Key Community Partnerships

United Way Giving

Columbia Gas of Virginia and its employees are extremely proud that corporate and employee pledges to United Way in dozens of our counties surpass a half million dollars. In addition, area managers and other employees serve on many United Way Chapter leadership groups and boards which help raise other funds and increase community support.

HeatShare Family Emergency Fund

Through a partnership with The Salvation Army that dates back to 1983, Columbia Gas generates an annual fund of about $1.2 million dollars to assist low-income families with their heating bills and to prevent termination of service. The company matches customer donations of more than $200,000 through gas bill payments up to an additional $150,000.

WarmChoice® Weatherization Program

WarmChoice® is a weatherization program for eligible, low-income Columbia Gas of Virginia customers. Weatherization includes insulation, air sealing and high-efficiency furnaces. The program can reduce customer gas use by an average of 27%. Columbia Gas of Virginia’s network of community-based providers serves approximately 1,300 WarmChoice® eligible customers each year. To qualify for the program, participants must be Columbia Gas of Virginia customers, use natural gas as their primary heating source, and be eligible for the PIPP program or have an income of 150% or less of federal poverty guidelines. To learn more about how to apply for WarmChoice, call our Conservation Hotline at 1-800-952-3037.

Employee Volunteerism

Columbia Gas employees frequently participate on teams or as individuals in community service projects or as volunteers for or members of boards of non-profit organizations. Columbia encourages and supports these employee initiatives. Examples of projects or organizations to which employees volunteer time and energy are:

  • Walkathons for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, the March of Dimes, AIDSWalk, the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Cystic Fibrosis.
  • Public Schools: employees serve as tutors, mentors and facilitators in the classrooms or through organizations such as Junior Achievement.
  • Food, clothing and gift drives: employees donate time, money, and goods to support families in need, particularly during the holiday season.
  • Environmental and educational grants: proceeds from employee waste paper recycling efforts are donated toward projects that enhance and protect the environment or conserve energy.