-income seniors throughout Lake County.

McHenry County: 

  • Home of the Sparrow – This program provides transitional shelter in a dorm-style environment for individuals and families throughout northern Illinois, including case management to work toward housing independence.

  • Refuge for Women Chicago – This program provides long-term and transitional housing for women over 18, in Chicagoland and beyond, who have escaped human trafficking.

McLean County: 

  • Home Sweet Home Ministries – This program provides daily meals to homeless shelter residents and low-income community members across several counties in central Illinois.

Winnebago County: 

  • Rock River Valley Pantry – This program provides dairy items to those experiencing food insecurity in the Rockford area.

  • Shelter Care Ministries – This program provides emergency housing, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing to those experiencing homelessness in and around Rockford.

To learn more about Nicor Gas’ commitment to basic needs and energy assistance initiatives, visit www.NicorGas.com/CharitableGiving. 

About Nicor Gas  
Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Nicor Gas serves more than 2.3 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, visit nicorgas.com. 

About Southern Company Gas   
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.3 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with approximately 600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.

Media Contact:  
Allison Gregoire  
470.733.2076 
aegregoi@southernco.com