Chester, VA – Columbia Gas is continuing its commitment to help build strong Virginia communities with a $25,000 contribution to the RISE Foundation in Waynesboro.
RISE is a nonprofit organization focused on supporting Black communities in the Shenandoah Valley. This includes offering extra educational opportunities to children such as an after-school program, tutoring services, a summer school program, a reading and writing camp and a one-of-a-kind all-Black library, which houses more than 1,500 books.
The Columbia Gas donation will aid RISE’s current programs and will help with plans for expansion.
“RISE plays a pivotal role in ensuring Virginia’s children have the tools they need today to develop into the leaders of tomorrow,” said Columbia Gas of Virginia’s President and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Montague. “In addition to providing an essential energy service, we’re proud to give our time, talent and resources to help organizations such as RISE carry out their critically important missions.”
“CEO Sharon Fitz and I have forged some powerful coalitions across the state of Virginia to be able to continue our RISE mission with our young people’s education and building their confidence so that they can succeed in and outside the classroom,” said RISE Foundation Chief Financial Officer Chanda McGuffin. “We appreciate contributions like this because it goes directly to impacting the community in which we serve.”
This contribution was made possible by the NiSource Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic organization of Columbia Gas’s parent company. Through our charitable giving, we provide more than $350,000 annually in
financial contributions to charitable organizations that share our mission of
meeting basic human needs. As part of that effort, we support many
organizations that provide assistance during times of individual and community
crisis including local food banks, relief agencies and emergency
responders.
For more information on how Columbia Gas of Virginia gives back to the community, visit our website.
